I have a few nagging chipped spots on my atomic silver NX. I tried to cover them with a basic chip paint that I bought from a dealer but they are very noticeable. More than anything, finished rough surfaces created by the brush is the issue. Then I watched some video on products like Dr. Colorchip and ChipFixx Kit. They looked pretty good and reviews were awesome but I don't feel like spending $50~$100. Do you guys know any other products that are as good as them but cost less? Thanks.

 

Those multi-stage paints are nearly impossible to touch up. Yours may in fact be the toughest.

 

Even the paint chip kits does not look perfect. The only way to get it 99% perfect is to repaint the hood.

 

As others have said, with multi-stage paints, especially the atomic silver, it is virtually impossible to do an acceptable repair of paint chips.

With regard to Dr. Colorchip, I made the mistake of buying their kits for 2 cars. The result of using the product was that the repaired area may have been acceptable to some, but it was, to me, unsatisfactory. From a distance, it looked okay, but from a shorter distance, it looked like I had a dead bug permanently plastered on the paint.

After lots of years of repairing paint chips, the best results that I've gotten have been from using traditional touch up paint but making sure that I was using good technique. The key to the best touch ups is to get the repaired nick up to the same level as the surrounding paint. You don't want the new paint to be higher or lower than the surrounding paint. If the new paint is higher or lower than the surrounding paint, it will catch the light differently and stick out like a sore thumb. So, while you want to fill the chip with new paint, you do not want to add paint beyond the outline of the chip.

An important tip is to never use the brush that came with the touch up paint. It is too big. You can go to an art supply store and buy a few brushes with very small bristles. With a small bristled brush, lots of patience and care, and a steady hand, you should be able to stay within the outline of the chip and add paint up to the level of the surrounding paint. The new paint will shrink a bit as it dries. So, to get it at the right height, you need to add new paint just a tiny bit higher than the surrounding paint.

If you end up with new paint that is a touch higher than the surrounding paint, you can use a slightly abrasive polish to carefully bring the paint back down to the same level after it dries. Good products to use is 3M Machine Glaze or 3M Hand Glaze.

With the above technique, I can end up with a virtually undetectable repair with many colors. With the more difficult colors, I can still make the repair look better than what I'd get with Dr. Colorchip and much better than what I'd get by just dabbing a blob of touch up paint on the chip. That will never work.

 

I have been using these micro brushes for touch up paint, I never use that fat brushes that comes with the touch up paint.

 

I preface the following by admitting that I can be more than a little OCD about the fits and finishes of my cars.

As someone who is very particular about the appearance of my vehicles, I've learned 3 things .

First, when I buy a vehicle I choose colors for which getting a satisfactory paint match with touch-ups is a easier, and I avoid colors like the atomic silver, pearl whites, reds, and silvers, which are colors for which it is virtually impossible to get a good paint match with touch-ups or other larger scale paint work.

I also try to avoid the need to touch up small rock chips by having the most susceptible areas covered with a high quality paint protection film. For my last few cars, I've had paint protection film installed on the full hood, full front fenders, full front bumper, mirrors, and more. Such coverage should avoid 95% + of all potential rock chips. And I have the paint protection film installed before I even drive the car home for the first time to avoid the possibility that I will pick up the first rock chips before I even get home with the car. A comprehensive paint protection film package isn't cheap, but I've found that, if I leave the paint protection film as the last part of the negotiations process when I'm buying the car, dealers are willing to sell complete PPF packages at their cost to avoid losing the sale of a car.

Finally, I've learned the proper techniques (as I explained in my post above) to touch-up the rare chips that I might get on unprotected areas of the car.

I've also found that, for very small chips, using a toothpick to apply the paint can work as an alternative to a brush with small bristles.

 

I got PPF applied to the entire front end and did a ceramic coating. When I'm hand-washing my car I notice any gunk comes off way easier compared to my husband's car ... he doesn't have a ceramic coating. Water just beads off so nicely. It's totally a game-changer. I've been using the Chemical Guys Hydro Suds in my foam cannon and wash bucket and it's lovely. So glad I took the extra steps to keep her looking brilliant, since I plan on owning her F O R E V E R.

 

I purchase the two step from Lexus. Lightly sand the chip with 2000 grit > apply 2-3 coats > heat gun > apply top coat > heat gun > sand with 2000 grit > buff with compound / orbital > wax