Road rash on my Blizzard Pearl

I recently used some touch up paint on my magnetic grey prius and I would caution you to be VERY CAREFUL with the paint. You can use it to touch up the car but you can't replace the clear coat on top of it, unless you want to add some more work. I thought it was simply just a touch up job and I wouldn't be able to notice, but I do. In the long run, I like the touch up paint more so than the chips in my car though. But, I stress to be very careful with it. Look for different tips on web sites and also, use caution with certain tips.....do not go and use fine grit sandpaper on your Prius w/o experience : ) Good Luck.

 

Someone on here has mentioned using a toothpick with the touchup paint (not the brush that comes with it). That sounds like a great idea as it would prevent the "blobs". I will likely use that next summer after all the snow goes away.

I noticed the last time I washed my BP, I had many specs on the front, all black. Dings all the way down to the base plastic. Guess they don't last forever, eh?

 

I've used the touch-up paint on the hood of my Super White. It looks better than the black specks, but you've got to be very careful with your touch-up technique. If I look real close, I can see my touch-up work, but I'm satisfied with the job I did. It looks much better than the specks, but it is not a work of perfection. Again, I can live with that.

 

LANGKA Paint Chip and Scratch Repair

BP would be extremely difficult to match though. I don't know what touch up paints Toyota offers for BP, but Lexus sells two separate touch-up paints for their tricoat/metallic paints. A base coat (which is indicated by the paint number XX-BC) and a top coat. You apply the base coat first, then top it with the factory color-tinted clear coat.

 

The paint on the prius chips very easy and cheapest option to keep your prius looking new would be to touch up all the chips with the factory touch up paint. Shake the container for about two minutes as I have the same color as you and it took that much shaking of the container to get the best match.

Use a tooth pick and dab over the chip when you dab the paint on it will make little bubble but it will suck in and dry flat as the paint dryes.

If you have clear bra installed (just hood and bumper should cost $400.00) on your Prius soon you will keep looking new and the few marks you have now will not show but if you wait much longer at rate you are driving it will be hard to keep your prius looking new.

This would be your cheapest option as respray on bumper and hood would be more than twice what the clear bra would cost.

 

The touch up paint for the 2010 Toyota Prius Blizzard Pearl comes in one tube and matches very well.

 

That's the reason I get my clearbra installed (esp. hood & bumper) before I drive any hwy with my prius. My old white color commuter car has alot of rock chip that exposes the metal under the paint and rusted, especially the fwd facing edges of the hood, due to driving 80-85mph on hwy 280 & 85 here in bay area. I installed the clearbra myself for a fraction ($170 for precut bumper 3m film & another $120 worth of bulk film for hood, fender, head light, side mirror) of the price that start from $450 basic pkg up to $6-700 for full hood wrap etc.

 

Lee,

I'm curious -- how did the install go and where did you source the film?

 

Are you kidding me? You regularly drive 80-85 MPH on 280? The CHP will find you soon enough (I hope). That is just not safe unless you are the only car on the road and in the Bay Area unless you are on 280 at 3:30 AM that will not be the case.

 

*I'm not condoning this driving behavior*

There are sections of 280 that are less traveled relative to others (between hwy 92 and hwy 85) that if you are there, mid day, traffic is lighter and visibility is good. So I understand where he is coming from.

That being said, it is pretty damn dumb and unnecessary to do it.

 

Please tell us the source, exact "part number", and quantity, size,
and thickness of bulk film.

Also, please describe the application process, both what to do and what to avoid,
for the many of us who have never applied this film before.

Covering compound curves, I assume that using a heat gun (is a hair drier enough)
is required to shrink some of the film as it is applied. Is that correct?

Please describe the compound-curve application techniques.

What technique is best used for cutting the edges of the applied film
so that the existing paint is not damaged, and the edge does not peel up
or collect dirt?

If needed, can the film be easily removed? How?

Or, perhaps you can suggest a link to a website that has good, illustrated instructions?

THANKS, Gary

 

Oh I want one of those pens... Have to see if I can get through the dealer here.

I don't know about the OP but the rash I have (the Prius) is from pits and go all the way down to the base black plastic. So the clay bar is not going to help. Although for tar and rail dust that clay bar stuff works wonders!

 

I had mine done by a 3M certified installer. 3M film. No heat gun used. He used a pre cut pattern for all pieces except the door edges. I had the front bumper, most of the hood, the fronts of the fenders, the mirrors and the door edges done. Some places will cut bulk film on the car, but you risk cuts in your paint that way. I wouldn't do it myself. Some vendors will sell precut pattern pieces, which may be the way to go if you are going DIY. You can buy a coil of narrow strip 3M film for door edges. Basically lots of spraying of the alcohol/water solution and teasing things into place. I'd be picky about the film I used. 3M or VentureShield would be my preference. I posted pics of the install here:

http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii...ondering-whether-buy-clear-plastic-bra-5.html

Google around. There are fairly explicit installation instructions available on the web.