Like most black Prius owners (without a bra) I get chips on the hood and the white primer makes them really obvious. I took a black Sharpie and colored in the white spots and it really helped. I did it about 3 months ago and they are still black. Someday I might do the real touch up job, but this took all of 5 minutes, and really made a big improvement.
With all due respect to the thread starter I thought the same thing (jokingly) to myself when I saw the title to this.... and then the joke was even funnier when you mentioned you didn't have a bra.... but that would be immature, I apologize... carry on.
Dangling modifier alert! (Also, an extraneous apostrophe.) Despite that, I may try the sharpie idea. I, too, am an owner of a black Prius with many annoying scratches.
I once bought a white touch up pen which was a paint pen with a felt tip and gloss white paint in it. Ask at your local paint shop. It was a great way to cover paint chips, I used 2 coats on 2 separate days to fix mine. The paint will wick into the edges of the chip but used with care wont over flow the chip. Looks very good. These must be available in different colours. The one I had lasted years as long as it is stored the right way up, instructions are on the label. I believe mine was Dulux brand.
Sharpies & Prismacolor Markers Rule!! Winston, Yes, Sharpies rule! They have been my favorite to touch up scratches and nicks for a while now, especially on the plastic bumpers. They are much more precise than brush-on touch up paints (which are too goopy) and touch up paint pens (which are too runny). Plus they're cheap and effective. And as neicy pointed out, they're not just for black cars. You might be able to find an exact or close color match among the 30+ available Sharpie colors. If not, then I'm pretty sure you'll be able to find a color match among the 150+ available colors that Sharpie's artist/art supplies store cousin -- Prismacolor -- comes in. Another plus the Prismacolor marker pen has is that it comes with two tips -- an extra fine point tip and a fairly controllable chisel tip. My suggestion for anyone who already has a touch up paint pen or brush-on touch up paint in their car's paint code is to dab or mark a piece of spare white plastic and/or heavy white paper with that touch up paint; and then take that piece of marked white plastic and/or paper to an art supplies store to use to try to find the best matching Sharpie or Prismacolor marker.
good info's here. I have the touch up paint from the dealer..but it is runny as heck. And I dont have the patience to apply over periods of days then wet sand gently to get it going. I do have the rock chips on my hood also=[ will give the sharpie a try !
Prius newbie here -- do you suppose this would work for a Spectra Blue Mica '08 Prius? Any suggestion of color choice for the Sharpie or Prismacolor? Thanks!
I use a black Sharpie around the soles of my dress shoes when they get a little ratty. Sharpies are great for touch ups. Tom
I have also used Sharpies or other permanent ink markers on the thread bare cuffs of my coats, suits, shirts and pants. I understand that they're also frequently used by rug merchants (well, maybe the less scrupulous ones) on expensive antique and semi-antique rugs.
Touch-up my black Prius? No way! Those stone chips, darking lot dings and what-nots you are trying to hide are the marks of true road warriors.
Sharpie good. Bug guard better. I actually used a sharpie to touch up a pair of shorts I got a drop of bleach splash on. It worked for a few washings, then I had to touch up again.
