How do I fix chipped paint on my new Prius ?

My advice, don't get all wrapped up doing it yourself. We recently had a vandalism door ding and had a professional work on it. He had to stitch it and all that. Doesn't look like new, but your eye isn't drawn to the area. Since it was such a tough case, he charged $150. I'm thinking something as easy as you are describing would be half that.

 

Whatever you do after it is 'fixed', think about having your hood, bumpers, mirrors, door edges, and grill wrapped with the clear 3M wrap that is available. Have it professionally done and you will have bought piece of mind. Note that it is expensive (about $700 for your complete Prius) but is well worth it when you see bugs, grit, dirt and stones just bounce off your car. (no scratches or dings)
I would pay again to have this done on my next car and it is almost entirely invisible and guaranteed for the life of the vehicle.

 

I feel your pain. Road rash on the front bumper is bad.

I got the touch-up paint at the stealership and as Tumbleweed suggested, I use a toothpick and build the pit with a few layers of paint. Works well.

 

You'll want to get your color, and then the clear touch up paint.

I've used a toothpick too. It's difficult. If you get a super fine brush at an art store, you can sometimes do a better job.

Also one trick is if you screw up the touch up job, if it's less than a few minutes, it will clean off with some vigorous rubbing.

Just to be safe, for your color, you can practice the rub out technique on the inner door sill that no one sees when the doors are closed. It's good to know if you did a hideous job that you can rub it out.

 

Joe, you might want to try this company:

Dr.ColorChip Custom Automotive Touch-Up Paint Kit - Dr. ColorChip: Automotive Paint Chip Repair Systems

 

At least when/where I asked for it, Toyota's touch-up paint came in a pen. It has a nylon applicator at both ends: one for the base color, and the other clear coat. I found it very easy to dab on controlled amounts, and it flows very easily.

 

With the Toyota touchup paint if the pen gets a little dry it's hard to put a second coat on without gouging the first. If this happens try the toothpick method first before you use the brush if it's on a horizontal surface and the nick is small. I had the fun experience of having the cap of the brush hold some paint after shaking, didn't notice, carefully touched the nick, and at the same instant a big glob of paint came out of the cap and fell directly on the hood.

A Shamwow was two feet away and got paint duty a second later. Talk about the sweats hitting you as you watch fresh paint run down the hood.

Only evidence are slight marks where I pressed really hard in panic wiping it up, must have pushed the metallic in the paint on the finish and scuffed it just a tad. Unless it's on a vertical surface, or a really big chip, I'm using a toothpick.

 

Doesn't the prius have a layer of clear coat? Wouldn't you have to use primer if the scratch was too big?

 

They do have a clear coat. Found that out when the body shop had the bill up to $1,580 on repainting the entire right side of my ribbon blue GenIII to repair the vandal's keying damage two weeks ago. Turned out as good as new, or maybe even better! The dealer said they couldn't tell it had been repainted as I took it in for normal service today.

 

FYI, Blizzard Pearl is a three process paint. The base coat:040, Pearl: 070 and finally the clear coat. If you use only the top coat: 070 over the primer, the result will not match!

 

It if is a small chip, get a match for your year and color of the Prius from the Toyota dealer. The Toyota touchup paint comes in a container that includes an applicator that works well. From 5 feet away it will be hard to tell the small chip was ever there.

If it is big, you can still use the touchup paint but it might be noticeable. It will not be as noticeable as black on gray. If you are not happy with it, take to a body shop and they will do what is listed above.

 

Once there are any chips, even after they are repaired, I would not get a clear bra. The repaired areas will show up as bubbles once the film is laid on top.

 

True, mine turned out crappy-de-lux grey.
I'll just pay the money and have it done properly.

 

The Toyota book lists the the BP as a two step? The white base and then the pearl top clear coat --- on a scratch it works better to fill it with two coats of base and then overcoat the pearl a couple of times

 

Why are there so many haters that have nothing better to do but destroy other people's properties that they worked so hard for? Sorry, more of a rhetorical question to let out some emotion. While we're on the topic, does anyone know how to get a decent sized door ding fixed other than the obvious(body shop)?

 

I saw a guy at a dealer using the bottom of a match out of a matchbook to touch up a car. He said he gets better results than the brush in a bottle of touch-up paint.

 

Dr. Colorchip works amazingly well for small paint chips.

Dr.ColorChip Custom Automotive Touch-Up Paint Kit - Dr. ColorChip: Automotive Paint Chip Repair Systems

 

My first post, and I feel your pain.

I live in a neighborhood full of hyperactive teenagers who have no further ambition in life than to ride around in Daddy's car and throw eggs at Priuses.

My '02 Prius has been egged no less than eight times. My '11 Prius (which usually resides in the driveway, behind a gate) has been egged once already. Sure, the police have been out - but if I can't catch the hoodlums in the act, not much they can do...