Just noticed this on my driver's side door (2016 IS300). Is this exposed metal? I applied car wax for now, before going to a body shop soon.

 

^^ It is hard to tell from that pic to be honest. I wouldn't normally associate the metal being that black - Until I read that it was the door, I thought it was on a plastic piece but obviously that is not the case. It is a small spot by the look of it, the touch up paint will certainly help. Given that you car is 2016, I suspect you would have rock chips on your front bumper/hood already so this is just me, but I feel that going to a body shop based on the size of the affected area, is a bit overkill....

 

I would get touch up paint that matches the paint code for your car, it doesn't make sense to go to a body shop for that in my view. You can use a painter's pen to get better control of the application so it doesn't end up a giant glob.

 

Just worried it'd start bubbling rust underneath if I don't do it right with the touch up.

 

Without a better pic it is hard to say, but, definitely not worth a trip to the body shop. Simple paint match touch up paint and a steady hand will take care of it. No longterm adverse effects to worry about. Now, that said, if it is down to the metal and it starts rusting before you touch it up, you will have to get the rust out of it and simply prep it before touch up. That would be something as simple as using rubbing alcohol on the spot beforehand. Still, no adverse effects to worry about.

 

Had some of these happen on my hood and even my trunk. My trunk has a rust spot because the paint shipped off, yeah, exposed metal. You want to be careful with the touch up paint because sometimes it comes out a lot and makes a bubble, go easy with it

 

I use the tip of a toothpick to do touchup. I don't use the brushed that come in the tube of paint.

 

^^ OMG, I do the same thing too!!

 

I use a painter's pen, most chips are small enough that just dotting the paint in gets good coverage, add another layer once it shrinks after drying.

Shouldn't have issues with rust if you clean the chip thoroughly down to the white before painting it. I had a few rust bubbles on my trunk lid where my license plate was rubbing, I took them down to the metal, hit them with touch up paint and then put a layer of 3m on the entire area under the plate, and for extra measure put some foam weather stripping on the plate itself so it wouldn't chafe anymore. 2 years later still good, no rust bubbles.

https://painting-crafts.com/large-kemper-gold-painting-pen-5-mm-tip.html

@armanivnn I'm not even sure that photo shows a chip, if it was down to the metal it would be bright

 

I honestly thought it was some dried up tar. But it does feel deep when I run my nail over it. I'm honestly not sure myself.

Anyways, thank you for the replies wthrman2, m1919, swaangin, & 2017Fsport. I'll grab a pen and do the touch up myself.