05RollaXRS

Just thought, since many people are frustrated about these, I would share my 40 hours of trial and error, experimentation and improvisation trying to touch up a couple of rock chips (each about the size of a nail head in diameter exposed down to the metal). With Molten Pearl color, it took so long because I was not willing to accept anything less than a properly blended in and fully buffed out result. A blob/rough touch-up was unacceptable for me in a 9000 miles car.

Long story short, I have PPF on the hood, pillars, mirrors, but not on the doors so I bought the car and discovered afterwards two small rock chips about the size of a nail head each. They were both exposed down to the metal. So, about 2 weeks ago, I purchased Lexus touch up paint/clear coat. In my last service, Lexus dealership was kind enough to offer repairing them for me (for free), but they did not have Molten Pearl in stock. I ordered it and had to do it myself.

Here is what I used:

- Only do this in a garage with direct light source falling on where the rock chip is so that you can observe from all angles.
- 2000 grit sand paper
- Turtle polishing compound (any polishing compound would do)
- Meguiars ultimate spray wax (you can use any wax even paste wax)
- Sprayer with water
- Cotton pads, small sponges and double sided microfiber mitten (one side wax on and other side wax off)
- Thinner just to dab an extra paint around the rock chip

Clearcoat/Touch up Process:

- Cleaned up the surface and prep'ed it for touch up paint.
- Thorough shake the touch up/clear coat pen for 1 minute to mix the pearls with the paint
- Use a paper to draw lines (about 10 - 15) with the pen. Pressing the tip a few times to get the paint out and then drawing lines.
- Now, start poking the touch up pen directly on the exposed metal. This requires a lot of patience since filling in the rock chip requires consistent direct poking and pressing on the rock chip to make the paint stay in the. Continue to dab and press to get more paint out until it is filled in. If it is a blob sticking out, don't worry it will be buffed out. Only make sure it is properly filled in. Wipe off any excessive paint around the filled in paint with thinner on a cotton pad.
- Let it sit for 24 hours and then come back to it next day.
- Make sure the rock chip is still filled in (blobs are completely fine at this stage). Run your hand through it. You will feel it is rough and sticking out, but is fine as long as there is no excessive paint around it and the chip is filled in. If it is not filled in properly, apply a second coat again dabbing and pressing the pen on the rock chip and then give it another 24 hours. I had to start over again 3 times since it keep oozing out of the rock chip. I would dab some thinner and dry out. Start again.
- Once ready for next step, shake the pen for 1 minute and the apply clear coat on the rock chip. Again, blobs are fine and even if you have excessive clear coat on it. No issues as it will be fixed in the buffing out.

Buffing Out/Blending in Process:

- Once you are at a stage, where you see the rock chip has been filled in. There could be some whitish clear coat on it due to moisture build up and it is sticking out. If you run your finger on it, it feels sticking out and rough. All in all, looks ugly, but filled in. You are good for the next step.
- Spray some water on the rock chip and thoroughly wet the 2000 grit sand paper. Now, will light pressure, sand the excessive paint/coat over the rock chip until it begins to feel smooth. Don't worry about the sand paper causing some blemishes around the rock chip as it will all be buffed out. Keep doing it until it is leveled out and feels quite smooth. Keep spraying water and keep wetting the sand paper.
- Once it feels level and relatively smooth, now start with applying paste of the Turtle polishing compound on the rock chip and around. Let it sit for about 1 - 2 minutes and then grab a cotton pad. In a circular motion, start polishing the rock chip. You will see, it will start getting glossy. Make sure you have light fall on the rock chip so that you can monitor how the blemishes and scratches from sand paper are getting buffed out. Clean the polish using the other side of the cotton pad.
- Once the polish has been cleaned out, apply the wax on the rock chip and grab the microfiber mitten and then go wax-on using one side of the mitten and wax-off using the other side.
- Let it now sit overnight and come back to it next day. Observe it from all angles under light to see how much scratches/blemishes and blob you have left. Sand it again, if you need to smooth it out more.
- You will have to do polishing and then follow it with waxing at least 3 to 4 rounds until you cannot see any blemishing, whiteness or uneven surfaces. Essentially, it should be blended in once you are done.

Without further ado, here is what the end result looks like under the sun (with some clouds). The two rock chips were directly underneath the mirror. They are not visible unless you put your eyes only 2 - 3 inches away from the paint.

Pen:



Final surface (under the mirror is where two rock chips were and not visible anymore. Dots are water residue):




Bonus RCF picture (yes, RCF looks smaller than G37 in real life. Not sure why):

LXSDO

Thank you for this.

cvt

05RollaXRS

Yeah, I would not have settled for anything less. You have to put eyes about 3-4 inches from the where they both were from below looking up in bright light and really look close to notice the two repairs. Compound polishing and waxing really does wonders in blending/buffing. Lexus touch-up also matches perfectly with the OEM color. Molten Pearl is a very "unforgiving" color. If you have even the slightest of imperfections, it will really make it very visible. That is why I had to really put a lot of effort to get it right. You should do it on your ISF. It is totally worth it and if you run into issues, you can post here and I will help.

A couple pictures where the two rock chips were in direct garage light. I might have to polish/wax it once more to remove some of the water spots. Chips were directly underneath where the base of the mirror is.