IS YOUR CAR IN NEED OF PAINT TOUCH UP OR ROCK CHIP REPAIR?
**WE NO LONGER OFFER TOUCHUP PAINT AS A STANDALONE SERVICE**
Here at Northwest Auto Salon we believe in providing our customers with as many reconditioning options as possible for their vehicle. As many of our clients know, we are proponents for applying clear bra paint protection film from the very beginning of new car ownership, but we also realize that not every car is bought new or even tip-top shape at the point of sale. In many cases, daily driven vehicles are left unprotected and suffer the consequences at the whims of the open road. So what can be done about a car with that’s left peppered with paint chips and scratches from debris? The simple solution is our in-house paint touch up service!
PAINT TOUCH UP & ROCK CHIP REPAIR FAQs
Do you stock my factory paint color?
We’re fully stocked with a wide range of OEM color formulations spec’d from manufacturer paint codes. If we don’t have a perfect match, we can mix it up for you at an additional cost.
Is touch up paint acceptable for a tri-stage or candy coat paint job?
To an extent, yes, but there are some things to keep in mind. Heavy metallic & pearlescent paint schemes are applied in a layered process, where as touch up paint is a “single-stage” application. The metallic & pearl finishes we stock might not look up to snuff in the bottle, but once applied they will fully alleviate the appearance of most chips. Keep in mind that “true” tri-coat or pearl paint touch up does not exist — there are 3-step kits available on the market, but the end result of these applications is far from desirable.
Paint blobs are the result of a heavy application, using a thicker paint product, or multiple coats building up from application & a lack of surface finishing.
Simply put, “color sanding” refers to wet or dry sanding a single stage paint job, and removing some of the color in the process. In regards to the touch up paint process, color sanding would occur when reducing the visibility of a heavy paint blob or even in surface prep./su_spoiler]
How many hours will it take to do my car?
That all depends on how many chips your vehicle has, and how many of those spots you would like to be touched up. Our paint touch up service is billed hourly & is completely scalable to reach your expectation, from one rock chip to 1,000.
Will hand applied touch up be invisible after completion?
To an untrained eye, most chips repaired with touch up paint will be nearly impossible to spot without prior knowledge of their appearance. As a general rule of thumb, stand 10 feet from your vehicle & note how visible the chipping is. Upon delivery, do the same test. Some repaired chips will be visible under close inspection if you know where to look, but a majority will be completely alleviated.
I have my own touch up paint, can you apply that?
We would prefer not to. In the past, we’ve offered to apply supplied paint & were never satisfied with the results, which in turn leads to an unhappy customer. With our paint touch up system, we know exactly how the paint will react when applied, how old the touch up paint is, and what applicators to use, so there’s no chance of sporadic results.
I have an older vehicle, will new touch up paint match?
As we mentioned earlier, we can mix paint to match around 95% of OEM finishes with near perfect accuracy, regardless of make, model, or year. If the paint has faded from oxidation, chances are we may be able to remedy that at the time of your touch-up appointment as well, just let us know ahead of time when scheduling.
Can touch-up paint fix my “keyed” car or deep scratch?
We don’t recommend utilizing our paint touch up services for fixing key scratches unless the paint color is dark, and the scratch relatively short & deep. While long scratches on lighter colored cars may fill with paint just fine, it’s more likely that the outline of the scratch will still be visible on the surface. However, if you’re not inclined to pay a body shop or have air brush touch up performed on the scratch in question, our paint touch up service might be the best option for you.
Do you have touch up paint for wheels?
We do not recommend our touch up paint services for repairing wheel damage. If your stock or aftermarket wheels are curbed or have a lot of deep scratches, it might be worth looking into our wheel repair service or even refinishing them completely & having them powder coated.
Do you have touch up paint for a matte finish vehicle?
Matching a matte finish is tricky. There are a few touch-up pen options that are marketed as matte finish, however we don’t recommend using them. If you have a matte finish paint like BMW’s “frozen” series, let us know before you come in for a consultation & we will research the best method for addressing the chips in your matte paint job.
Can you touch up the interior of my car?
In some cases, if interior plastics are treated to a single stage of paint, we may be able to touch up minor chips in them. Results will vary.
Is this cheaper than repainting my car?
Repairing rock chips via paint touch up is leaps & bounds cheaper than a re-spray. Even just painting a bumper or hood often requires significant prep, blending, and considerably more hours to complete, resulting in higher costs to the consumer. The end result might not be comparable to a complete repaint, but the cost difference is huge.
How much does touch up paint application cost on average at NWAS?
Typically, our paint touch up service requires a minimum of one hour to complete, from prep to application. For this reason, all touch up services require a one hour minimum at the shop rate of $150/HR, plus tax.
Is my car too chipped up to be repaired?
Not necessarily, but the results of touching up a ton of chips may not be up to your expectations of quality. Your best bet is to stop by so we can inspect the vehicle & get a better scope of the chip damage, or send us some pictures of the areas that raise concern.
What is too big or too small to be touched up?
In most cases, the best type of chips that benefit from paint touch are often categorized as “road rash” or “peppering.” If a chip is considerably larger than the size of a pencil eraser, it’s likely to still be slightly visible upon application. Results can vary depending on the size, shape, depth, and paint color. Generally, the larger the chip, the longer it will take to dry & cure.
Do you sell touch up paint for personal application?
We don’t retail our touch up paint directly to the consumer, but if you schedule your vehicle for our rock chip repair service, we keep your touch up paint on file with a mixing recipe for all future applications. If you would like to have us mix you up paint to go once the touch up service is completed, please request it at the time of scheduling your appointment.
How long will this touch up paint last on my vehicle?
From what we’ve experienced first hand & noted from manufacturer product testing, the touch up paint we apply will maintain appearances for around 8 years with proper care. Where other touch up paints fail due to shrinkage from dry time & curing, the paint we utilize will maintain the same surface area indefinitely.
Do you recommend personal application with a touch up pen or otherwise?
Given the results we’ve experienced using touch-up pen type products, we wouldn’t advise it unless you’re really dying to cover up the chips at a moment’s notice. Alternatively, using hand applied touch up paint can be timely & too involved for
Can you remove my old touch up paint and improve results with a new application?
Of course! Most touch up paint can be removed with solvents and a little elbow grease. Make sure to note every spot of old touch up paint that you would like re-touched at the time of your consultation, and we’ll see to it that all the chips receive a proper re-application.
THE POSSIBILITIES OF PAINT TOUCH UP
With hundreds of automotive paint colors in stock, we have access to a perfect paint match for your personal vehicle. On top of availability, we now have the capacity to mix touch up paint on-site & in-house for same day service! Our automotive paint touch up is carefully applied by hand with a selection specialized micro-applicators, ensuring blobs and excessive, extraneous touch up application is avoided at all cost. As always, every vehicle requires a different level of attention, as no car or chip is created equal. For this reason, NWAS paint touch up and rock chip repair services are billed hourly with a minimum of 1 hour, guaranteeing a proper color match, ample application time, time to dry, as well as repeat applications if necessary. Whether your vehicle just needs minor touch up, or is riddled with 20+ chips throughout, we have what it takes to make any unfortunate paint situation drastically improve. If your vehicle is also plagued with unsightly dings & dents, it may be worth bundling our paint touch up & rock chip service with a
paintless dent repair treatment – the result of which could save you hundreds if not thousands in repairs & respraying at a body shop in near future.
Adding the application of touch up paint for your car or truck is encouraged at the time of an exterior detail appointment to save money overall and experience less downtime. If you are looking to only have rock chip repair done, depending on the condition, may still require several hours for the work to be completed. The minimum detailing service at the time of a touch up appointment is a full days worth of treatment. Touch up application is done hourly at $150, minimum 1 hour. We are able to custom mix your color if necessary for an additional $150 one time charge. Aside from the installation and repair of your chips, NWAS may also provide you with touch up paint for future visits by special request. Our hourly service takes into consideration all necessary time to prepare the working areas by removing any rust, specialized primers if needed, cleaning and removing wax/polish build up, all prior to the application. Upon paint touch up repair, we also cure the paint to make sure it is dry to the touch prior to delivery and make sure that your chip repair is there to stay.
For an example, check out the paint touch up we performed on a VW GTI that came in with a nasty key scratch! Have rock chips in need of serious touch up paint? contact us with more information about the extent of your rock chip woes & we'll do our best to ensure your future commutes remain completely rock chip free!