My black Tacoma has encountered some paint chips. I'm assuming it's from rocks. What is the best product and process to repair these? The innerwebs has all kinds of information, but I wanted some first hand knowledge from the folks on this site. The chips aren't that big, but they bug me.

There is no great shade-tree bodywork option I have ever found.

The only short-cut method is to aquire some pre-mixed chip repair paint that matches your paint code. Apply it proud of the surrounding paint after cleaning thoroughly with a bristled brush (just the chip) and alcohol. Once dried, polish down with rubbing compound to match the surrounding, and spray their clear product to finish. Then apply good polish/wax products to protect it and finish off what you've removed from the surrounding area.

Or...stick a sticker on it.

Like JHE said...best fix is to re-paint at a reputable shop. It isn't cheap, and anyone who does cheap paint shouldn't be trusted.

Two days ago, for the first time used a syringe and touch-up paint. Way better than any brush and orders of magnitude better than those infernal markers.

Learned the trick from one of the most knowledgeable detailing gurus:

As AKSuperDually suggested, visit your local Toyota Parts Dept. and pick up some touch-up paint. You can get the paint code off the sticker located inside your drivers door or give them your VIN. It’s never going to look perfect unless it’s professionally repainted, so what I do is clean the area with alcohol and touch up the chips by applying paint until the chipped area is completely filled in and then leave it. Still won’t look perfect, but it will look a lot better than the chip and more importantly the area will be protected from the elements.

This =====>. Dr. Colorchip. I did a zillion chips on a black Mazda 3 prior to selling. It worked great. Watch their videos.

https://www.kingartco.com/prod...nt%20pe&_ss=e&_v=1.0

This is what I have/use. Just put the factory touch up paint in the reservoir and dab the "needle" in the chip to apply the paint.

With a little practice, using good technique you can cove the paint chip and as long as it's not too big, it will be barely noticeable.

I have touched up scratches, with it and dragging a credit card over it, and you almost can't tell it's there. I have a WR Pearl Blue WRX, and the Pearl paint is hard to really match, but with good technique, in most light you can't see it. Most of the time I have to point it out.

I have tried different methods, and this is the best option I have found. Most of the other things apply to much paint and is noticeable because of this.

Where the fine line pen applies just enough, inside of the paint chip.


ARman

'Black', the worst color on the market in terms of touching it up. The Dr. Colorchip option is about the best you can do yourself. Pro tip for you for the next time....always have a clear bra applied to the front of a black (or dark) vehicle if you care about what it will look like over time.

Good advice here. When you get your touch up paint...go slow, in stages. I use a broken tooth pick and plan on putting on three maybe four coats waiting at least 30 minutes between each. When it is at the level I want, I buff it out with some car polish.

It won't be perfect but it will look a hell of a lot better.