Touch Up Paint Mis-Match

Use this to get all that excess off the non scratched areas:

$25 Langka 2oz Blob Eliminator

https://www.amazon.com/Langka-LANGKA-2oz-Blob-Eliminator/dp/B000BAT622

Was there a clear coat involved in your process? Metallics always look like shit if you don't clear them, they will always appear very dull. I have a magnetic grey and mix the paint and clear sides of the pen onto cardboard and apply that way. Then I use Meguiars M105 to polish everything to an even sheen. Craft is key when doing these types of touch ups.

$14 Meguiar's M10508 M105 Mirror Glaze Ultra-Cut Compound - 8 oz.

https://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-Mir...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=C13ZJ9X325SJEQQG6XBG

 

Interesting to see/know. I may go to the guy I know at the body shop and see what he says. Thanks

 

What, you don't like my art work? I know it ain't pretty. I just tried to use the touch up paint with the brush it comes with. The link you got here has good tips, will use next time, but the reason it sticks out so much is because the colors simply don't match. All the fancy techniques in the world won't help if the colors are different. This was a deep, deep scratch down to the plastic with ridges and probably should have been sanded, etc. anyways. You can only do so much with a bottle of touch up paint. I don't have high end body work tools and supplies.

 

There is a clear coat on the factory paint of course, but the touch up paint from the dealer is lacquer and you don't clear coat that.

 

I apologize for being so direct in my response. If you had used a very fine artist's brush and just filled in the scratch, you probably would have had a better repair. I have been doing this kind of touch up for almost as long as I have been driving...over 60 years. Yeh, I'm as "old as dirt" but I still have a good eye (two of them) and a steady hand. Good luck on your next touch up.

 

No worries, no offense taken. I went to the guy I know who owns a body shop. He looked at it and immediately said "OEM touch up paint". I said yeah, and he went on to point out that those areas where the scratches are, the wheel well trim and the bumper, are textured plastic underneath, not smooth. Like alligator skin up close.

When you look close and compare the paint on the trim to the hood, he is correct. He said that even if you sand, fill, paint, clearcoat with exact matching color, the repaired area will be smooth, not textured. This is because the sanding and over painting will smooth the plastic texture out. And if you look close, you will be able to see the difference in the texture for that reason.

So I was looking at some other Tacomas that dont have the painted trim, like the off road 4x4, and sure enough, when you look at the plastic close up it is textured. I have the Sport, so the same textured plastic underneath, just painted. See the photo here of the unpainted version.

I may have him fix it, he said he could do it for $200 or less. Not bad considering my time and what I would have to pay for materials. I am still debating if it would even be worth it since it's not that obvious unless you look for it. I missed it when we looked at the truck but wifey noticed it.

 

Sometimes "good enough" is just that...."good enough". I have found this out the hard way. Knowing that it can be fixed for $200 or less just might be "good enough"....especially after you get a few more scratches.

 

I had a kid back into my door last year for my 16 double cab (also 1d6 silver). Had the body shop guy redo the job, even though the rightcode...still not perfect match.

I also got the same OEM touch up from the dealer the other day (apparently my 3yo son did light saber practice to the truck) ‍♂️

 

It’s your truck but if it was mine I’d just leave that alone. It will get scratched up again eventually anyway rather than spend that 200$ for touch up

 

OP I agree it’s too light. I got the ID6 touch up paint and used it on my finder flare(sport model). It looks like a match for the 2nd gen Tacoma which is actually a “lighter” shade silver sky Metallic.

 

Opinions will vary. But if you trust your buddy, I’d happily pay him $200 bucks for a professional repair. FYI - My New Year’s resolution was to stop sweating the little things. I make the same resolution every year!