Damage from Bug Deflector

Hi Guys... I bought my '06 from a guy who had put the Toyota Bug guard on the hood. I really don't like the stupid things, but when I took it off I realized that he hadn't properly installed the sticky tabs that protect the paint so now at each of the 5 spots on the shood where the tabs sit the paint is gone. It looks really bad. I'd rather not repaint the whole hood, and it seems too deep to put touch up paint on.

Any ideas on how to remove the bug guard without looking at the damage? My only idea was going to a shop that makes the clear bras and seeing if they could install a strip about 1/2" wide across the front line of the hood with colored vinyl, either the stock color or just a flat black strip. Think this would look good?
any ideas are helpful. Thanks guys!

 

IMO, either buck up and have the hood painted, or put the bug deflector back on.

Anything else would look silly.

 

I took my deflector off and have the same paint chip issues. I just left it the way it is. It's really not that noticeable, unless you're specifically looking at those spots.

 

I'd have it painted but thats me. I'd worry that they would rust at some point. I hate bug deflectors for that reason. I stupidly put one on my old Ranger and it wore through the paint. It pissed me off and it looked worse than a few rock chips and bugs stuck to the hood.

 

You can do more with touch-up paint than you think. It's a camoflauge issue. You're not shooting for perfect - you're shooting for "better-than-it-is-now."

Clean it, prime it, brush it, sand it, polish it, wax it.

Sure, at 5 to 10 feet away, you'll see the spot if you know what you're looking for.

But folks just looking at the truck won't have their eyes immediately drawn to the high-contrast sore spots.

 

Sorry, I sold the F150 that needed all the touch-up paint. And my Taco doesn't have anything I need to touch up yet.

 

Those bug deflectors are absolute garbage. When I purchased my 06 used from the dealer right after I signed the paper work to make it mine I went out to my 96 taco that I traded in grabbed my tool kit, took the bug deflector off, and through it in the bed of my trade in. The salesman came out immediatley and was like is something wrong. I was like no that thing is just a POS. Knowing the stealership they probably put it on another truck.

 

Thanks for all the input guys. I do have the OEM touch up paint that i have used in other spots. This duplicolor filler stuff I assume is brush on, right? I can pick that up no problem. The spots haven't rusted as far as I can see, but I will clean them with alcohol and sand it down a little bit. Thanks for all the advice!!

And yeah, I hate the original owner for putting that stupid thing on...