Scratched paint during service

So today I was having a new plastic lower grille installed. It had been cracked along with the valence and I had ordered the part and had my dealer install it for 1 hour labour.

When I did a walk around I noticed two nicks on the plastic bumper in symmetrical spots. I didn't want to accuse anyone of anything but I called the assistant manager over to take a look and he didn't seem to know why or how that was caused.

I was in a state of confusion so I just paid for the service and bought a Toyota touch-up pen and left.

The more I think about it now it seems very unlikely that the same part that was being removed for the install (the plastic bumper) would have symmetrical scratches. I would have noticed this kind of damage because I inspect my vehicle regularly.

To me the scratches look like the bumper was dropped or dragged across the shop floor.

I emailed the service manager with pictures today, we'll see what happens but I more want to know how can this be fixed at this point. I will have to wait until the spring to try the touch-up paint and I am not confident it will conceal the damage adequately.

 

I did. I showed the assistant manager and didn't get much out of him.

 

Thankfully it looks pretty small. I bet you could paint pen it. Maybe they'd even do it for you as an act of goodwill.

 

The folks at my dealer take pics of the vehicle before they work on it. Did they do that?

 

No I don't believe so.

It;s frustrating because the only reason I was servicing the grille was for cosmetic reasons and now I am back at square one in that department.

 

make them pay for a Toyota Touch up paint pen

 

I'll try but I'm more concerned whether the touch up pen will straighten this out. Hoping to have people who've used them chime in.

 

oh yes a touch up paint pen in Toyota super white should take ggod care of them spots, my trucks white and have used the oem paint with great success with marks similar as yours. maybe the dealer can have one of their detailers do it for you since they are very experienced doing this stuff.

 

Here's some examples of what touch up pen paint looks like





Cant tell a foot or two away, but noticable up close.

A little tip. Don't use this, it comes out in globs and for some reason when it dries it doesnt match.


Use this. Make sure there is just a light coating on the brush and dab at the spots

 

Maybe. I'm hoping this stuff is easy to apply. Only issue is that it's hard to find good outdoor conditions right now to set this paint. Might have to wait until spring in a month or two. Is this the product you used? Mine appears to have separate applicators for the color and clear coat.

 

Paint pens work on very small areas or a rock chip, but not for anything larger than half a dime, or so.

A few months ago I had some long large scratches on the front plastic bumper and used a paint pen. Looked worse after I did it.

 

Do you recommend I not apply the touch up? The last thing I want is this looking worse.

I doubt my dealer will offer to repaint the bumper on the house, we'll see I guess.

 

A small area is fine, but if it’s large I wouldn’t

 

Here's a size comparison with a Canadian dime. I guess it's pretty smallish but I have no experience with paint repair.

 

Dry it off, touch it up, and move on with life. Those spots are tiny and it’ll be fine. It’s a truck.

 

Yeah that’s pretty small, just touch it up like others have said.

I meant really large or deep areas need repainting not touch up

 

not quite sure if that pen is a genuine Toyota oem super white because the genuine super white pen has the paint and clear coat mixed together its called a one stage paint the part number is 040 from Toyota

 

those spots are easily doable https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDauqTNyaSc

 

OP - touch it up. It'll be fine. I though we were talking some major damage.
The first and last time I used my local dealer was on my '05 a month old, getting the rear window replaced (wavy). The tech laid a trouble light on the carpet between the seats and melted the fibers into velcro. I said "wtf" and the dealer said "wasn't us". Moral of the story: dealers are F-ing idiots.

 

In Canada they call this white "Alpine White" and it says the same on this pen. I believe it's identical to Super White, just a different name for marketing purposes.

But yeah, the paint and the clear are at separate ends. I'm thinking 2 coats of paint and 2 coats of clear. I'm just nervous about doing it in the winter.