touch-up pen vs paint

[ds2chan]

has anybody used both touch-up paint and the touch-up pen?? do you have any comments about either or both?? I'm going to get Joe to order me one but not sure which one to get to cover some minor scratches and chips.. I'm leaning towards the pen but all comments are welcome..

thanks!!

[aznkid.com]

I tried to get some paint from my local Mazda dealership and they said it's discontinued and they didn't have any in stock. They said the pen is all they carry now so I had no choice!

[ds2chan]

really?? I guess the choice has been made for me then.. oh well.. thanks!!

[aznkid.com]

Joe might have some in stock, you never know! I showed the guy who was working at the parts counter my stone chip and he said regardless if i choose paint or pen, it's going to look like shit

[MattC]

stone chips don't look that bad being covered by a touch up pen, but scratches would look like shit.

it all depends on how artistic of a person you are

[JonsMazda]

draw little happy faces on the chips or scratches

[WLS ZMZM]

really they are discontinued... I got 2 things of black mica when I bought my car like 2 months ago... unless they discontinued it recently.. as for how it would look depends on the size of the scratch/ chip... usually a chip won't look that bad. If you do a couple of coats.. it doesn't look that bad... I find the touch up paint isn't to bad I find the pen a real pain in the ass.. cuz its not a thick tip. and sometimes you get too much dripping out of it. it just takes time.

[Skarbro]

I personally don't like the pen. It's messy and hard to control. I prefer spray cans with proper masking, or the good ol' brush.

[Wild Weasel]

With the pen, I think you can dab some onto something and then use a small brush or toothpick to apply it to the car. I wouldn't try to use the pen directly on the car. I just can't see how that would work out well.

Has anyone had good results with one?

[ds2chan]

draw little happy faces on the chips or scratches

lol.. maybe I could do that to somebody else's car..

well, the chip isn't that big.. it's really really small.. probably the size of the tip of a bic pen.. but I mainly just wanted to cover up a few minor scratches on the front bumper..

[Seliina]

I got the paint from Westowne Mazda about a month ago.
It thickens really fast if you have some on the brush while looking for more stone chips. It doesn't look good close up (but maybe I do a lousy job) but from a few feet away it's okay.

[Caz]

Has anyone every tried to built up the paint so that the patched area is higher than the regular paint/clear coat and and then wet sand it down with a 1500 or 2000 grit after it has cured for a few days and then do the same with the clear coat followed by buffing and polish. I imagine that would yield the best results for a chip repair.

[ds2chan]

Has anyone every tried to built up the paint so that the patched area is higher than the regular paint/clear coat and and then wet sand it down with a 1500 or 2000 grit after it has cured for a few days and then do the same with the clear coat followed by buffing and polish. I imagine that would yield the best results for a chip repair.

damn, that's a lot of work.. I was just thinking 4 coats of paint, clearcoat, done.. maybe wait 10-15 mins inbetween coats..

[Caz]

IF you want it to look good it takes time!

[JonsMazda]

Flippy, u selling touch up pens for how much? send one this way...i got some chips and scratches.

[ds2chan]

I was quoted $10.10 by Joe himself.. and apparently he keeps our hot color (Winning Blue of course) in stock.. =) probably best to msg him to see if he has ur color in stock..

[FLIPDADY]

The main reason I think Mazda got rid of the bottles was the fact that if you dropped the bottle they cracked. Somtimes I would order 2 bottles and they would arrive at the dealership busted.

Paint pens are the way to go now.

[MattC]

Jon if you buy a electric blue pen, let me take a few hits off it

[Broli]

Has anyone every tried to built up the paint so that the patched area is higher than the regular paint/clear coat and and then wet sand it down with a 1500 or 2000 grit after it has cured for a few days and then do the same with the clear coat followed by buffing and polish. I imagine that would yield the best results for a chip repair.

ontario mazda tried that for me . . . messed it up and ended up repainting my hood . . .the touchup pan is not that great for this, maybe cut it open and apply the paint with a brush!

The main reason I think Mazda got rid of the bottles was the fact that if you dropped the bottle they cracked. Somtimes I would order 2 bottles and they would arrive at the dealership busted.

Paint pens are the way to go now.

or they could have made plastic bottles . . .

[MattC]

cracking it open and using a brush is a better idea imo.

[WLS ZMZM]

serious Broli is right.. why not just use a plastic or aluminum container?? I hate paint pens.... cracking it open might be a good idea.. but what if you don't really need a whole lot of paint?? then you waste the whole pen... As for the paint being delivered broken... thats some quality shipping as for building it up.... I usually put on a couple of coats... of the paint just enough to almost fill it....

[Wild Weasel]

With the pen, can you dab the end on some plastic or something to dispense some paint and then use a small brush or toothpick?

[WLS ZMZM]

hmmm i dunno...... I guess you could.. just have really bad experiences with the pens...

[Broli]

that was the method they tried at ontario mazda, i watched the guy dab it onto a business card . . . not so great

i have some 20ml plastic scintilation vials, i could spare a few, if someone wanted to cut up the pen see if they could effectively transfer the paint there, i will hook em up.

otherwise i will try it myself, i have to apply some touch up to my wheel well . . .

[JonsMazda]

Jon if you buy a electric blue pen, let me take a few hits off it

sure thing