Paint touch up - DIY or leave to professionals?

Rizzoe · February 15

Last night post gym i came back to a nice surprise. Some meathead muppet took off a nice chunk of paint off of my passenger door handle.

Replacing the handle seems excessive and expensive. Admittedly it's not the end of the world but my perfectionistic mindset is killing me . I asked my Lexus dealer for a touch up kit and was thinking about DIY-ing it with sandpaper, primer, the whole 9 yards. I have never done this before, does someone have experience doing this DIY and how were the results? If possible link the specific guide used

Or should i just get this fixed professionally? Cheers

Don C · February 15

If you are fussy like me. I’d get a touch up from Lexus and have a go. Don’t rub it down just touch it in. If that isn’t to your liking go to a body shop where he’ll just repair your touch up with it.

Rizzoe · February 15

4 hours ago, Don C said:

I’d get a touch up from Lexus and have a go

My main worry is substituting that crater with a blob of paint 😁 Figured it'd come out cleaner doing the whole shebang, albeit more complicated and time consuming.

You're right however, if the touch up ends up being terrible i'll live with it or get it done professionally. Cheers

PRT68 · February 15

Touch it in, leave for a week, then T cut.

ALAW · February 18

Get some Lexus touch up from Lexus parts direct. its a 2 pack paint and lacquer. I had a stone chip on drivers door we heard the stone hit the car we were driving down to Cornwall on our annual pilgrimage. Anyhow discovered it a few months later. You have to really look to see the repair i did just follow instructions.

Grumps · February 19

A cocktail stick is ideal for touching in small areas. A touch up brush gives too big a blob.

Bluemarlin · February 19

On 2/15/2024 at 4:03 PM, Rizzoe said:

My main worry is substituting that crater with a blob of paint 😁 Figured it'd come out cleaner doing the whole shebang, albeit more complicated and time consuming.

You're right however, if the touch up ends up being terrible i'll live with it or get it done professionally. Cheers

I've had success with kits from Chipex in the past. The kit comes with colour matched paint and little sticks to blob it in. There's also a cloth and alcohol type liquid which you use to smooth it down and blend it in after a few minutes drying. Kits are around 30 quid if I remember rightly.

Don C · February 20

I think the bottom line is, have a go and see if it shouts at you then decide 👍

Rizzoe · March 5

The dealer ended up not touching up the chip as it was pouring out and i was in a rush, so they ended up giving me a container of paint instead :smile1:

I ordered a blending solution, some clear coat and decided to just tackle this as a DIY. Unfortunately, driving back from the dealer, a rock chipped my windshield, which i can't fix with the newly acquired paint :sadangel: