hi,

Just got back from 10 days camping in the south west of Victoria, along arguably one of the best stretches of coastal road in the country - The Great Ocean Road.

Managed to squeeze in 7 runs along my favorite 33km hill climb (see below) during the week, and recorded 1.23g around one of the hairpins on the G Meter (have you all played with that yet?).

Alas, after I got home and washed the car, I found a small but noticeable (to me) chip in the chrome of my lower right grille - perhaps 3mm across (1/8" for you US guys).

Any thoughts on the best way to deal with it?

 

You can buy a can of highly reflective "Chrome" spray paint and spray some into a cup. Use a very fine brush to touch up the chip. Won't be perfect, but much less noticeable.

 

Adding to what lhoboy is saying, there are a number of chrome-like paint products out there. Some better than others. You'll likely have to settle for a spray can rather than a touch-up kit with integral brush in cap. They may exist, but I haven't seen a touch-up kit offered in chrome.

If you happen to find a touch-up kit in chrome, note that the built-in brush is not the brush you would want to use. I use a very fine horse hair brush (Size "00"), and dip only the very tip (not more than 1mm) of the brush into a small cup of paint (which is first filled by gently spraying a little paint into the cup).

Adding paint from a spray can can be done without mess--just press gently on the paint can nozzle (which is first poked through a paper towel covering the cup to help ensure paint doesn't fly all over the place) into the cup.

With my double-ought brush tipped then with a small drop of paint, I "nudge" the paint into the various recesses of the chip. Hopefully, the chip has a minimum of sharp edges to it. Still, you'll likely have to make several passes, as the paint dries rather quickly in such a small area. Eventually though, your repaired chip should be level enough pass your inspection test. Not as perfect as tape and spray, but in such a small area, certainly acceptable.

 

Or there's replacement. Grill, car, whichever...

 

Thanks guys - I'll try the chrome paint option before I look into F-Typical's suggestion of a replacement car!

 

As an aside, I was very happy to find such a very tiny brush in the Jaguar touch-up kit I purchased in Polaris White. I used it last weekend to repair 3 very tiny rock chips in the lower rocker forward of the rear fender. It's the only kit I've ever seen with such a perfectly-sized brush, and all it took was the tiniest drop of paint with a very light touch.

Of course, non-metallic, Polaris white is the probably the easiest color on which to achieve nearly-invisible, small rock chip repairs. I'm having trouble finding the places I touched up.

 

Yup, all in the brush tip and touch. Lightly dipping in the paint and tipping into the chip.

 

Thanks, Foosh. Did you purchase that kit with the car, or through the dealer? Or was it from an auto store?

 

It was a JLR part ordered through the dealer, but it only took a couple of days to for the dealer to receive it.

 

Thanks for the tip. I went in and ordered one today (not for the chrome - for the stratus grey - I have a couple of tiny chips in the drivers door frame that have been annoying me too). It will be here on Friday.

 

Oz if you want to outsource I have used these guys with great success in the past, quite reasonably priced and they do a good job. Also perform Magic with kerbside rash on wheels.

Mobile Bumper Repairs, Chips & Scratches, Exterior Car Detailing - Touch Up Guys

 

Thanks, And3rew... I'll probably give them a call. Good to know. Cheers!

 

While I have used companies like Andrew recommended in the past and had them to a pretty good job, the type of little chips I'm talking about are 5-second repairs at most for a very good result.

In those cases, it's not worth the trouble or even nominal expense, and the JLR kit is the right tool for that job.

 

Have you tried White-out? Comes with its own brush.

 

Nah, the brush is too big.