[Danku]

Got my first hood dent/paint chip today and proceeded to touch up with the paint pen. Now I guess I should wait a few hours before I coat with the other side of the pen (clearcoat). I know it never looks that great, but any ideas from forum members on how to do this so I don't get a big blob of clearcoat and it ends up smooth?

 

[andre12dbsi]

I think your best bet is to do a few lighter coats/dabs with the pen instead of one big blob. Also wait until the previous one is dry. You should be good to use the clear after that.

 

[mr.smith]

You can always add more but its much harder to remove the paint if you put too much on.

 

[Danku]

Thanks, but any idea on smoothing out the clear coat touch up after?

 

[r.johnson]

depends on how big that dent/scratch is

if its small, wet sanding will prolly do the job

 

[r.johnson]

i personally use this for small stone chips on the hood and what not after applying touch up paint, and for the most part works and kinda replaces the wet sanding step

http://www.meguiars.com/en/automotive/products/g10307-scratchxreg-20/

 

[TeeElX]

I almost always take it to a professional detailer, really can't beat that. Doing it yourself you'd be left with a ton of product that you'll rarely use and that's just one of the downsides to doing it yourself.

 

[r.johnson]

one quick question: how often should one take their car to a detailer for detailing per year, and at what time of the year?

and how much would a detailing package cost for something like the TLX?

 

[Summest]

How do you shop for a detailer? I guess I never needed one before.

 

[andre12dbsi]

A good detailer can be really hard to find. I've spent many a winter looking through detailing forums to prepare for the spring. I do accumulate lots of product but with 3 cars in the driveway I use most of it up. It's kind of a hobby in the warmer months to keep a spotless car.

I would suggest doing an online search for detailers in your area and see if they have any user reviews. Word of mouth is usually the best way to know where to go.