This thing is virtually useless, I long for the traditional brush-in-a-bottle. Can anyone recommend a favorite alternative? I see a few out there such as PaintScratch, etc.

 

I went to a body shop and had them mix me a bottle of paint for my car. It has a brush, but I don't use it. I use a needle and touch it up that way. I bought the paint pen from Mitsu with my red EVO and like you said, its completely useless.

 

+1 for the worthless touch up pen. I bought one of them for an Acura and just utterly useless.

 

whats even better is when you got it JUST how you want it after finally gettin the paint to start coming out and not looking all streaky, then you try and use the CLEAR and jack it ALL up!!!! And I bought two pens b4 i knew how much they suck ( I have a lot of chips!)

 

go to the dealer

 

and do what? Buy the paint pen that we speak of that sucks? The dealer isn't gonna do anything besides send you over to the body shop and give you a estimate on repainting whatever needs touched up.

Like I said, go a reputable body shop and have them mix you up some. I got mine for free, but if they charge you it can't be that much.

 

on the other hand ive had decent results, you cant expect great things from a touch up pen, or touch up paint at all.. oh ^^^^ and you dont have to replace the tip, you just need to dip it into paint thinner so it doesnt harden..

 

If you don't mind me asking, how much did it cost?

 

My buddy did it for me for free, but I'm sure its not gonna be no more than $20-$30....if that.

 

i always feel like im digging deeper with that worthless pen

 

Don't use the pen on your car. Dab the pen on scrap paper then use a small paint brush to apply the paint to the chip or scratch. Same thing for the clear.

 

Paint pens, touch up paint can be made effictive, but is challenging. I had the same problems as you guys, but then my GF's dad (a bodyman) showed me how to do it right.

1.) You dab a toothpick in the paint bottle itself, and get some apint on it. Apply it on all the chips. Its OK if it looks like a little bubble-ish. Theres more steps to come.

2.) You wait a long while for this to dry and cure, like 2 days atleast. Yes it going to look likr your car has some acne, but whatever. After your 2 days has passed, get some 2000grit sand paper, and sand it down so its nice and smooth. Make sure you use a block so you dont get high/low spots. The your paint will end up looking rippled.

3.) Get a buffer and some 3m polishing compund and go to town on it. Take your time. It will come out nice of its done right.

 

i have bought the paint pent i wasnt expecting much but i just wanted to cover where the paint is competly off so its hard to tell from a bit of a distance. like the driverside passenger door it gets pretty bad

 

i agree with the Pen being worthless...whose ever made that should get shot...in the fACE.

 

Here is a trick of the trade for everyone that really works well. I used to be a professional detailer so here is what to do.

Grab a book of matches and your paint.

shake / mix paint very well then put some into a bottle cap, on a piece of paper or something like that.

Next take one sincle match out and use the frayed and of the match as the applicator. Its thin, frayed ends act like a micro paint brush and can get into small chips well, better than a toothpick IMO from experience...

If you take your time and just have patience then it will come out good, if you apply it and mess up get have some mineral spirits on hand to remove it and start again.