So, after 2 years the inevitable has happened and my Race Red Fiesta has got it's first stone chip. Drivers side rear door not quite centrally. Anyway, it is only small possibly say tiny and it is dark in colour. I've avoided the temptation to go with the touch up as they usually end up looking worse. Given it a good polish layer with Autoglym.  My last one a mk8 in Deep Impact Blue had bigger dark ones but never developed in to anything else. Just kept up the polish. Anybody think there will be problems further down the line and what is everybodys normal approach?  Thanks. Tried to get a picture but camera not picking it up 

12 minutes ago, MCF said:

So, after 2 years the inevitable has happened ...

2 years??? Did you keep it in a garage? 🤣 No idea why you won't put a dab of touch up paint on it. Main issue now is just to keep it rust free, no 2 year old car is blemish free...

No garage. Will eventually try a thin layer of touch up when I find a suitably fine brush. My neighbour attempted a touch up on their car and the results were shockingly bad. But like the Father Ted episode.

Lol, mine lasted about 2 weeks before the first chip (well, 3 at once actually). Use a fine brush**, thin the paint slightly, take your time and build up several thin coats. (Start with a touch of primer if it's showing bare metal)

 Polish and wax after its thoroughly hardened - I leave it a week if poss.

I'm sure we all know someone like your neighbour (one of my mates is the same) but that doesn't mean you're a total.incompetent also!😀

** Plenty of choice in arts/crafts/model shops.

38 minutes ago, MCF said:

what is everybodys normal approach?

If you're happy to spend the money and effort doing a good job try Chipex https://chipex.co.uk/
You dab the paint on, then use a solution and sponge brick to work the paint level, so it only fills the chip or scratch.
I'd planed to use it a lot on my previous 2015 ST until it got written off, just bought the Chrome Blue for my new car.

26 minutes ago, MCF said:

 I've avoided the temptation to go with the touch up as they usually end up looking worse. 

The real reason why the touched up area looks worse than before is because the person hasn't a clue what they are doing!

They'll go out and buy the touch up set then use the supplied brush and bodge in the paint, paint crammed in the chip and around the good paint that requires NO attention at all, eventually it resembles a baby limpet out the sea.

Polishing over a chip is one of the worst things to do as you'll fill the chip with polish and then it causes problems in future, like if you decide to have a go to touch in the chip, paint will just not adhere to the hole.

What should be done is to look very very closely at the chip, use a magnifier if it helps, I do!

Use a brand new scalpel blade and remove any loose broken bits of paint, this is brain surgery removal of paint and not hacking, after that's done you can fill in the chip, no need for primer unless bare metal can be seen, DO NOT use the supplied brush, but pour a small amount of paint onto an old plastic credit card - Using a cocktail stick lightly dab into the paint, not too much - then using the magnifier if you have one, tap the end of the paint into the chip - leave it to dry for half hour - then using a fresh toothpick do the same again - keep doing this until the paint is slightly proud of the chip ONLY - NEVER paint the good surrounding paint, once it's slightly proud, then pack up everything and leave the paint alone for a day.

Going back to the car......

If the paint is still slightly proud then use a razor blade to skim off the paint, a slicing action is needed to remove the paint - this results in the paint being level with the original paint - now you need the lacquer if needed, use a Humbrol type artist brush and neatly go over the repaired chip - leave the repaired area for a few days - then come back and use well soaked in warm water 2000 grade wet & dry paper, gently wet flat the repaired area no larger than 2 inch square - once level and all nice and flat it's time to polish up the matt coloured lacquer with T-Cut and then a good wax.

Don't start this work on a hot day as the paint soon skins over, nice average day is what's needed and not in direct sunlight.

Filled in many many paint chips over the years and all to a point it can't be seen.

30 minutes ago, Eric Bloodaxe said:

Lol, mine lasted about 2 weeks before the first chip (well, 3 at once actually). Use a fine brush**, thin the paint slightly, take your time and build up several thin coats. (Start with a touch of primer if it's showing bare metal)

 Polish and wax after its thoroughly hardened - I leave it a week if poss.

I'm sure we all know someone like your neighbour (one of my mates is the same) but that doesn't mean you're a total.incompetent also!😀

** Plenty of choice in arts/crafts/model shops.

Yes. Done a fair bit of artwork in the past so will seek out the best.

6 minutes ago, Ian Lanc said:

The real reason why the touched up area looks worse than before is because the person hasn't a clue what they are doing!

They'll go out and buy the touch up set then use the supplied brush and bodge in the paint, paint crammed in the chip and around the good paint that requires NO attention at all, eventually it resembles a baby limpet out the sea.

Polishing over a chip is one of the worst things to do as you'll fill the chip with polish and then it causes problems in future, like if you decide to have a go to touch in the chip, paint will just not adhere to the hole.

What should be done is to look very very closely at the chip, use a magnifier if it helps, I do!

Use a brand new scalpel blade and remove any loose broken bits of paint, this is brain surgery removal of paint and not hacking, after that's done you can fill in the chip, no need for primer unless bare metal can be seen, DO NOT use the supplied brush, but pour a small amount of paint onto an old plastic credit card - Using a cocktail stick lightly dab into the paint, not too much - then using the magnifier if you have one, tap the end of the paint into the chip - leave it to dry for half hour - then using a fresh toothpick do the same again - keep doing this until the paint is slightly proud of the chip ONLY - NEVER paint the good surrounding paint, once it's slightly proud, then pack up everything and leave the paint alone for a day.

Going back to the car......

If the paint is still slightly proud then use a razor blade to skim off the paint, a slicing action is needed to remove the paint - this results in the paint being level with the original paint - now you need the lacquer if needed, use a Humbrol type artist brush and neatly go over the repaired chip - leave the repaired area for a few days - then come back and use well soaked in warm water 2000 grade wet & dry paper, gently wet flat the repaired area no larger than 2 inch square - once level and all nice and flat it's time to polish up the matt coloured lacquer with T-Cut and then a good wax.

Don't start this work on a hot day as the paint soon skins over, nice average day is what's needed and not in direct sunlight.

Filled in many many paint chips over the years and all to a point it can't be seen.

Thanks.

Wow, no wonder I can never get touch up paint to work if it requires all that hassle.  Quicker to change a cambelt!

6 minutes ago, TomsFocus said:

Wow, no wonder I can never get touch up paint to work if it requires all that hassle.  Quicker to change a cambelt!

Our neighbour over the road had a red corsa, he'd actually got runs down his door panel, just slapped the paint in the hole, he then wiped away the red paint that then went black with muck as he rubbed it, saw him pacing about one sunday so went out to see what's up, he was having a serious melt down  I fixed his chip within 2hrs, used an hair drier to aid the drying time, he went inside and gave me 4 cans of bitter.....lol

Good lad, Ian.

 

2 hours ago, Ian Lanc said:

The real reason why the touched up area looks worse than before is because the person hasn't a clue what they are doing!

They'll go out and buy the touch up set then use the supplied brush and bodge in the paint, paint crammed in the chip and around the good paint that requires NO attention at all, eventually it resembles a baby limpet out the sea.

Polishing over a chip is one of the worst things to do as you'll fill the chip with polish and then it causes problems in future, like if you decide to have a go to touch in the chip, paint will just not adhere to the hole.

What should be done is to look very very closely at the chip, use a magnifier if it helps, I do!

Use a brand new scalpel blade and remove any loose broken bits of paint, this is brain surgery removal of paint and not hacking, after that's done you can fill in the chip, no need for primer unless bare metal can be seen, DO NOT use the supplied brush, but pour a small amount of paint onto an old plastic credit card - Using a cocktail stick lightly dab into the paint, not too much - then using the magnifier if you have one, tap the end of the paint into the chip - leave it to dry for half hour - then using a fresh toothpick do the same again - keep doing this until the paint is slightly proud of the chip ONLY - NEVER paint the good surrounding paint, once it's slightly proud, then pack up everything and leave the paint alone for a day.

Going back to the car......

If the paint is still slightly proud then use a razor blade to skim off the paint, a slicing action is needed to remove the paint - this results in the paint being level with the original paint - now you need the lacquer if needed, use a Humbrol type artist brush and neatly go over the repaired chip - leave the repaired area for a few days - then come back and use well soaked in warm water 2000 grade wet & dry paper, gently wet flat the repaired area no larger than 2 inch square - once level and all nice and flat it's time to polish up the matt coloured lacquer with T-Cut and then a good wax.

Don't start this work on a hot day as the paint soon skins over, nice average day is what's needed and not in direct sunlight.

Filled in many many paint chips over the years and all to a point it can't be seen.

On a nice day with good time I will clean it out with a soft bud and apply the most delicate of paint. Already have a matching touch up at home.

One chip after 2 years, ha ha. I get at least 3 chips every time I do a return trip (600 miles) to see my daughter and children in Penzance, Cornwall, M5 and A30

Never use the brush that comes with the paint. I trim kids paint brushes down with scissors to get varying degrees/thicknesses of very soft bristle/hair. Only TU the chip/hole, it will always "sink" so needs more paint, can take quite some time

12 hours ago, MCF said:

On a nice day with good time I will clean it out with a soft bud and apply the most delicate of paint. Already have a matching touch up at home.

Old tooth brush - washing up liquid - warm water ......Scrub the chip clean then rinse well and dry thoroughly.

On 8/5/2025 at 2:25 PM, MCF said:

No garage. Will eventually try a thin layer of touch up when I find a suitably fine brush. My neighbour attempted a touch up on their car and the results were shockingly bad. But like the Father Ted episode.

A fine camel hair brush with a pinpoint shape will allow you to drop a proper amount of basecoat into the chip area.

you will have a huge selection of brushes at any artist supply store. Don’t buy the cheapest brush, you will need it again in a very short time. Modern paint jobs are not very durable.

On 8/10/2025 at 4:13 AM, Scottman said:

A fine camel hair brush with a pinpoint shape will allow you to drop a proper amount of basecoat into the chip area.

you will have a huge selection of brushes at any artist supply store. Don’t buy the cheapest brush, you will need it again in a very short time. Modern paint jobs are not very durable.

Thanks. Actually got another little chip today but real low down near the sill at rear quarter. Use this new one as a bit of a trial run.

My fiesta’s get touched up with an artist brush until they have achieved around 25 chips on a side body panel or around 75 “repaired” chips on the bonnet. Then I will be going to the sanding block and dual action disc sander to strip the Finnish Down and respray. I plan to add some vents to my 2016 bonnet when I next do the refinish work.

The bonnet on my 2016 ST looks like it has been machine gunned with rocks, including a few small dings. It is ready for a repaint and a couple of bonnet vents.

2 hours ago, Scottman said:

My fiesta’s get touched up with an artist brush until they have achieved around 25 chips on a side body panel or around 75 “repaired” chips on the bonnet. Then I will be going to the sanding block and dual action disc sander to strip the Finnish Down and respray. I plan to add some vents to my 2016 bonnet when I next do the refinish work.

The bonnet on my 2016 ST looks like it has been machine gunned with rocks, including a few small dings. It is ready for a repaint and a couple of bonnet vents.

Best of luck.