doesn't seem to be related to either solid or metallic paint ( maybe solid black excepted) but this paint seems to show more with touch up than on other makes i have owned. maybe its german paint as other german cars i have owned ( esp metallic ) results in the same obvious repair. any tried and true hints would be great

 

Try Drcolorchip.com

 

I'm not surprised, to be honest, I'm not very impressed with MINI's paint thus far. I've had mine for less than a year, and don't do a ton of highway driving, yet the hood has about a hand full of chips is it from rocks getting kicked up. And don't get my started on the roof. Since my roof is black, I know black shows everything, but the paint is soooo weak! I'm pretty sure if I touch it with my bare finger, my prints will permanently be imbedded into it.

 

That's the world we live in nowadays. The EPA and the mandate for water-based paint has royally screwed car owners. :(

drno - Have you tried wet-sanding the touch-up? I've touched-up/wetsanded a number of German cars (that's all I've owned for the last 15 years) and I've never failed to make the touch-up invisible.

 

Do you make it invisible even if you have had metallic paint?

 

Yep. It's not that hard. Normally if I'm touching up metallic I'll go to a local body shop paint supply store and have them mix up a small bottle of paint and use that. Then I KNOW the color, tint, and metallic size and quantities will match.

 

Any pics and/or DIY tips and materials needed would be appreciated.

I have the Dr Colorchip and the touchup paint does not stay in the chip after you use the blending rag. I have tried waiting 2 min up to 40 min after application of he paint and the blending step just removes the touchup.

Any input is appreciated as I am interesred in the wetsanding method.

 

Try waiting longer to wipe with the rag.
I've also had some luck using the damp rag wrapped over a flexed smooth plastic card. Be careful and work slowly and lightly. The paint soften as you work and one extra rub can pull some paint out.

 

I don't use a rag at all. I wetsand. Here's the process, complete with pics:

http://www.autopia.org/forum/click-b...6k-=-owie.html

 

Are you prepping the area before you apply the paint? You have to make absolutely sure you remove any dirt, grime, and wax or the paint won't stick.