"Sometimes, however, he minimizes the need for both."

Brian, that is what you and I are for here on the forum.... to inspire people to go and really learn how to do things.... and if we have already made the mistakes and done the research then there should be no reason anyone else has to repeat that painful and expensive process....

I would be worlds ahead of where I am now if the internet had existed when I started out mechanicing or dealing with the physics of automobiles....

Greg, I disagree with nothing you have mentioned in the entire thread.

But, there is a world of difference between yourself and someone who is working outdoors without the benefit of your knowledge and your equipment.

It's a noble effort on your part to educate members regarding the proper way to approach such a task, as a "professional" would do it.

However, there must be a realistic limit whereby you evaluate the knowledge and resources of the original poster and not lead them into an area where special tools and skills are required.

In this specific case, my advice for touching up the paint chips may be more appropriate, although, I clearly defer to the proper technique and I thank you for posting it.

I may have the nerve to try it myself, however, I do feel that I will end up with a 1" circle that is easily seen from three feet away.

"knowledge and your equipment."

I am sharing the knowledge ( and can do attitude ) and the equipment is less than $10. Plus borrowing the hair dryer...

"resources of the original poster and not lead them into an area where special tools and skills are required."

I keep trying to emphasis that the most important item in the whole thing , as long as certain basic rules are followed, is ELBOW GREASE.... just plain old rubbing ... before with wet sandpaper... and after with wet sandpaper and then polishing compound. ( As long as one remembers to always have the sandpaper backed by a ' block' and never your hand.

And, when done as I describe... or if you want to make the circle larger.... it will be faded into the original paint... and will look better than the " pimple" style of fix.....

This is starting to sound a lot like that old 'torque wrench' thread that got so out of hand...

Personally, I like hearing the 'correct' way of doing something with all the tools and technique, as well as the 'quick' way of doing something that will solve the problem for now, and not make things worse.

I know what tools I've got, and what I can afford to buy, and where I have to work. If I get both of those answers from people, I can make the decision on which I've got the time and energy for at the moment.

Maybe I'll do the quick route and call it good, or do the quick for now and the 'correct' way this spring when the weather is better and I can spend some time on it. Either way, again, its still good for me to hear both answers.

So no worries, guys, you've both done the board a service through your suggestions, and it is up to each person which path they take based on their circumstances.

Peace,
Sam

__________________
"That f***in' biodiesel is makin' me hungry."

1982 300TD Astral Silver w/ 250k (BIO BNZ)
2001 Aprilia SR50 Corsa Red w/ 5.5k (>100 MPG)

I have more suggestions....

Take a regular yellow pencil and cut it off so you only have the eraser and a couple of inches of the stem....
Chuck the stem in your drill.... and cut a couple of square inches of your wet and dry sandpaper and place it grit down on the table... then spray the back with a coat of the 3M contact cement which was left over from redoing your hood pad or installing your carpet. Also spray the eraser. Let both dry.
Then put your chucked pencil on the edge of the sandpaper and cut around it... and it does not have to be neat... a floppy edge is often used in auto metal work.
You can use a little spray bottle like is used for ironing... to keep the area wet ... and this whole process should not take more than five minutes at most...

Concerning the Preval method... in the old days you could buy along with the touch up paint a can of " smoother'.... which was reducer for the paint you were spraying... so you do a tack coat, spray the flash coat.. and then MIST a little reducer ( the word for thinner when dealing with enamal ) over the top... this really helped with flowing the paint out to smooth sometimes with no Elbow Grease.
So since that offers a way to keep what you don't use.... and have one 'can' with just reducer you have a really nice outfit with almost no cost.... of course if you tackle all your nicks at the same time the cost each both in materials and time will be greatly reduced...

You put it well Sam. I definately appreciate hearing the full spectrum of options. I love seeing/hearing how top-notch mechanics do things, even if I can't do it myself yet ... the knowledge is "money in the bank" as far as I'm concerned, and I hope down the road I can apply it. It's also very helpful to hear a more "novice-geared" option that I can use to keep things under control right now.

That's what I love about this forum ... I learn a wide range of things, from procedures I couldn't begin to do at this point in my learning process, to ones I could walk out and do now.

Now if only this forthcoming snowstorm would just go light on my little town, I might be able to do SOMETHING.

__________________
1987 300D, arctic white/palomino--314,000 miles
1978 240D 4-speed, Euro Delivery, light ivory/bamboo--370,000 miles
2005 Jeep Liberty CRD Limited, light khaki/slate--140,000 miles
2018 Chevy Cruze diesel, 6-speed manual, satin steel metallic/kalahari--19,000 miles
1982 Peugeot 505 diesel, 4-speed manual, blue/blue, 130,000 miles
1995 S320, black/parchment--34,000 miles (Dad's car)