Can I fix this? Previous owner's touch up "art work"

Jayhovah

Just got my Z and found a couple of spots the previous owner touched up that I did not notice when I bought it...

This one by the fuel door is particularly irritating to me. Went to a paint shop and was quoted more than $800 to fix it (repaint the whole quarter)! Yikes!

Any way for me to make this look like less of an eye sore without spending the cost of a used FI exhaust?

Attached Images

	20140714_162135 (Small).jpg (66.5 KB, 238 views)
	20140714_162144 (Small).jpg (44.5 KB, 237 views)

Davey

$800 might be a little steep. If I knew the result would be great the first time I would probably pay it.

RyanWest

What the hell happened there!

RonRizz

automotivetouchup.com get your paint to match, some wetsand, spray, clear, light wetsand, and buff. Gone for about $60

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Spooler

Looks like someone was careless when they filled it full of fuel and scratched it with the nozzle or drove off with the nozzle still in car.

SouthArk370Z

It's not quite as easy as RonRizz makes it sound but it's not all that difficult either. With careful prep and a good paint gun, you can make it look a lot better than what's there now. Try to find someone that has done paint repair before and ask them to guide you through the process or you can find a lot of info on the 'Net.

I'd ask around at different body shops and see if someone would repair the areas instead of wanting to spray the whole panel.

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Davey

Yeah, I guess he did say "look like less of an eyesore" and that's not a great touch-up job.

You'll see the repair, though. Not as bad as you do now, but you'll see it. If you want as close to an undetectable repair as possible you'll need the quarter resprayed, but I'm sure a pro could do better than that lumpy mess, if you can find one to do a touch-up instead of a respray.

Not really of the mind that OP is going to go buy $10 worth of stuff and some touch-up paint and get anything much better than what is there... That's clearly an owner-amateur-repair as well.

RonRizz

The repair is in a bit of an inconspicuous spot, and should be relatively easy to blend in. I recently did a similar repair on my daughters car, which is a mica pearl white. Damage was on the edge of the trunk lid. It was fairly easy, and impossible to spot, even under the fluorescent lighting in my garage. I was impressed at the color match, as well as the finish...For $60, and 2 hours work, what have you got to lose?
That being said, I am familiar with spray guns, and have painted several cars, so maybe that made a bit of difference, but I didn't feel that the repair was cause to break out all the heavy equipment. (Assuming that everyone knows how to work an aerosol can)

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Davey

I bet I could see it. It's not going to melt into the finish, so there will be a hint line even if the color matches perfectly, which it won't.

kenchan

haha


yah, id get the entire quarter repainted... but pearl white is hard to match so you might end up painting the entire side of the car...

RonRizz

I'll get a pic up next time she visits....we'll play. I spy.

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Jayhovah

I've got better ways to spend $800 than to repaint a quarter! I really just want it to not be SO obvious and horrible looking... Keep in mind there are other places I want repaired too, this one by the fuel door is just the worst and most obvious of the bunch. The reality is, I've got a better way to spend $2k than have a bunch of panels resprayed.

5 years ago, my pearl white 350z had a gouge in the front bumper and I had a painter repair instead of respraying and I honestly could not tell the difference - and that involved body filler too! A repair would be fine with me, even if some of the more discerning eyes here couldn't put up with it. Unfortunately that particular painter no longer appears to be in service...

I'm going to try and find someone to repair it. I don't trust myself with the automotivetouchup.com route since this area is one that often shines in the sun so I am going to try and find a pro that can do it reasonably. I've got to believe whatever they do will look better than what I have right now!

Davey

I'm sure you can take a picture such that I can't see it.

You really think your 2-hour touch up job is undetectable?

There is always an edge, you can feather it out but it can still be seen, and sure the pic in teh OP is a terrible job and I'm sure you could do much better, but... I'm sure I could still find it.

RonRizz

No. I do not, and I also do not need to "fool" you with camera trickery....I'm offering the OP an alternative to what he obviously does not want. Nothing more nothing less. I never made claim to being a body repair guru.
What I AM saying is that a very good repair is possible without painting the whole 1/4, and that there is not.much to lose in the attempt.
If done well most would not notice the repair unless they specifically looked for it. It would certainly look better than what someone has already done.
I have made minor repairs on my own car that no one notices, but to ME they look like huge imperfections. I know where to look.
I'll leave it at that. OP, good luck with whatever you decide to do.

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Davey

Yeah, the OP said "less of an eyesore" and your repair would be. I agreed.

But you also said it would be "impossible" to spot, which I disagreed with.

From his follow-up it sounds like he'd be OK with something that looks a bit better than what he's going to get and I agree a repair would be just that.