Best Way to "touch up" the Incredible Q45 paint

[redmanfx]

Ok, I know how great the Infiniti Q45 paint is(My car is great example), but when you need a touch up -or say- to repaint the back bumper, what is the best to go about it. I don't want to go to Joe shmoe body shop and I don't want to buy a new bumper. How can we duplicate this awesome paint?

red

[PoorManQ45]

You need to get the color code for your car . I think you need to get it from Infiniti or Nissan.

You will want to remove the bumper from the car. Remember though, you will be getting the bumper painted the same as it was from the factory, it is likely that your paint has faded . So it won't match up perfectly.

Even though some people dislike Macco, there are a is one guy on Nico that had is 240sx painted by them. It looks awesome.

If you want a "higher quality" paint job, you are going to have to take it to a performance shop. I think one of those baked on paint jobs would be as good, if not better, then the original paint job

You are looking at about $100~$1000 to have that thing preped and painted

[redmanfx]

See that's just it, the Q paint doesn't seem to "Fade." The color can be matched up correctly, it's the Quality I want to duplicate and I doubt I can get it from Maaco. Personal experience says to stay away from Maaco. A friend works with the state and has offered to "help"(can't get more in depth than that).

I want Quality, Long Life and as inexpensive to get that as I can. Some spots on the car have had that sticky at first then hard as a rock NC pine sap on it for what looks like years. Normal solvents can't get it off and nothing I've tried gets it off either. Just little drops of sap here and there. Aside from that, my paint hasn't faded since the car driven off the showroom floor.

I'm sure those guys in AZ can chme in on the fadeing issue since they live in a dry oven.

Quality over a fast fix.

red

[Q451990]

Those pine tar spots are hopeless without sanding them off. You could try one of the mobile touch-up guys like the dealerships use, but I don't think you'll really improve it much. Sometimes the cure is worse than the disease.

Heath

[Jesda]

I dont recall exactly... but I remember Greg saying some vandals ruined the paint on his Q, and he paid a professional to take care of it and it was good as new. I wish I could remember what he paid and what sections he had done. You should drop him a line or do a search.

[EQwhipD]

I'm here in NC too and I know what you mean about the pine tar. Please do not hold me liable for this, but I personally use kerosene to rid my car of pine tar and road tar. Something in it seems to dissolve the tar from the car. I'm not advising you to do this, but it has worked on my car. -Evan(NC)

[louiegz]

There's this show on the DIY Network called Classic Car Restoration. Right now, they're doing a show on a 1962 Tbird that they did some repairs on scratches on the paint. They showed some good step by step directions on how to do it. Too much work for me, but if you can do it yourself, I'm sure you'll save some money. Put this show on your Tivo and watch it.

[AlabamaDan]

MACCO sucks. I had a Sentra years ago I sent to them for repairs and they F%#^%! everything up. The paint didn't match, the bondo work was terrible, the aftermarket headlight didn't match, it was terrible. The worst repair job ever. Luckily I rear ended someone not to long after that and took it to a reputable shop who replaced everything MAACO did.

MACCO SUCKS!

[redmanfx]

I'm not alone anymore!! Someone from NC. I've been tempted to use karosene but decided to hold off. These drops of sap are rock hard now and I'm about to scrap them off very easily. I'll will try a couple more options before I go there.

The Infiniti dealer in Raleigh has a paint touch up kit but I forgot how much it was.

red

[EQwhipD]

I just went to the Infiniti dealer in Raleigh and I saw that they had the touch up paint in little nail polish bottles for almost thirty bucks. If that was my final resort, I would call ahead of time to ask them if they had your specific color in stock because when I went there to get radiator hoses and plenum O-ring gaskets, I got the "Good News, Bad News speech" "Good news we got this part, bad news we don't have the other." I know that Morehead City is quite a drive, and calling ahead of time is a MUST. Evan(NC)

[AlabamaDan]

To get stuff off my paint, I use my wife's fingernail polish remover on a cotton ball and GENTLY rub.

[russg]

Ok, I know how great the Infiniti Q45 paint is(My car is great example), but when you need a touch up -or say- to repaint the back bumper, what is the best to go about it. I don't want to go to Joe shmoe body shop and I don't want to buy a new bumper. How can we duplicate this awesome paint?

red

Call a couple of dealers in your area and ask them who they use for a mobile color service. These guys show up in a van or pickup with a small compressor and do spray touch up work on-site. They are very good at matching colors. The dealers typically use them to spruce up their trade-ins. I've used a service like this several times, and it works out just great. These guys do this type of work all day long, and they are good. And unlike going to a body shop, you'd be surprised what you can get done for $50-$100. If a dealer can't refer you (which would be a surprise), look in the yellow pages under automobile painting. These guys are everywhere.

Russ

[redmanfx]

russg, I have thought of that and it is a great way to go. Only problem was he wouldn't touch my Q. Said he would only do a Nissan and no Infiniti's. I guess I could search for another one.

My problem is i'm almost on the very edge of eastern NC and there are not many big cities or even small cities around that would have a good mobile painting service that would be willing to deal with an Infiniti and it's great paint. I'm on the edge of our country quite literally right on the ocean and Raleigh is a 3 hour drive.

I've tried the nail polish remover and no go. I've tried pine sap and road tar remover and no go. I'll figure something out.

red

[AZhitman]

Red - As a last ditch effort, if it's gonna be a do or die, try some 1000-grit wet/dry sandpaper with plenty of water.

I have had both bumpers on my Q repainted in what is probably the MOST difficult color to match (IPQ). It's a 3-stage paint, and the shop I went to did a perfect job for $400 for both bumpers.

I'm due to have them both done again. Front was damaged by some road debris and rear was damaged by an invisible fire hydrant that MAGICALLY appeared out of nowhere.

Red, whoever said they'd do paint work on a Nissan but not an Infiniti is a moron. Russ is right, any dealership will have a paint guy - the ones who do airbrush touch-up of chips and scratches are awesome.

But it sounds like you just need the bumpers repainted, might be worjh the drive to Raleigh/Durham.

[squeefoo]

If you wet sand always put detergent in the water (use distilled to avoid calc. deposits on sanded surfaces), the detergent keeps the particles in suspension so they don't re-adhere. Don't be afraid to go to a #1500 - #2500 wet, since it'll be less buffing, but it removes fast. You must use a sanding block!Be really careful not to go through the clear coat, if you do -all you can do is paint the entire panel with clear. Since the Q clear is rather thin but really hard. Squeegee the water off so you can see what you're doing.

To remove #1000 - #2500 scratches use Race Glaze Leveling Compound and a clean terry towel turned to the clean side often. Work with the length not the width of a panel.

An old timer I know used turpentine for pine tar removal, (if you can find the real stuff anymore) it's cheap try it. Maybe it has to soak to soften so make a dam out of modeling clay to pool it around the stain.

[PoorManQ45]

Red, whoever said they'd do paint work on a Nissan but not an Infiniti is a moron.

Either that, or he knows that Infiniti is the High line for Nissan, and assosiates Infiniti owner with $$$$. So he'd probably do it for twice the price

[elwesso]

Red - As a last ditch effort, if it's gonna be a do or die, try some 1000-grit wet/dry sandpaper with plenty of water.

I have had both bumpers on my Q repainted in what is probably the MOST difficult color to match (IPQ). It's a 3-stage paint, and the shop I went to did a perfect job for $400 for both bumpers.

I'm due to have them both done again. Front was damaged by some road debris and rear was damaged by an invisible fire hydrant that MAGICALLY appeared out of nowhere.

Red, whoever said they'd do paint work on a Nissan but not an Infiniti is a moron. Russ is right, any dealership will have a paint guy - the ones who do airbrush touch-up of chips and scratches are awesome.

But it sounds like you just need the bumpers repainted, might be worjh the drive to Raleigh/Durham.

Hmm thats got me thinking.. I got a few patches on the Q that could use some touchup!!!

[redmanfx]

Thanks for all the input everybody.

red

[EQwhipD]

Redman,Here is the number to the touch-up paint specialist for Infiniti of Raleigh:(919) 556-2987This is the number I was given from the dealership. They said that he does independent contracting as well. I would give him a call, since he has experience working with complex Infiniti paint formulas.Evan(NC)

[texasoil]

turpentine WILLsoften and dissolve the pine tar without damaging the polyurethane clear coat. There is nothing MAGIC about the Ininiti Q45 paint system--but it is VERY HIGH quality paint, and VERY HIGH quality workmanship. Paint will be $200/gal Stay away from Maco and other low cost high volume shops if you want OEM quality.