Wallowing In Self Pity

[hahjr]

Let me set the scene... I am a 21 year old student. I learnt to drive when I was 17 and have never owned my own car. I have finally saved up and bought (out of my own money entirely - which is all my money) a 2005 Yaris 1.3 Colour Collection in metallic black. I have to say that I love it very much.

After owning it for 2 days I noticed a mark on the bonnet. "A speck of dirt", I thought "...let's just buff that... Holy $%@! it's a chip in the paintwork!"

I have driven less than 200 miles and I have a chip on the bonnet somehow. I have been driving it so carefully and keeping my distance from all cars, and I think it was from when some ***** overtook me on a country road.

Anyway... I can't help but feel sorry for myself and completely heartbroken. I hoped it would be a good few months before my first cosmetic imperfections began to appear.

The question... What should I do? I need advice. Ideally I want to get it fixed depending on how much it will cost, but until then do I need to treat it. Are Toyota the best people to talk to, or is there another answer? Any ideas how much it will cost (it is 2 small - 1.5mm diameter - chips in the paintwork)?

Thank you in advance.

[silvasurfa]

Mate, you'll have loads, don't worry about it, the fact that you've got one know means you wont worry about it happening as much!

[alanbradley]

Hi and welcome!

Can you not just get a touch-up pen kit from Mr T. It costs a little over a tenner and makes a pretty good job.

I'm afraid its something you'll have to get used to though.

I would hold off on a respray or professional repair until you've collected a good crop to make it financially viable.

Nice choice of car though - you're obviously really proud.

Hope that helps,

Alan

[Demonic Angel]

I know how you feel mate - my car is Carlo Blue, which is the dark blue and any paint chips show up so much worse on dark paint!

Its something we all have to live with unfortunately, you can get touch up pens, like Al says, to just go over the affected area, might be worth a shot!

The road I travel to go to work on has just been re-done and theres lots of loose chips - 20 mph max speed limit and I hate to hear "dings" when I'm in the cabin as a stone hits the bodywork - its horrible!

Theres really no point going to Mr T - unless you try and wangle a freebie touch up like I did for a scratch on mine.....

[cmarshall]

Don't worry when i started getting them i was heart broken as well. My cars on an 02 reg and it had none when i got it this march now i got a few little ones and i don't drive up peoples ubiks, you can get the bonnet resprayed for bout £100 but wai til you get a few more, because you will ,or if your that bothered get a carbon bonnet.

[Kev Mc]

Got to feel for you, I had a slight run-in with a wall after about a week of driving mine (it walked right where I was reversing, stupid wall), broke my heart, try using a touch up pen like has been mentioned, they sound good

[Blue84]

Ouch I feel for you mate - it's so horrible when they get that first mark.

I have an Ice Blue Yaris which thankfully doesnt show paint chips (or rather that should be I haven't spotted them yet!) but she has got a "parking dent" on the driverside door where someone has opened their door onto her, it's on the kinda curve that there is on the door and it's really noticeable..she's not even 4 months old yet! :ffs:

Hope you get yours sorted tho, I suggest a touch-up pen from MrT might be the best solution.

Blue

[b1nda]

Know how you feel.......

...i somehow got a 6 inch scratch on the roof of my yaris when i bought it last month(was less then a day old )...took it straight back to toyota and got it filled it for free :D .....just a thought ask the body shop guy at your local toyota garage if he would kindly touch it up for you.

[cmarshall]

Parking dents really ***** me off its just disrespectful people that don't give a toss about anything slamming there door into yours as they get there fat ubiks out the car :censor:

[BLiTZ]

yup it happpens, the first time i washed my car to get the bugs off i couldn't work out why some where so stubben, but they were all chips, my cars covered in them, some of the big ones were painted over by toyota, but annoyingly in the wrong shade of white, so were there sisn't black chips, there's cream blotches, lol!

BTW thankyou for being sensible and not buying a Chitroen saxo or Corsa as a first car!

[Lenry]

I think cleaning and waxing helps a lot, especially the waxing bit as it will help protect the paint work and hopefully deflected most stones that come your way.

Also have you thought about covering the bonnet with a protective see through film I think they call it “vinyl”, I’ve heard this works a treat.

My Yaris is dented chipped, untaxed, not MOTed it’s in quite a sorry state at the moment.

[Blue84]

I think cleaning and waxing helps a lot, especially the waxing bit as it will help protect the paint work and hopefully deflected most stones that come your way.

Also have you thought about covering the bonnet with a protective see through film I think they call it “vinyl”, I’ve heard this works a treat.

My Yaris is dented chipped, untaxed, not MOTed it’s in quite a sorry state at the moment.

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Lenry your poor Yaris!!

I didnt realise wax was good for protecting the paint work like that

[Blaze]

Darrens thinking of having the "vynil" put on his car, there are soooo many stone chips in it its unreal! He's going to have it sprayed then covered so it protects it!

And my little car has hardly any stone chips coz im lucky! :P (well none up until i get her anyway :( )

[Demonic Angel]

Darrens thinking of having the "vynil" put on his car, there are soooo many stone chips in it its unreal! He's going to have it sprayed then covered so it protects it! 

And my little car has hardly any stone chips coz im lucky!    :P (well none up until i get her anyway  :( )

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You still havent revealed anything about your car yet Shaz.....!!! We know its a "her" then at least!

[Blaze]

hehehe little off subject but hopefully if all goes well, all will be revealed next weekend sometime!

Camera is ready for piccies so hopefully i will unveil her online at the weekend!

[biffstergray]

keeping your car clean like kimi's might help.

2 inches of polish before you get to the paintwork :P

[Ryan1985]

These things happen mate, I've got millions of stone chips on my bonnet and even got 1 or 2 on the roof! :(

Get some touch up paint!

[A.T.G]

I was kinda expecting some fantastic story of the yaris going off a cliff as opposed to a stone chip...

Still a shame though

Can't help these things I'm afraid...

Touch up pen/paint from a decent shop near you methinx

[kimi]

tell me about it :ffs:

out of all the cars i have had, this has to be the worst paint ever!!!!

it chips way to easy and they are not little chips either :ffs:

Toyota paint is horrible

[Demonic Angel]

Kimi - I thought you have that protective film stuff on your Yaris' paintwork - or is that someone else I'm thinking of?

[Al J]

I know how you feel mate. My Colour Collection acquired a stone chip on the bonnet a few weeks back. Not so noticeable on my colour car but I am fussy!

£4.95 for a touch up pencil (as they are called) from your local Toyota dealer. It's actually two little bottles (like Tippex) with the brushes in the screw off bottle tops. The first bottle is the paint itself. Apply sparingly. Don't try to get it perfect first time with a large dollop of paint on your brush. Use a thin coat and let it dry completely. Add further coats to build up the paint if you need to but keep it thin!

The other bottle is the clear lacquer which you apply last to hopefully match up with the rest of the car.

Oh and the little wire brush in the top of the paint bottle? It's for removing rust. Do NOT take it anywhere near your new car!

Hope that helps.

[JustJJ]

Strangely enough I havent had a problem with the Toyota paint chipping badly... Yaz is 6 years old and yes she has a few stone chips, but nothing really major (*touches wood)

ChipsAway offer a good service.. free quotation etc.. and they keep going til they get the colour match right... but it isnt really worth it just for two tiny ones... you'll always find more... so wait a bit... get a touch up pen if it really bothers you