MKRD.info - Thorough articles on a variety of topics, and no ads!

Car touchup paint (and Dupli-Color)

There are not many sources of spray can touch-up paint for your car. The cheaper option is Dupli-Color. It has the following problems, however:

While currently not working, their online store only sold touchup bottles (not spray cans).

Local auto stores like AutoZone, Advance Auto Parts, etc do not carry, and cannot custom order a spray can for your cart. They do, however, offer a small booklet that will give you the part number of a Dupli-Color spray can (the part number can also be obtained by calling Dupli-Color directly).

The exact spray can can then be purchased in only a few places:

AutoBarn.com will give you an online color selector. They have all colors available. Even default shipping is fast. Use them.

SummitRacing (there is no paint match, and only few other Dupli-Color products available)

NAPA can order the paint as well, but only if you visit their location, and they might have minimal order restrictions (3 spray cans).

Remember that if the Dupli-Color product name contains the letters "cc" you also need to order a clear coat either on a website, or at the local car parts store.

If this does not work, then search directly for your car make and color code from the door label. You will come up with other sites with (more expensive) color matches.

Be careful, however. I have bought a 12oz spray can from AutomotiveTouchup. It cost $19.95, $7.80 for shipping, and IT TOOK THEM 7 DAYS JUST TO SHIP OUT THE CAN, WITH A TOTAL EXPECTED DELIVERY LENGTH OF 13 DAYS. I RECOMMEND THAT YOU AVOID AUTOMOTIVETOUCHUP IF YOU WANT THE PROJECT TO BE DONE ANYTIME SOON.

SAME GOES FOR PaintScratch IT TOOK 16 DAYS FOR PAINTSCRATCH ORDER TO ARRIVE AFTER ORDER. AVOID.

Tips:

• Be super careful when painting plastic. Some plastics, primers, and paint combinations will not match. I had instant wrinkling (very ugly) of paint when I tried to paint a plastic bumper with a generic plastic primer, and a Dupli-Color paint.
• To paint small areas, do not try to press the sprayer just for a short amount of time. You will always get an ugly spot of too much paint. Instead, always start in an inside location so that there is zero wind. Spray some distance away from the spot. Before pressing the sprayer, start moving your hand quickly left and right small distances. Then press the sprayer and keep moving your hand. Overspray over a larger area than needs to be fixed is always better than a running small spot of paint.
• NEVER try to cover something with a single layer of color. Ignore whether a light coat is transparent or not. Let it dry and keep adding layers of thin paint. It will not be transparent, and the base features under the paint will not be visible after it dries.
• TEST the surface, primer, and paint combination first before using. I do not know if it is perfectly ok to combine primers of another brand with car spray paint.
• DO NOT try to search for spray color for your car by searching with the body color number from the door. Instead, visit one of the sites above and use their color number input feature.
• Ask whether the paint you bought will need a clear coat coating. You will not be able to find clear coat spray can in an automotive store. Buy it online with your order of car spray paint.

˅˅˅ Additional valuable information is available at one of the links below: ˅˅˅