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Has anyone ever tried to use Crayola crayons to mask scratches and chips?

3K views 8 replies 5 participants last post by  PassatPat 
#1 ·
Remember the colored wax that used to be available? Many included what was called a "Chip-stick." I once had a Catalina Blue MK III Golf and the blue version of that stuff worked great. Well, at least until I washed the car, but you can't get chip-sticks anymore. Fast-forward 2 decades later, and I'm in a 2014 Passat, Opera Red. I bought the car in October, 2016 for $9995. It was cheap because it had rather high miles for a '14 (81K). Also, the PO liked to park under small trees and bushes with thistles, and the trunk as well as the hood were scratched to hell. I had a body shop re-spray those areas and then I had another trim shop put a clear bra on the front 1/3 of the hood and mirrors. Looks great, but the front bumper still has 80+K of road rash. I told the trim shop that I'd eventually have the bumper resprayed and then they could add a clear bra to that as well. They said, "You don't need to have it repainted. We can color in those chips with crayons, and when we install the bra, it'll be sealed in."
Opera Red is next to impossible to find a crayon to match, but maroon is very close. I didn't want to buy a box of 152 crayons to get a single maroon one, but I found a box of all-maroon crayons on E-Bay for 7 bucks. If it doesn't work, I'm only out 7 bucks. Has anyone ever used crayons in lieu of chip-sticks? I think if it works, it'd be great for shows.
 
#2 ·
... They said, "You don't need to have it repainted. We can color in those chips with crayons, and when we install the bra, it'll be sealed in."
Then I'd have said "OK, show me a car that previously had 3-4 yrs or 85K on north/northeast road rash that has had the color crayon (colored wax) and clear bra treatment". (Sorry, I can't trust anyone's word unless they've got ~8-10 cars out front with the crayon road rash repair clear-bra'ed over for me to see)

I'd have the front fascia either sprayed by the same shop that sprayed the other areas or leave it as is with the "Road Warrior" (I don't gove a ***t) look. I'm an all or nothing guy that can spot little "things" like that. Right before you tell me the fascia work's a "five footer" or a "ten footer" job appearance-wise, I'll be in there at three feet checking out all those imperfections... ;)
 
#5 ·
If you have lots of vacation time or are retired why not take a vacation in small town Mexico? I spend almost 6 months in a small town 5 hours south of Puerto Vallarta where I guess you could get the complete car totally repainted in and any small dings repaired for maybe about $ 500.00.

A little different, but many from the USA do a similar thing and get all their dental work done in small town Mexico. All that and the vacation cheaper than the dental work in the US.
 
#6 ·
Update almost a year later: Dr Colorchip was quite mediocre, and the guy at the Body shop that used to give me good deals is no longer there, so a re-spray will cost me about $700, plus $500 or so for the clear bra. Only other option, save for leaving it as is, with a concrete scuff I've added from not watching what I was doing, is trying an aerosol can of Opera Red Touch-up followed by clear for about 60 bucks, but I suck at painting and fear it would look even worse after I was through.....
 
#8 ·
Maybe the paint color has some influence on how well the Dr Colorchip works -- all I know is I used that kit on an old white Toyota Supra that had hundred of rock chips on the hood, and when I was done with it, it was almost impossible to tell it had all been filled in with the Dr Colorchip kit. It looked great! But, white hides imperfections better than just about any other color/shade so maybe that had something to do with it.
 
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