# What touch-up paint should I use? **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Tags:** nissan, sentra\ **Created:** [March 9, 2021, 4:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-touch-up-paint-should-i-use/175595 "2021-03-09T16:02:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tomjay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7ea924/32.png) [@tomjay](https://community.cartalk.com/u/tomjay)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2021, 4:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-touch-up-paint-should-i-use/175595/1 "2021-03-09T16:02:08Z")
1991 NIssan Sentra: On the area to the right+left of my rear license plate, on the vertical part of the trunk lid, some of the dark [charcoal?] paint has eroded away, creating silver-colored patches. I’d like to paint these small patches, but have no idea what kind of paint to use, nor what color would match. See 2nd photo from top [near-identical to my car]: > **[Pic's Of Your B13's, Interested to see them!](https://www.nissanforums.com/threads/pics-of-your-b13s-interested-to-see-them.149057/)** > > I am intrested to see what some of you have done with them. engine pics as well. > > Mine is my beater but I have started to grow some interest in it. Some upgraded looks pics would be nice as well. > > I will start. Any ideas? Thx for info– ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2021, 4:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-touch-up-paint-should-i-use/175595/2 "2021-03-09T16:38:43Z")
You’re talking about the white SE? I don’t see any paint damage on that car (might be obscured by the photobucket watermark), so I’m still not 100% sure what’s going on. but what you describe sounds like it might be oxidation or clearcoat failure. If it’s oxidation, giving it a claybar treatment might make it look better. If it’s clearcoat failure, you’ll need to respray the panel with clear coat. Google “clearcoat failure fix” for instructions on how to do that. That page gave me serious nostalgia. Had a friend with a Sentra SE-R back in the day. What a car. ---
**Author:** ![wolyrobb](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/wolyrobb/32/45497_2.png) [@wolyrobb](https://community.cartalk.com/u/wolyrobb)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2021, 5:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-touch-up-paint-should-i-use/175595/3 "2021-03-09T17:07:09Z")
You’re referring to what appears to be a flat black painted panel, even if you had the paint code you’d find that matching the paint exactly can be a little hit and miss, even with Duplicolor touch up paint from Autozone or similar. A local paint shop would probably mix up a generic flat black or even help match the color closer. Usually they do a test spray to see how close or not the color is since even with the $17 Duplicolor paint it doesn’t come out of the bottle exactly right every time unless you shake it well. ---
**Author:** ![tomjay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7ea924/32.png) [@tomjay](https://community.cartalk.com/u/tomjay)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2021, 5:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-touch-up-paint-should-i-use/175595/4 "2021-03-09T17:12:01Z")
I should have been clearer–that car in photo isn’t mine; I just wanted a visual to show what I was talking about because I don’t know the term for the area to left+right of license plate. So it’s not paint as such? It’s clearcoat that has oxidized? Thx– ---
**Author:** ![wolyrobb](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/wolyrobb/32/45497_2.png) [@wolyrobb](https://community.cartalk.com/u/wolyrobb)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2021, 5:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-touch-up-paint-should-i-use/175595/5 "2021-03-09T17:20:13Z")
It is painted, You can try just a generic flat black touch up paint from whichever parts store you frequent, I’ve used newspaper or cardboard to brush out a test sample since it doesn’t always come out of the little bottle exactly right every time in my experience. ---
**Author:** ![common-sense-answer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/common-sense-answer/32/716_2.png) [@common-sense-answer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/common-sense-answer)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2021, 5:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-touch-up-paint-should-i-use/175595/6 "2021-03-09T17:20:18Z")
Stop at local auto body/collision repair shop and have some nice person come out and have a look. They can probably tell you what’s going on with it. Building customer relations. Most/many shops will take a peak and talk to you because they could be making a new customer, for the very thing they’re observing or your next crash. _ **CSA** _ 🌴 🕶 🌴 ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2021, 6:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-touch-up-paint-should-i-use/175595/7 "2021-03-09T18:20:09Z")
If touching it up doesn’t look good, then I would remove the whole piece and spray paint it. ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2021, 7:04pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-touch-up-paint-should-i-use/175595/8 "2021-03-09T19:04:45Z")
Is it painted, or just black-dyed plastic? ---
**Author:** ![tomjay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7ea924/32.png) [@tomjay](https://community.cartalk.com/u/tomjay)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2021, 10:50am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-touch-up-paint-should-i-use/175595/9 "2021-03-13T10:50:27Z")
“Is it painted, or just black-dyed plastic?” Seems painted–when I tap it, sounds metallic– ---
**Author:** ![COROLLAGUY1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/corollaguy1/32/7575_2.png) [@COROLLAGUY1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/COROLLAGUY1)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2021, 11:46am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-touch-up-paint-should-i-use/175595/10 "2021-03-13T11:46:16Z")
Why don’t you send pics of your own car? ---
**Author:** ![LeonRaihn](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/leonraihn/32/24497_2.png) [@LeonRaihn](https://community.cartalk.com/u/LeonRaihn)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2021, 1:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-touch-up-paint-should-i-use/175595/11 "2021-03-13T13:52:37Z")
For this car, I would use a matte black color with some piano black glossy finish ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2021, 2:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-touch-up-paint-should-i-use/175595/12 "2021-03-13T14:36:34Z")
Take the license plate off . lightly sand the entire piece , tape and cover the surrounding area then spray with a rattle can paint that you think might look good and be done with it .