Start with the damage, not the price

Every Colourtubes kit has the same core: paint mixed to your car's paint code and sealed in 3ml tubes. What changes from kit to kit is everything around the paint. That means how much colour you get, whether you can seal and prime, and the tools for blending and polishing.

So the best way to choose is to look closely at the damage first. Count the chips. Check whether any have gone through to bare metal or plastic. Note any on curved edges like door edges or bumpers. Once you know what you're working with, the right kit is usually obvious.

If you'd like everything side by side, the kit information page lists the full contents of each kit.

Quick comparison

Starter Kit: light marks and a quick tidy-up

The Starter Kit is for small, shallow damage. It suits a scuff on the bumper, a couple of light stone chips or a fine mark that only catches the light at certain angles.

What's inside: 2 × pre-treatment wipes, 2 × 3ml colour tubes, a squeegee, 2 × finishing solution wipes and 3 × microbrushes.

The squeegee spreads a thin, even layer of paint. The finishing wipes lift away the excess so the colour stays in the chip rather than building up around it. It's a quick visual improvement for simple jobs.

Choose Starter if: the damage is minor, it sits in the paint rather than through it, and you only have one or two spots to fix.

Essentials Kit: everyday stone chips with depth and gloss

Most stone chips on New Zealand roads aren't just surface marks. They take a small bite out of the paint. The Essentials Kit adds a 3ml Gloss Clear/DTM Primer to everything in the Starter Kit.

That one extra tube does two jobs. Used as a primer, a very small amount gives the colour something to grip on a tiny area of bare metal or plastic. Used as a clear coat over the colour, it seals the repair and adds gloss. That helps a deeper chip sit level with the paint around it.

Choose Essentials if: you have a handful of everyday stone chips, some with a little depth, and you want the repair sealed and glossy.

Advanced Kit: the right choice for most cars

If you're not sure which kit to choose, start with the Advanced Kit. It's our most popular kit for a simple reason. Most cars that come to us have more than one or two chips, and they're rarely all on flat panels.

What's inside: 3 × pre-treatment wipes, 3 × 3ml colour tubes, a squeegee, 3 × microbrushes, a 30ml mixing cup, a 100ml finishing solution bottle, 3 × wiping cloths and a microfibre cloth.

What sets it apart:

• More colour. Three tubes cover chips across the bonnet, the front bumper and the doors, with paint left to build up layers where needed.
• Microbrushes for awkward spots. Door edges, bumper corners and curves are much easier with a fine brush than a squeegee.
• A full 100ml of finishing solution. This is the step that takes a repair from "covered" to "blended". With the cloths and microfibre, you can work the excess away and polish the area to a smooth, even shine.

For a typical daily driver with a season or two of motorway chips, Advanced gives you enough paint and the right finishing tools to do the whole car in one go.

Choose Advanced if: you have multiple chips, some are on edges or curves, and you care about how the finished repair looks up close.

Professional Kit: bare metal, plastic and deeper damage

The Professional Kit has everything in the Advanced Kit, plus three dedicated 3ml Gloss Clear/DTM Primer tubes.

That extra clear and primer matters when the damage goes deeper. Examples are chips that have gone through to bare metal, early rust spots that have been cleaned back, or damage on plastic bumpers and trims. Priming exposed areas before colour helps the repair hold. Clear coat over the top seals it and brings back the gloss.

Choose Professional if: you can see bare metal or plastic, you're dealing with deeper or older chips, or you want enough primer and clear to treat the whole car properly.

A few tips, whichever kit you choose

• Allow time for mixing. Each kit is mixed to your paint code — typically about 7–12 working days before it ships.
• Find your paint code first. Your paint is mixed to the manufacturer's code, so that's the most important detail. Toyotas usually have it in the door jamb, and Mazdas on the chassis plate under the bonnet. Our paint code guide covers other makes.
• Less is more. Use the smallest amount of paint that covers the damage. You can always add another thin layer. Wait at least 10 minutes between coats; an hour is ideal.
• Judge the colour once it's dry. Wet paint can look different, and colour may shift slightly as it cures.
• Help it dry. In humid weather or low airflow, a fan or hairdryer helps.
• Be patient with polishing. Avoid polishing or buffing the repaired area for at least 7 days.
• Save what's left. Clean the tube tip with a pre-treatment wipe and reseal it with a bit of masking tape for next time.

So, which kit?

• A couple of light marks: Starter
• Everyday stone chips you'd like sealed and glossy: Essentials
• Multiple chips, edges and a polished finish (most cars): Advanced
• Bare metal, plastic or deeper damage: Professional

Still unsure? Compare the full contents on the kit information page. You can also email support@colourtubes.co.nz with a photo of the damage, and we'll point you in the right direction.