Registered to proffer some insight on what
@paris1 encountered.
Mazda's Soul Crystal Red Metallic (46V) is an old school candy color effect. How it works (after repair, prep, and primer) is painting the car first in a light color base metallic (silver is common). Then you spray a tinted clear over the metallic. The as the tinted clear builds up you get a darker and darker color, which can/will turn almost black if you put enough on. This creates the "mile deep" look on candy paint jobs. Then top it with clear to get a diamond hard shine. These are the same steps you'll need to reproduce even when fixing chips, scratches, nicks, and dings.
To spot match this paint can be a laborious process depending on how severe the damage is; if the below seems daunting or too much trouble. Contact a local detailing service that does paint correction before seeing a body shop.
Suggested products, tools, and environment:
1-2 days fee depending on severity of damage
Warm, 70 deg F or higher, and low humidity (let car surface warm up/cool down if in garage on a hot/cold day)
Dust controlled area with low/no breeze, out of direct sun
Base + tint + clear paint touch up system
Small sanding block (by hand only will create waves or divots)
Variety of sandpaper between 2000-4000 (wet sanding paper suggested)
Light to see and inspect each step
DA polisher/buffer (I use a BAUER 7.5 Amp, 6 in. Long-Throw Random Orbit DA Polisher from Harbor Freight - $80-$90 usd at time of this comment)
Cut & polish system with 3-4 stages
Buffing & polishing pads and bonnets suggested by polish system
Wax of choice
All touch up processes should start with accessing the damage. Drag a fingernail over the chip or scratch to see if it hangs up at all, barely catches your nail, or is an obvious deep chip. If scratch is barely in the paint and doesn't hang on your nail, you might get away with just buffing. If not next is lightly sanding the area of the chip or scratch with 2000-2500 paper and a small sanding block. Use a little water to lubricate the sandpaper, clean out build up on the paper, and keep dust to a minimum. Spray bottle works great for this. This step does two things: 1. It levels the area and removes the jagged edges or stepping created by the damage. 2. It creates "tooth" for the paint to adhere to. Clean the repair area thoroughly to remove dust and degrease between painting & sanding steps. When painting at any stage, allow a layer applied to flash off (dry, but not cure) before putting down more paint.
If it's a light scratch you can barely feel with a fingernail remove wax & degrease the repair area, then spot fix with a clear to see if that removes all or most of the scratch. It may take a couple applications of applying clear, sanding with 3000-4000, and clearing again. Repeat until the repair and surrounding area is level & smooth, you shouldn't feel any defect aside from the haze created from sading. See final stage below.
If your damage goes through the clear and into the tint, but not the base color. After the first steps mentioned build up the tint in thin layers until you get a color match, or as close as practically possible. Spot sand very lightly with 3000-4000 until smooth & hazy. Then clean the area to remove dust, grease, and any wax. Build up clear coat and sand lightly with 3000-4000 until the area feels level & smooth with slight haze. See final stage below.
If your chips go into the base coat or even through it, you're in for a lot of layering & spot sanding. Use a base color + tint + clear system. After sanding & cleaning, apply 2-3 thin layers of the metallic base. You don't want this too thick, but enough to cover the area and have an even metallic effect. Lightly sand with 2500-3000, clean, and apply tint in thin layers. Built up the tint until you have a color match to the surrounding area, or as close as practically possible. When you're happy, lightly sand with 3000-4000 until smooth & level. Build up with clear coat again until smooth & level. Sand lightly again with 3000-4000 until you can't feel any difference aside from the haze created from sanding. See final stage below.
Final stage of the repair is to cut, polish, and wax the repair area. Use a DA polisher/buffer, and follow instructions of the cut & polish system of your choice. Instructions should include what pads or bonnets to use, how to apply, and what products to use at what stage. This will make the clear coat smooth as glass, remove any swirls, scratches, and haze, restore luster & shine, and hopefully make it impossible for anyone to notice the repair.
I'm about to do my wife's 21 cx-9, it has 4-5 healthy chips in the driver's door from a parking lot incident. If I can remember to stop and take photos, I'll document for others having issues. Anyway, hope this help!
