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Best repair/paint process to match factory application

I have a two week old 2003 Toyota Camry with a Black finish. The front hood was hit with a rock smack in the middle, chipping the paint and causing slight indentations in three places. Question: I'm looking at getting the hood professionally repaired. Question is what repair/paint process/technique will give me a finish as good or better than the factory application.

Thanks for any input,

Mike SH
- W. Greenwich, RI, USA
2003

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Unfortunately, probably none. This is a reason why car dealers must report prior damage on a new car before you sign the contract. At the factory the metal is polished, then prepped, then electrocoat primed, then a baked base coat, then a clear coat. But that doesn't mean you can't get an excellent repair--you just can't get the phenomenal quality of today's OEM paint job.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2003

You'll never get the original factory finish. The most important part is to get any bare metal treated with zinc phosphate before repainting. Most body shops do not bother with this but this is what will prevent it from rusting within a year or two. Your going to have to do some searching as a lot of shops will not even know what zinc phosphate is. A common trade name is bonderizing.

Ronald Zeeman
Continuous Colour Coat - Brampton, ON, Canada
2003