Repairing Scratches on Your Car – and When to Repaint

Scratches on your car can range from being a nuisance to being downright damaging. Scratches on your car can be unsightly and costly, but there are a few things you can do to fix them. First, you'll want to decide if the scratches require just a touch-up or if they need to be completely repainted. This is because the vehicle's surface is composed of two layers: paint and a clear coat. Scratches only in the clear coat are easier to repair because they don't need to be repainted. However, scratches that go through the clear coat will require repainting to fix, so it's essential to visit your local auto repair shop that will repair the damage.

Here are some tips for repairing scratches on your car:

If the scratches are deep enough that the color of the metal is showing through, you will need to repaint.  If the scratches are not too deep and only affect the clear coat, it should be possible to repair them with touch-ups. In either case, you'll need a high quality scratch remover or visit your local auto repair shop that will remove all traces of damage from your vehicle.

A scratch repair kit will provide the polish and paste, touch up and buffers.  Clean the area using a microfiber cloth, next apply the paste and gently buff the scratch to fill it in.  Use the scratch removal polish with another buffer or microfiber cloth to gently buff the scratch again - without eroding the clear coating on the auto body.  Touch up the paint as need, and consider getting your car waxed to protect the paint.

Keep in mind that the paint may not be an exact match to the color and finish of your vehicle. If the scratch is large enough, a mismatched paint job will be just as noticeable as the scratch itself, so you may want to seek paint repair from a professional auto body shop near you. Professional auto body technicians have the tools and resources to repair the scratch efficiently and match your vehicle’s color and finish.

Scratches on your car can be unsightly and costly, but there are a few things you can do to fix them. You'll want to decide if the scratches require just a touch-up or if they need to be completely repainted. For deep scratches, you will need to repaint. For less deep scratches, it should be possible to repair them with touch-ups. In either case, you'll want to visit Ye Old Station to examine the damage.

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