Regardless of how careful you are with your car, the paint will eventually get scratched. When this happens, the key is to fix the scratch correctly to both avoid further damage from the elements and make it look good. In this article, we cover how to do it.
Car scratches can happen in many ways. I have a good friend who bought a Jeep he just loved. He babied this thing like it was a Ferrari. After a year, the Jeep looked brand new and ran just as nicely. I borrowed it for a day and, of course, scratched the top on the garage door opener in my garage! Yes, he still brings it up to this day. No matter how careful you are with your car, it is going to get a scratch. They say death and taxes are the only two sure things in life. They're wrong. Scratches in car paint are a definite third. Fortunately, repairing them isn't too difficult.
The first step is to get touch up paint. This is also the most critical step. It needs to be an exact match for your paint or the repair is going to be obvious and look bad. This is one time where going to the dealer and paying a bit extra is a really smart move. You're sure to get the right color and avoid problems.
Now, analyze the scratch. If the paint is just scratched, you are in good shape. If the paint is scratched and the metal is bent in, you are not. The metal will need to be popped back out without compromising the paint. I suggest taking it to a professional. You don't want small repair becoming a big one.
Assuming we just have a scratch, our first repair step is to thoroughly clean and dry the area around the scratch. Take a piece of steel wool and pike a pencil through it so that the point is covered in steel wool. Lightly rub along the scratch to clean it. Do not try to remove any more paint. You are just trying to make sure the scratch groove is clean and doesn't have any rust. Once done, wash and let dry.
Read the directions on the touch up paint. I know this is difficult for us men, but some paints have peculiar make ups and require certain steps to be taken. Assuming yours does not, shake up your touch up paint vigorously. Now take the brush out and start at the bottom of the scratch. Feather the paint on in one direction. Add enough paint that the groove is filled, but does not overflow. Go slowly or you run the risk of making a big mess.
Once the color coat has dried, you will need to repeat the process with a clear coat that should be included with the kit. After that, just let the paint dry for a day or two and then buff it out. Your car should look good as new...or at least as good as the rest of the paint job.
Dirk Gibson writes about auto parts and repairs for DCJAutoParts.com - buy inexpensive car parts online and save money with DIY repairs
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By Dirk Gibson
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