People all over the country maintain love affairs with their cars. Minor scratches can upset some people immensely. What folks do not realize is that scratches, even major ones, can usually be repaired quickly and with very little expense if done correctly. It is also important to repair scratches on your car quickly. Procrastination will only permit the scratch to worsen and lead to ugly rust and corrosion.
Repairing paint scratches on your vehicle does not require expensive repair kits or unusual tools. Minor scratches that are only on the surface of the paint can usually be removed with a bit of paint thinner or acetone. It’s really that simple. Deeper scratches that go down to the bar metal are harder to deal with but still not impossible to repair. Fixing those deeper scratches only requires a dab of polishing compound and possibly some touch up paint. Read on for some very practical tips for repairing paint scratches of all kinds.
The first step you should take when attempting to repair any type of scratch on your vehicle should be to wash the area affected with a simple mixture of dish soap and warm water. Do not use any type of hard solvents or cleaning supplies. Soap and water will suffice. Using black shoe polish will usually do the trick for scratches in red cars. Oddly enough, white shoe polish works very well when repairing scratches on the darker cars. After you wash the affected area, use fine-grit sandpaper to gently sand the scratched area until it comes down to level with the rest of the surrounding area. This ensures a smooth finish after repair. Blow all of the dust away and apply a dab of body compound to the scratch and wait for it to harden up. If the compound hardens smoothly, you can then apply some primer to it. Apply touch up paint that matches the color of your car once the primer dries completely.
The above method will work well with older cars. However, many newer cars are painted with enameled paints. The scratch repair method discussed in this article will not work well with enamel paints so the only real good option to hand the task over to your local auto body shop or an auto repair company. Providing your VIN to a specialist such as these will allow them to provide you with proper guidance and suggestion for best repairing the scratches in your particular car.
As with any other type of auto repair activity, it is always critical to fully understand what you are getting into. If there is any doubt in your mind whatsoever about what you are trying to do, it is always best to involve a professional early on in the process. By following the advice and guidance of a professional auto repair person or auto body paint shop, you limit the potential for further damaging your vehicle. You may even come away with a tip or two that will reduce the costs of the repair at hand!