Car Scratch Repair – Auto Paint Repair As Needed

Car scratch repair can range from the smallest, superficial marks in a car’s clear coat to key marks or deeper scratches reaching the metal of a panel.Car scratch repair can be approached in several ways. The good news is car owners have options. From the smallest superficial car wash scratches to the notorious key scratch, the one size fits all repair solution offered by many auto body shops and collision centers for car scratch repair is often overkill and doesn't necessarily suit the needs of the customer or their vehicle.The methods used for car scratch repair by a specially trained technician can vary depending on a couple of variables.The first variable is the depth of a scratch. Very shallow scratches such as those in the clear coat (# 1 in illustration) can be polished out. A skilled professional can polish around the scratch because the clear coat is still thick enough under the deepest point of the scratch to allow for scratch removal by polishing (which is abrasive in nature).However, without an understanding of car finishes and the skill to polish or buff the scratch correctly, a car owner can easily remove too much clear coat and cause MORE damage. By rubbing away too much of the clear coat when attempting a car scratch repair, a car owner can cause hundreds or even thousands of dollars worth of damage. Consider this, the average clear coat thickness on a vehicle is four thousandths of an inch. From a cosmetic repair standpoint, a technician can safely remove 1 or 2 mil of thickness. Beyond that point, the technician is in danger of over thinning the paint causing what is known as a buffer burn.The reason this occurs is the vast majority of car owners do not understand the differences are between waxing, polishing, and buffing a vehicle finish. Polishing and buffing are abrasive processes that remove paint just like sandpaper. On the other hand, wax protects the paint by sitting on top of it creating a slippery, shiny protective barrier. The bottom line is that buffing and polishing reduces the thickness of the clear coat. The result is buffing and other polishing activities can easily be overdone by and inexperienced person. A delicate touch is needed.A second variable with car scratch repair is the width of the scratch. A sharp tool will leave a narrower, often deeper scratch. Scratches from duller objects will likely leave a wider, but often shallower scratch.Superficial marks in the finish of your car are basically extremely small depressions in the clear coat. Because anything from a key (very sharp) to a box or other package being rubbed along the finish (dull surface) can cause a scratch. Each scratch is different. No single repair works for everything except the most expensive type of repair…refinishing.

Types Of Car Scratch Repair

At AutoColor, we are specialists at car scratch repair. We also introduce an additional variable to each repair discussion. The variable is value. Value is something only a driver can define for his or herself. We may utilize one or a combination of the techniques listed below to achieve the balance of budget and the proper outcome for the car owner.We classify car scratch repairs in four general areas:

• Scratch Removal Process (specialty repair) – this repair is made without the use of any paint and generally works best for clear coat scratches. Color sanding, buffing, polishing, and a paint protectant are utilized in this process.

• Touch up (specialty repair) – paint is mixed specifically for your vehicle using your factory paint code and adjusted as needed by our technician. We utilize three different techniques to expertly apply the paint. Metal conditioners and/or primers are used as needed depending on the circumstances. Cosmetically, the results can vary from mild to near perfect depending on the variables involved.

• Spot Blending (specialty repair) – this is a specialized refinishing technique. When the need for an undetectable car scratch repair at a great price point is needed, a spot blend within the panel might be the answer. Again, this repair provides a tremendous value but is possible only if the right circumstances exist.

• Refinishing (conventional repair) – if your vehicle has to look absolutely perfect and price is not an issue, the most reliable way is to refinish the area. This car scratch repair most likely will involve one or more body panels. This is the most aggressive, most invasive, and most expensive way to return your vehicle to like new condition. Often times, this is the only option a traditional auto body shop or collision center will provide. This means sanding down the damaged area and surrounding area and applying primer, paint and clear coat. If the damaged area is near other panels, the re-finishing may require blending the paint into other panels. As the most expensive option, refinishing and can cost five to fifteen times the cost of spot blending or touch up. In cases where the scratch removal, touch up, and spot blending would not be successful, refinishing is the only choice for a successful, undetectable car scratch repair.

Each car scratch repair is unique and requires the car owner to consider the variables of cosmetics, function and cost.

Car Scratch Repair Decision Making Process

So…what type of repair do you want? Perfect? What combination of cosmetics and function are you willing to accept? The shallower the scratch, the more likely you’ll get a great repair in terms of cosmetics and function (# 1 in illustration). The deeper the scratch (# 5 in illustration), the more likely the repair will require sanding, priming and painting to maintain the integrity of the finish. If you use touch up the paint, the cosmetics will suffer. If you refinish the area, the repair may be unnoticeable, but the cost will be much higher.Always remember, all forms of car scratch repair will reduce thickness in your clear coat. Clear coat is what gives your finish rich the visual “pop” (and UV protection) as opposed to a flatter, less vibrant look. The only difference in the products used to attend to your cars scratches is the rate at which they remove your clear coat. Even buffing removes clear coat through an abrasive process. Rubbing compounds and polishes are very fine abrasives.The bottom line basics with car scratch repair are the following:

• The depth and width of a scratch will often dictate the repair options you have

• The cosmetic outcome will influence the expense of the repair

• Specialty repairs will always be less expensive than conventional repairs – but the deeper the scratch, the more noticeable the repair cosmetically.

Car Scratch Repair “WARNING”

If you don’t know how to safely remove 1 or 2 mils of clear coat from your vehicle, you should be very careful about using buffers, rubbing compound and polish on it. Doing it by hand is safer than using a buffer, but still dangerous. In both cases, you are wearing off the clear coat just at a slower rate when done by hand.A car scratch repair is a “REPAIR”. It requires special skill, knowledge, and experience to safely and successfully perform a car scratch repair. Car scratch repair has a separate goal when compared to detailing. Detailing cleans and protects your vehicle’s finish. In all cases, buffing and other polishing activities slowly degrade your finish – starting with the clear coat.Before buffing or polishing out any scratches, AutoColor offers free estimates to help you decide on the best course of action. It could save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars.At AutoColor we are car scratch repair specialists, able to perform a wide range of repairs depending on need.Is DIY a real option?