No matter how carefully you drive, it’s inevitable that your car will get scratched. Scratches can occur from another car door, a wayward shopping cart in the parking lot, or everyday wear and tear.
The good news is that fixing car scratches is usually pretty easy and affordable. This blog post will cover the different types of car scratches and some popular repair techniques.
Types of Car Scratches & Their Repairs
There are three typical car scratches: clear coat scratches, paint scratches, and deep gouges.
1. Clear Coat Scratches
These tend to be the most common car scratches and usually happen when something rubs up against the car’s clear coat. The clear coat is a thin layer that protects the vehicle from UV rays, dust, and other elements, making the car’s paint shine.
Clear coat scratches look like swirl marks or appear as fine, hazy lines. They usually don’t penetrate the paint but require high-quality car detailing and washing methods to fix them.
Repair Technique
You can usually repair clear coat scratches yourself with elbow grease and the suitable car scratch repair kit. These scratch fix kits contain everything you need to fix clear coat scratches, including car wax, a rubbing compound, and other car scratch repair products.
You need to:
- Clean the area around the scratch with car soap and water.
- Apply the rubbing compound to the scratch using circular motions.
- Use a clean cloth to buff out the scratch.
- Wash and dry your car to remove any compound residue.
- Inspect your car in direct sunlight to see if the scratch is still visible.
- If the car scratch is still visible, repeat the steps above.
- Once the car scratch is no longer visible, apply car wax to protect the area around the repair.
2. Paint Scratches
Paint scratches are more severe than clear coat scratches because they extend through the car’s clear coat and into the paint job. You can even see the car’s primer in deep paint scratches.
Paint scratches are caused by car keys, shopping carts, and other sharp objects.
Repair Technique
- If the paint scratch is shallow, you can try to buff it with a polishing compound.
- Apply the polishing compound to a clean cloth and rub it into the scratch in small circular motions.
- If the paint scratch is deep, you’ll need to use a touch-up paint pen or brush.
- Apply the touch-up paint to the car scratch and let it dry completely.
- Use a clear coat pen to seal the area around the repair.
3. Deep Scratches
Deep scratches are the most severe type of car scratch. They extend through the car’s paint job and into the metal underneath. These scratches can’t be fixed with a simple polish or touch-up paint. You’ll need to find a car scratch repair near me and let a professional handle the job.
If you need extensive Buick or GMC repair or service, Cutter Buick GMC serving Waipahu, HI, is here to help. Our ASE factory-trained technicians will diagnose and repair your car quickly and efficiently.
We offer brake services, transmission fluid exchange, oil change, tire rotation, and more. Our state-of-the-art facility can handle any car repair, big or small.
We also provide Buick and GMC parts and accessories. You can order parts online and come into our dealership to pick them up.
Schedule a service appointment today!
Connect with us
