How to Repair a Paint Scratch?

Dent Time answers a question from a local customer asking about how to repair a paint scratch.

Dent Time's Reply:

Well we don't recommend you really try repairing a scratch on your own car without proper training.

The truth about Scratch Repair:

Fact: If your scratch is past your clear coat, there is no real other way to restore your finish without repainting or performing a "spot repair."

Fact: Touch up is considered "touch up." Compare touch up to putting paint on top of paint. It won't look good and in most cases the paint does not match anyhow. Why? In most cases, in today's paint finish, auto paint is now mixed with metal flakes. These metal flakes are AKA "Metallic."But back to why it does not match. If not applied with a spray gun, the metallic paint clumps together and reflects a much different color, despite it is indeed factory touch up.

If the paint is not through the clear coat chanced are it can be color sanded (wet sanding) and buffed out.

If you can feel the scratch with your fingernail then it's past the clear in general. Unfortunately the only way (so far) to completely repair the finish is to repaint.

We offer on-site mobile key scratch and bumper paint repair in San Diego. And most likely there is a mobile company near you. What we do in steps is to perform a SMART repair. "Small Mobile Area Repair Technology".

First, we computer color generate a factory match. Second, resurface the area and prep. Next, apply primer, base coat and last, add the clear coat for a back to factory shinny look.

Unfortunately there are no real in between solutions when it comes to scratch repair.