The Lemon Fool

I managed to scratch my car quite deeply and would like to remove them myself, does anyone have experience of doing this? I did a search online and it seem that using a paint pen is the way to go. No filler?

john

How deep?
photo please

If it is through to the base coat then you may be better off trying "chips away".

They come to you and do a pretty good job of this sort of thing.

It is very easy to mess up

Which did a review of scratch removers recently.

johnstevens77 wrote:I managed to scratch my car quite deeply and would like to remove them myself, does anyone have experience of doing this? I did a search online and it seem that using a paint pen is the way to go. No filler?

john

If it is a scratch then the paint pens which Halfords sell, and which have sort of a pen nib as well as a brush, are ok. The pen nib will allow you to get a thin enough amount of paint to flow into the scratch.

But… you will always be able to see it, it just won’t be as bad.

If you want a proper invisible repair then look for a local ‘smart repairer’. The cost will depend on where the scratch is (as well as the size).

CliffEdge wrote:Which did a review of scratch removers recently.

Which magazine always strikes me as a good idea, but whenever I read any of their reports that are on a subject I know something about then I change my mind.

Okay, I'll ask. Is the car on a PCP contract? Providers can be a bit picky about DIY body repairs when the contract's up. My daughter was charged £500 for a minor mark on her Audi's door mirror.

A lot depends on the colour. Sometimes you can cover a deep scratch with wax if you can only get the right colour. And that won't give you the clear coat lacquer, of course. Generally, I'd second the recommendation to get a quote for a professional scratch repair. Probably costs less than you expect. Or just cut out the middleman and talk to the local body shop. They'll have the skills too.

BJ

bungeejumper wrote:Okay, I'll ask. Is the car on a PCP contract? Providers can be a bit picky about DIY body repairs when the contract's up. My daughter was charged £500 for a minor mark on her Audi's door mirror.

BJ

Seems steep if they were following the BVRLA guide - https://issuu.com/bfwsn67/docs/fwt_volk ... 2F12361092 and if the scratch was beyond what was allowed it should have been a £27 cost - https://customer.vwfs.co.uk/content/dam ... harges.pdf (both links PDFs).

The scratches are fairly deep and if still visible after a "home repair", then my wife is not interested! Woe is me, I was manoeuvring after she parked it and managed to hit the corner wall of our garage. So it is my fault, she has hardly spoken a word for two days. The local shop has quoted £600 and I have been instructed to look further afield for other quotes. I would have attempted the job myself but have been forbidden! Thanks for replies.

john

That sounds steep for a scratch but hard to be accurate without seeing it
try this site sand get quotes from lots of local garages
https://www.whocanfixmycar.com
I have used it a few times and through it found a great garage I now use whne I need things done

Yeah I do agree that sounds quite steep unless it's a finish made of unobtainium; or in a really really awkward spot.

About 8 years back we had a (body coloured) bumper repaired because someone had reversed their tow bar through and back out the thing leaving a torn mess of a hole.
It cost around 200 Australian dollars to have the guy come round and repair it in the driveway. Even with the plastic welding, filling and matching the aged metallic paint it was unnoticeable.
Guy must have been a wizard.

I'd try and get a few more quotes; perhaps wear a miniskirt?

-sd

I'd second the suggestion of a mobile smart repair service. Usually far cheaper than a body shop quote.

As with all things, there are good and bad so do try to get a local recommendation or at least try to work out how genuine any online reviews are..

About five years ago I had a local smart repairer deal with a couple of significant scratches on a metallic silver SEAT. I caught a protruding metal piece of garage door framework and gouged the plastic and the metal bodywork near the front wheel.

He made an invisible repair and also repaired a small stone chip on an alloy wheel.

All for around £150

Edited to add: This was West Midlands. Maybe double this if you're south of Watford

johnstevens77 wrote:Woe is me, I was manoeuvring after she parked it and managed to hit the corner wall of our garage. So it is my fault, she has hardly spoken a word for two days. The local shop has quoted £600 and I have been instructed to look further afield for other quotes. I would have attempted the job myself but have been forbidden!

So would this be a "composite scratch" (over an area, rather than a single straight-line scrape? And maybe a bit of filling?

I am not in the habit of scraping my cars, but I made an exception to the rule three years ago when an oncoming dustcart forced a quick reverse into the church railings. (I tell ya, that b*stard wasn't in a mood to compromise that morning.) To cut a long story short, my local man removed my bumper, sorted a couple of mildly deformed bits of plastic, and extended the spray job to take in a couple of old chips on the boot sill. And charged me £160 for about half a square metre of paintwork. Absolutely immaculate.

So yes, shop around. There's something in the advice already given here, to take a good long sceptical look at the online review ratings, because some body shops can be a bit naughty about that sort of thing. Good luck.

BJ

Well, I have shopped around and have 4 quotes but they are not all for the same thing. Closer examination, after the trauma of being in the dog house for a couple of days, made me see that there is also some damage to the bodywork which needs attention and one of the body shops explained this to me. I might get away with £400 if I am lucky.

john

Chips away will do dent removal and filling too. I am having them come to me next week...£228 for dent filling and paint.

John

This sounds more than a scratch. If so don't try it yourself unless you know what you are doing. Plenty of wet and try of various grades with base coat and top coat done in a DIY fashion will look worse than the original scratch as suddenly a small scratch will become an unsightly blob. Chips Away is the the way to go for a professional job. They will do the work either at your home or at work. They spend much of their time dealing with scratches for car dealerships and know what they are doing.

However, if the scratch is on the surface only that is a DIY job. I use Brasso which is the same consistency as T Cut.

bungeejumper wrote:
I am not in the habit of scraping my cars, but I made an exception to the rule three years ago when an oncoming dustcart forced a quick reverse into the church railings.

you dont live a million miles from me BJ and i have no idea how you manage not to scratch your cars - or have then scratched for you ...

Every vehicle we own/have owned comes to us nice and shiny and within weeks has dents, dings, scratches galore. Because as you know roads round here are often narrow and fringed by hard hedges etc. Otherwise its car parks and 3rd parties etc

I basically dont get bothered (Ive given up ) , but while she is a pragmatic sort, nonetheless my wife does get upset over it. Weve tried all sorts to cover up scratches etc and none of them work. maybe a mobile repairer style chappie may do the job but Im also loath to throw good money after bad.

didds