Thank you for joining us in another episode of
"Adventures in Detailing!"
So you got a paint scuff by rubbing your car up against a wall, post, or other vehicle & you're worried it's going to cost you hundreds or depending on the location & the make & model of your vehicle, possibly even thousands of dollars to get your vehicle looking new again. Well, the answer is a definitive...maybe, & maybe not.
The first thing to do (assuming this was a light scrape & not anything that caused structural damage) is look at the damage under good lighting & evaluate the following:
- is the color of the scuff the same color as the material you scraped up against?
- do you see exposed metal or plastic (like most bumpers nowadays)
- can you put your fingernail into the damage or is it smooth or actually raised above the rest of the painted surface?
- has the area that was scuffed been repaired/repainted before?
As far as
your vehicle is concerned, #1 is actually a good thing. It means that for at least that portion of the scuff, there is contaminant
on your paint & not damage
in your paint. That part should be a quick, inexpensive fix...as long as you know that #4 is not in play.
In the case where you know there has been damage done (#2 & #3) to the paint of your vehicle, you have a choice. You should probably clean up the area first (I'll tell you how in a minute. Keep your pants on!) & then decide whether you want to use a little touch-up paint (see last week's article) or take it to a body shop for a repair (The repair could also be a quick, single stage spray & blend or a full repair; sand, fill, primer, feather, base coat, blend, & clear coat).
So what is this "quick clean up" I've been teasing you with? Well, assuming your paint is in good condition & not a second hand, single stage paint job (in english that's spelled "repainted") in that area, you can
- make sure you are in a shaded area (do not do this in direct sunlight)
- make sure you are in a well ventilated area (or if you are going to use this for an extended period use a respirator)
- wear gloves
- get a clean (not necessarily new) terri cloth
- buy some acetone or similar solvent at an automotive, hardware or paint store
- have soap & water & an applicator or old chamois nearby
Procedure:
- put some acetone on the terri. make sure not to spill any (especially on anything you consider valuable) & wipe over the scuff with the acetone. (If you have a dark colored car, wipe over it lightly). if the damage appears to be getting larger, rather than smaller, stop immediately & take it to a professional to evaluate.
- in most cases you will see the contaminant (color matching the material you scraped up against) wipe write off.
- immediately after wiping repeatedly with the solvent, wipe over the affected area with your soapy chamois (or other cloth). Soap is a base & will neutralize the solvent.
- you may also see any scratches you have in the paint temporarily disappear as you wipe over them with the acetone. this means you should be able to work on them with a rubbing compound (or high speed polisher) & reduce or even possibly completely remove them
- some scratches may be deeper in places than others. reduce what you can, but be aware that some of these scratches may be through the clear coat & you will not be able to get rid of them
If you still have scratches, chips or gouges remaining, you are back to deciding whether to go the inexpensive route & add a little touch-up paint, or call someone who can do a repair for you. At the very least, you've probably made the damage look a lot less extensive & quite possibly reduced the cost of your repair bill.
Thank you for again joining us in our continuing episodes of "Adventures in Detailing!"
