How to fix car scratches
How you fix a scratch depends on how deep it goes. Run a fingernail across it: if the nail does not catch, you can usually polish it out, and if it catches, the paint needs repairing.
The fingernail test
Wash and dry the area first, because dirt can look like a scratch. Then drag a fingernail lightly across the mark at a right angle.
Light scratches
Marks in the clear coat can often be polished out with a fine compound and a soft cloth. Work in small circles with light pressure, wipe clean and check in daylight. Stop if the mark has not faded after a few passes, as heavy rubbing thins the lacquer around it. If a fingernail catches, the colour layer is damaged and polish alone will not fix it. The area needs filling where it is deep, then repainting in the right colour and lacquering so it blends into the panel. Exposed metal can rust, and rust spreads under the paint around the scratch. These need primer, colour and lacquer, so do not leave them for long.
What about touch-up pens?
They can hide small chips and fine scratches. They rarely match the paint or the finish exactly, so a larger scratch looks patchy, and a pen cannot level a groove in the panel. We colour-match to your paint code, so the repaired area blends into the rest of the panel. Minor bodywork at our workshop is done within 24 hours. Painted bodywork repairs carry a 12-month guarantee, subject to aftercare.
Quick answers
Can all scratches be repaired?
Most can. Very deep scratches may need the whole panel repainted, and we will tell you from your photo.
How long does it take?
Minor repairs at our workshop are done within 24 hours. Larger jobs take longer, and we confirm the timing with your quote.
Is there a guarantee?
Painted bodywork repairs carry a 12-month guarantee, subject to aftercare. We give you the aftercare steps when the car is ready.
Will it match my paint?
Yes. We colour-match to your car's paint code, and the repair is finished with lacquer so it blends into the surrounding panel.
Contact
Get a free photo quote
Phone
020 7060 3666
WhatsApp
+447512308716
Address
Unit 1, 38 Crown Road
Enfield
EN1 1TH
Enfield
EN1 1TH