Scratches and dents happen, and they’re impossible to ignore. Some idiot may have hit you in the parking lot, or someone with ill will against you might have keyed your car. No matter what the story is, scratches and dents make an otherwise nice vehicle look shabby. There’s no need to rush off to the car repair shop; most dents and scratches can be fixed by yourself.
Taking Care Of Scratches
Of all the different car repair problems, scratches are probably the easiest to fix. The first step is to figure out the nature of the scratch. Some scratches only take off a little paint, while some nasty ones get all the way down to the metal. Upon closer inspection, you might find that what you thought was a scratch is actually residue from something else. If, for instance, somebody hits you with a grocery cart, it will leave a little bit of the cart’s metal. This is because your paint job is stronger.
Underneath the top level of paint, you’ve got primer and then metal. If it’s just a matter of some paint scratched off, try just sanding and buffing. Often, this is all it takes.
If it goes deeper, it just takes a little more work. First, rub shoe polish on the scratch. This highlights it and makes it easier to tell when you’re done erasing it. Sand it down and then polish it using a rubber compound and polishing wheel. After that, buff with cloth. You might have to go over it a couple of times, and repainting might be necessary.
If it gets all the way down to the metal, you’re better off to get a car repair professional to do it. You’ll need bigger and more specialized tools, and it will definitely require professional repainting.
Taking Out Dents
Dents take a bit more work, but you can take care of it yourself if you’re pretty handy. You’ve got the option of buying a dent removal kit, and this is highly recommended. The kit has all the stuff you need in it and it makes it a heck of a lot easier. If you’re confident about your repair skills, you can do it the old fashioned way without the kit.
Basically, what you’ll need to do is drill a hole and use some kind of suction to pull the dent out and flatten the metal. Find the center of the dent and put your hold there. Your kit will provide a specialized pulling tool, usually consisting of a rope or suction device. You’ll attach the device to the inside of the dent, and use the tool to pull it back into a flat shape.
Once you’ve got it where it used to be, pound it out until it’s flat with a metalworking hammer. This is the toughest part of the job and it can take a while of pounding, but you’ll get the hang of it and it’ll eventually start to look smooth.
Now, sand it down and apply body filler and spray primer. Once it’s applied, sand again and repaint. This will get your body looking just like it did before.
Call The Experts
If you’re not sure about your skill or don’t have the time, take your dented vehicle to a car repair shop. It’s one of the easiest car repair jobs out there, and they’ll have it finished for you in a couple of hours.
The world is full of morons and most of them have drivers’ licenses. When one of them strikes, you might be able to save money on car repair by doing it yourself. If not, call the pros and have them do it.
