When can you remove body scratches yourself?
If you're reading this article, you've probably noticed a nasty scratch on the body of your car. You probably scratched it during a parking maneuver or someone ruined your car while it was on the road. Unfortunately, in a driver's lifetime the question isn't whether or not you'll find a scratch on your car's bodywork.
To find out if you can remove scratches from your body yourself or if you have to rely on a professional, you can do the "fingernail test". Basically, all you need to do is to gently drag the nail over the damaged part of the bodywork. If you can clearly feel the groove, then the damage is too deep to be solved at home, it is better to trust a professional.
If you do not feel any difference when passing the nail and the surface looks smooth, then the damage only affects the top layer of paint. The best way to remove scratches from the body, in our opinion, is to use a stick or pen to touch up the paint.
Remove body scratches with toothpaste or nail polish?
One of the most common urban legends is the use of toothpaste or nail polish for body scratches. Both of these items will not improve the condition of your bodywork in any way but can cause even more damage.
Toothpaste can work as an abrasive paste because it contains particles designed to clean and polish teeth. If you rub toothpaste on your car's bodywork, you only risk creating more scratches and damaging the odd layer of paint.
Using nail polish on your wife's nails will result in ruined bodywork and an angry wife (trust us). Nail polish is not designed to withstand continuous exposure to the elements and will tend to peel off after a few days of application.
Again, the best option for touching up small scratches in the bodywork is to use a car touch-up stick.
How much does it cost to remove body scratches by yourself?
To remove body scratches on your own, the best option is to use a paint touch-up stick, preferably car-specific. These sticks are sold everywhere: at the body shop, at the dealership, on the Internet and in paint shops.
The cost is usually around 30 euros for the sticks from the original manufacturer. Some colours are sold at a lower price even by more or less unknown paint brands. It may seem obvious, but we remind you that you must buy a stick of the exact colour of your bodywork to guarantee an optimal result.
When the damage to be repaired is very serious, you must necessarily turn to a professional. In another article we have already discussed how to calculate how much it costs to repaint the car from the workshop.
How to touch up deep scratches on the bodywork?
If the scratch on the bodywork to be repaired is very deep the only option is to rely on a professional who will surely do a good job. If you are concerned about the bodywork of your car, we advise you not to touch up deep scratches with homemade techniques.
The body shop will first inspect the car and only then, depending on the hours of work required, can give you an estimate. We often repeat this to our customers: it is impossible to give an accurate estimate for body work over the phone. It is literally necessary to "touch" the scratch to give a correct assessment to the customer.
