Got minor scratches on your car and want to know – Is it worth fixing a scratch on your car? If yes, read this article.
Your car is one of the most valuable assets you own. You can use your car to make the journey convenient whenever you need to go somewhere. Unfortunately, your car can be damaged because of external circumstances or simply because of the daily wear and tear. You can get various minor car problems, such as micro-scratches and dents. These defects are minor; it is entirely up to you to keep them or fix them.
According to a new finder.com.au study, it is found that most road accidents happen in rear-end collisions, which cause a lot of dents and scratches on the car’s exterior. Also, another study found that 39% of the 2000 people surveyed had experienced car scratches by someone who did not own their mistake.
Even though these scratches seem minor and only affect the exterior cosmetics, negligence can raise more profound issues. Getting car body repairs to fix these minor exterior scratches is essential. The damage will amplify if you do not get them fixed and your car washed frequently.
However, if your vehicle is old and you are planning to buy a new one soon, spending a lot of money on minor car problems is not advisable, especially if the vehicle is not costly and has a lower resale value.
Yes, you can get minor scratches out of your car. You can either do it yourself or get it done by professionals in an auto shop. If you want to do it yourself, research the type of scratch you want to get fixed, the best supplies available to fix the scratch, and the procedure you need to follow.
However, if you want to save yourself from spending hours finding the right products at an auto repair shop and trying to understand how to fix the issue, you can consult a professional and get it fixed. In that case, a professional will perform the car detailing services, assessing the damage and determining the necessary repairs.
There are various repair options, such as paint correction or full detailing, for you to choose from.
Scratches come in various sizes and intensities.
There are three types of scratches,
Cars have an exterior coating layer for protection and aesthetics. Damage to this layer is not substantial, and repairing it won’t burn a hole in your pocket.
These scratches lie on the second layer beneath the clear coating. It is a primer scratch when a scratch penetrates the clear coat but doesn’t reveal the underlying plastic or metal. Primer scratches are more difficult to fix and require more time and effort. It is also costlier to fix a primer scratch than the other clear coat scratches.
Deep penetrating scratches expose the vehicle’s metal body. These scratches are hard to fix, and you need to go to the car repair shop to get them fixed.
Not all scratches are the same. While you can ignore some minor scuffs, others require fixing. It is advisable to fix the primer scratches, and deep paint scratches as more problems can arise if they are not treated on time.
The most apparent disadvantage is that cosmetic damage seems unappealing to people’s eyes. As they say, the condition of a car says a lot about the owner. Suppose you want to impress someone or want others to have an impression that you are smart, tidy and classy; having a scratched car won’t do the trick for you. People can catch cues on things like this and portray you as a careless driver.
Another serious issue is a threat to the driver’s safety. Apart from cosmetic purposes, most of the car’s exterior serves some unique function that may include the safety of the people in the car. A heavily dented door can cause serious safety issues, so it is a good practice to repair these dents/scratches beforehand.
One of the major problems is the development of rust. If the scratch exposes the car’s metal body, it is recommended to fix it or the metal can eventually become rusty. Car manufacturers use car primers and paints to cover the exterior and protect the car’s body. The sealants like paints and primers protect the metals on the inside.
Deep scratches penetrate the surface and expose the metal. Water, dust, debris and air get to the metal and form rust. The rust further amplifies with rain, humid weather, and car washes.
Cars can be a priceless possession for some individuals, and it’s natural for you to keep them as clean, scratch free and flashy as possible. Everybody loves to flaunt their cars, especially when it is expensive and in good condition.
Unfortunately, it is hard to keep your car scratch free every time you drive it, and it is prone to some basic wear and tear and scratches, minor or significant.
A car scratch can arise from road accidents or acts of vandalism.
If someone damages your car as an act of vandalism, you will get an insurance claim to bring it back to its original form. Most insurance agencies cover the damage due to vandalism under the comprehensive portion of their insurance policy.
If your car has collision coverage, you can repair minor to medium scratches caused by accidents practically for free. However, in cases of an accident, the fault may be on either side. If you are found guilty of clumsy driving/rash driving, then you have to dig a hole in your pocket to get the scratches fixed.
Whereas, if your car gets slight scuffs, there is nothing much for you to worry about. If you are okay with the slightly deformed cosmetics of the car, you can choose not to repair the vehicle, but for deeper scratches that may be a cause of concern, it is a good practice to repair those scratches.
This will ensure your safety, along with other things.
Scratching might not always be a big deal, however, do not make these three mistakes, or it can be disastrous for your car.
A slight scratch that exposes the metal of the car body can breed rust in a favorable climate and seriously damage your car. Please do not wait for that to happen. Please consult a professional and show them the damage done to your car. This will ensure your car won’t face serious issues, even if the scratches are minor. If you do not want to spend money on unnecessary minor fixes, try fixing them yourself.
If you plan to hide the scratches by applying touch-up paint, we are sorry to tell you that it won’t be the best option to go about it.
Save yourself from these unnecessary discomforts and get your car to a car servicing center to have your scratches repaired and get your car back in shape.
When washed intensely with water, cars with deeper scratches can cause further damage and chipped paint. To tackle this problem, use linen clothes to clean the car, especially the damaged part of the car. Also, one thing to keep in mind is to avoid exposing car scratches to water and humidity to prevent them from rusting
If someone has to choose between a perfect showroom car and a used, scratched car, everyone will choose the perfect out-of-showroom car. Even luxury cars like BMWs, Porsche, and Ferraris get devalued after having scratches.
To know how much the scratch devalues a car, consider two factors
The cost of repair and the inconvenience caused to the buyer.
If the repair and base cost of your car is close to the price of a second-hand car in reasonably good condition, then the buyer would most likely prefer the latter. If the money a buyer saves on the second-hand car deal doesn’t compensate for the inconvenience of repairing it and the time needed to fix it, then the buyer will most likely reject such a deal.
In case, if you want to estimate how much your damaged car is worth in numbers, do the following steps.
Use KBB.com or NADAguides.com to find the vehicle’s selling price if it was in good condition, then subtract the amount needed to repair the damage. It might be 10 to 15% of the original car price. However, if the damage is severe, it might be as much as 75% of the car’s price.
In a nutshell, how much a car devalues after a scratch depends on the type of scratch and its degree.
To sum it up, in conclusion, it is a wise decision to fix minor scratches on your car no matter how small they are. Scratches damage your car functionally and appearance, and spending a negligible amount on fixing won’t break your bank. Undergoing minor car body repairs is easy and improves your car’s resale value.
Suppose you, unfortunately, encounter a deep scratch in your old vehicle, and you are about to get rid of the vehicle soon. In that case, you might discard the idea of repairing your vehicle and the vehicle itself. Even if you are strictly unwilling to spend your money on minor car problems and think that the damage is not noticeable, we still recommend you show the vehicle to a car repair service center. They will check the gravity of the situation and advise you accordingly.
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