How to repair scratches in paint

ASHGLYDE

MEMBER
2016 FORD FOCUS
2WD
AUTOMATIC
22,000 MILES

My car is brand new. The paint is metallic. I have a touch up pen and touch up brush. Both are set to my paint code. These areas are small but there is a few. Some appear to have gone through the paint layer. Since the paint is red, in some paint chips, the color appears to be dark under the paint (like a grey) which I believe is the primer? I would like to repair these areas and restore it to the rest of the paint before finally adding paint protection to the area. What would you do if this was on your car? And what steps would you take? Could you provide step by step guide as I am new to this and I want to be a car detailer and body repair someday. I would like like some guidance.

Cheers

Images (Click to make bigger)

1 Reply

CARADIODOC

MECHANIC
33,871 POSTS

I would stop in at the dealership and ask if they have someone come in once a week to fix this type of problem on their newer trade-in cars. I ordered a new Dodge Dynasty in 1993, and it got hit in the driver's door before I ever took the car off the lot. We had a company called "Dent Craft" handle this. He used a special light and all kinds of hooks and picks to go through the door's drain holes and massage out the dent. Next, he ordered the correct color touch-up paint, but applying it was way more involved than just wiping it on. Sanding was involved, and he put clear-coat over it a week later. Later I had him do another dent in the hood from a flying baseball. That car has less than 5,000 miles, so it was just like new, but it is impossible to see where the damage was repaired.

Back in 1993 this cost $50.00 per repair. I believe the cost was lower if no dent was involved and he just had to fill in a chip.

If you plan on doing something similar in the future, consider looking for a nearby community college with an Automotive Body Repair program. The instructors can give you some guidance, and in some schools you can attend just one class without signing up for the entire two-year program.