Ted Britt Chevrolet is no stranger to scratches and dents. We sell new and sued vehicles to customers across Sterling, VA, and see Chevys in all conditions. As a leading Chevy dealer , we recommend bringing a dented vehicle in, but sometimes a little elbow grease goes a long way.
It’s important to us that our customers trust us. We maintain transparency by giving as much information as we can on vehicle maintenance. Here’s the inside scoop on scratch removal for all you DIY lovers out there.
You leave work after a busy day and your beloved Chevy has a scratch or dent on the tailgate. What do you do? Car scratches are easier to fix than car dents, but both are fixable.
Removing Car Dents
Dent repair is a big job. We recommend bringing it into the shop for a professional finish. These are the steps to take to tackle it yourself.
- Clean the area on and around the dent
- Use sandpaper (24 grit to start and 80 grit to finish) to send the dent
- Lightly sand around the dent (feather the sandpaper outward to blend)
- Use wax remover and clean the dent again to lift paint debris
- Mix body filler until uniform in color and consistency
- Apply filler to the dented area (the first coat should be tight to the vehicle)
- Apply a second layer of filler to fill the dent
- Sand with 80 to 180 grit sandpaper to smooth
- Apply glaze
- Sand with 180 to 320 grit sandpaper
- Prime the area for paint
- Paint the area
Primer and paint are applied with an electrostatic spray gun in a ventilated paint booth. Wear protective clothing, gloves, and eyewear for this process.
Removing Car Scratches
Minor scratches on the clear coat of a car are fixable with a little TLC. Major scratches cutting into the metal frame underneath need a professional. Try a few of these fixes for a minor scratch.
- Scratch remover: Products like Scratch Doctor and Meguiars remove light scratches and infuse glaze
- Paint pen: Paint pens come in stock colors and fill scratches with paint
- Touch-up kit: Sand the scratch with 180 grit sandpaper, apply sandable primer, and spray with automotive touch-up paint and clear coat
Wear safety goggles and gloves while handling scratch repair materials.
Visit Ted Britt Chevrolet
We hope this blog has helped shed some light on DIY fixes for dents and scratches. Ted Britt Chevrolet services all makes and models of Chevys in Sterling. We can help if your Chevy has taken some damage and needs a professional touch. Our team is well-versed in dent repair and scratch removal, and use top-of-the-line automotive tools and paint products. Call us today at 703-835-9744 to learn more or schedule a service appointment with our Sterling auto repair team.
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