Auto Industry Insider: How To Repair your Car’s Dents and Dings at Home with These Simple Steps



Door dings, scratches and bumper scrapes happen all the time. Sometimes there just isn’t anything that you can do about it, but little things like this don’t always translate to big repair jobs. In fact, most of the time it’s possible for you to make the repairs yourself and without having to worry about a thing.

Scratches

A paint scratch might seem like a super-simple repair, but this is not always the case. If you have a scratch that is so deep that you can see the primer underneath, then you will almost certainly need to fill the scratch. If you want to do this then you need to use multiple coats of paint or a scratch filler. When the area is dried, you will then need to sand it down by using a very fine grade of sandpaper. This may seem like it’s taking a very long time, but it’s well worth it and you will certainly be able to see the difference in the end result. When you have a smooth finish, wax the area until it is nice and shiny. If your scratches are the result of an accident, consider filing a car accident injury claim.

Selecting the Right Paint

If you need to touch up a specific area of your paint, then visit your local auto store. They will have a huge selection of paints that will match very well. You can also find the right paint code for your car by looking in the owner’s manual too. The paint code sticker can be found on your car if you don’t have access to your manual. Simply look under the hood, or on the door sill.

Dents

If you have a minor dent, then you can usually pop these out by using a plunger or a specific car dent device. Filling a dent with body filler isn’t difficult but it can be time-consuming. You’ll need a lot of patience as you may need to revisit the area time and time again. When you have managed to fill the dent, you then need to follow the above tips to paint over the area.

Broken Lights

Broken tail lights or turn signals can be unsightly and they may even de-value your car as well. You have to remember here that you don’t need to visit the body shop to get this done. In fact, a lot of vehicles are designed so that these can be replaced at home. If you want to go ahead with this then consider ordering a cheap reproduction part. The quality of parts like this have increased over the years, so if you can’t get an original replacement then don’t be afraid to look into this. You can usually find them on auction sites, and you can even fit them with tools that you have around the home.

So, car damage doesn’t always end up in a trip to your local repair shop, and by following these top tips, you can be sure to get your car back to its original condition without any stress.