When to Fix Car Scratches Yourself vs. Taking it to the Autobody
There’s nothing worse to find on a shiny, new car than a deep scratch. A once-perfect vehicle now marred by some unfortunate incident. It’s a minor problem that some might want to ignore, but for a lot of us, it’s one that bothers us every time we see it. The good news is that a scratch on your vehicle’s paint job, even a deep scratch, is easily fixable. And there is good reason to fix it soon, too. So how do you remove deep scratches from a car?
Collision Center of Andover is the Wichita area’s I-CAR Gold Class certified team of auto body technicians and our guys know everything about vehicle scratches and the best way to get them out.
When a Car Scratch is More than “Just a Scratch”
First, let’s discuss why this is more than just a surface problem. While the scratch on your vehicle’s finish may appear minor and will go unnoticed to most other people, it may be more than a cosmetic problem. A scratch in your paint could lead to future problems. A deep scratch, especially, can pierce your paint job and result in serious damage.
Once your car’s topcoat is penetrated, the next layers of your base paint layer and even the metal body can become exposed. That’s when rust becomes a problem. It can take just a day or two for rust to develop when a vehicle’s bare metal is exposed. Once you have rust, you have a bigger problem. And one that will need to be resolved by a professional technician, like our qualified auto body team.
Can I Get Rid of a Deep Scratch from my Vehicle Myself?
There are some instances when people can buff out scratches on their own vehicle. If the scratch is not too deep and it hasn’t penetrated the lower paint job, you may be able to get rid of minor scratches yourself.
How do I know if I can buff out a scratch myself?
Good rule of thumb: If you can catch the scratch with your fingernail, then it won’t buff out.
It’ll take a bit of work and quite a few products and tools, but if you want to avoid a visit to an auto body shop, there are steps you can take to handle it yourself. However, be aware that this is rarely the best option. We’ll get into why that is in just a bit.
If you want to try to fix your car scratches yourself, here are some of the things you will need:
DIY: Repair Needs to Erase Deep Scratches from Car:
- Polishing compound
- Buffing pads
- Microfiber cloth
- Glazing putty (if you need to fill any cracks or significant scratches)
- Spreader tool for the glazing putty
- Paint leveler
- Touch-up paint
- Car wax
Along with these products, you may find you need to work on your technique to fully get the paint job looking like new. It can be difficult to perfectly get out scratches if you’ve never done this before.
When To Go to an Auto Body Shop for Paint Scratches?
Be aware that trying to get out scratches yourself is rarely the best option. You won’t save any time, as typically this is a quick job for any quality auto body shop to handle, nor is it an expensive repair.
Simply put, getting out scratches is one of the easiest repairs we make every day. Our team of experienced auto body technicians are experts at this and can get it done quickly with perfect results.
Bringing your vehicle to a shop like Collision Center of Andover will not only save you a lot of time and hassle trying to figure out this job yourself, but also it won’t cost you as much as you think. In fact, we charge very little or nothing to our customers for buffing out annoying scratches!
If you have deep scratches or a lot of scratches, sometimes the solution will be beyond your ability. The entire panel may need to be repainted, which is another service we provide. We offer a full range of auto body services including the much preferred paintless dent repair service. You can count on our team of experienced techs to accurately assess exactly what sort of repair will get your car back to looking like new as quickly and efficiently as possible.
We stand behind that promise with a lifetime guarantee on our workmanship.
Need to Repair Deep Scratches from a Car? Call Collision Center of Andover
Collision Center of Andover is conveniently located just minutes outside of Wichita. Our team of expert auto body technicians can handle everything from fixing deep scratches, paintless dent repair to full collision repair. Watch a stunning video of how we knock out dents quickly with the PDR method!
We are proud to be the preferred auto body collision repair shop for customers in the Wichita area and beyond, including El Dorado, Benton, Augusta, and Rose Hill.
Rear Ended Car Repair in Wichita Area
Finding a Female Friendly Car Repair Shop
6 Steps to Fair Auto Collision Service for Women Around Wichita
As a female I try to have my husband do all my car stuff, you know the bad raps that have been in place for ages: this company treated me fairly, Jeff was so nice and accommodating, his staff was just as pleasant. They were respectful and so sweet…”
Women Rate Collision Center of Andover 5-Stars!
That was a review Collision Center of Andover received – posted to our Facebook page. It was written by a recent customer named Pearl who came to us after someone backed into her vehicle and caused a lot of damage.
Pearl is like half of our auto body shop customers in the simple fact that she is a woman.
It shouldn’t surprise anyone to know that women make up about half of the customers going to auto repair shops for vehicle repair in the United S. Yes, there is a stereotype that guys take care of all the car work and decisions. But that’s just simply not the way things are anymore.
Bad Car Repair Shops for Women?
Most women take care of their own automotive needs, including which car to buy and deciding where to get their vehicle serviced. For a long time, auto repair shops have gotten a bad reputation for being unfair to women.
Unfortunately, shady car shops still exist. Women may still find they are overpaying for service or paying for unnecessary service by mechanics who think they can get away with it.
In a 2013 survey, 77% of car owners believe mechanics are more likely to sell women unnecessary repairs. And 66% believed women were charged more than men were for the same services. It’s no wonder that many women hate going to the auto repair shop more than the dentist!
Women Are a Driving Force – Literally!
While women may have not been driving as much as men for most of the last century, today women have more than made up for lost time.
Check out these current stats:
Today, more women are taking care of their own vehicles and protecting themselves from a scam.
In a 2020 Survey among 2000 female drivers:
How To Ensure Getting Fair Car Repair Work
Any person looking to have a mechanic do work on their vehicle, whether you are male or female, can take proactive steps to make sure you are getting the proper service and price.
Collision Center’s Commitment to Fair Vehicle Service to Women
Collision Center of Andover has been in business since 2006.
In the nearly 2 decades of providing professional auto services to the entire Wichita area, we have been committed to providing fair, quality service to all our customers – both men and women! Count on us for female friendly auto repair.
Our team of qualified autobody technicians provides expert service with friendly customer care – suggesting ONLY the work that is needed. We will never recommend work that is not necessary.
We are one of the few Wichita area auto repair shops officially recognized by the collision repair industry as a Gold Class i-Card facility. We also guarantee the quality of our workmanship by providing a limited lifetime warranty on our work.
But don’t just take our word for it. Here is the rest of the glowing review from Pearl:
“They were very communicative about the process and where they were and what insurance was saying. They got my car in as soon as they could. It was done in the time frame they said it was, there was a minor kink and they immediately fixed it and were so nice about the whole thing.
The paint is 10000000% matched and absolute perfection.
I cried happy tears to have my car back and if not for the paper trail, you would’ve never known someone backed into my car.
I’ll go here over any other shop. Thank you for being so good to me and my sweet baby, still very happy with my car!”
You can find more customer reviews and testimonials for our expert car service here.
Give Collision Center of Andover a call for the autobody service or repair your vehicle needs. We are conveniently located just a few minutes away from east Wichita off Kellogg. We are proud to be the preferred auto body collision repair shop for customers in the Wichita area and beyond, including El Dorado, Benton, Augusta, and Rose Hill. Give us a call at (316) 733-9310 or send us a message online.
How to Remove Deep Scratches from a Car
When to Fix Car Scratches Yourself vs. Taking it to the Autobody
There’s nothing worse to find on a shiny, new car than a deep scratch. A once-perfect vehicle now marred by some unfortunate incident. It’s a minor problem that some might want to ignore, but for a lot of us, it’s one that bothers us every time we see it. The good news is that a scratch on your vehicle’s paint job, even a deep scratch, is easily fixable. And there is good reason to fix it soon, too. So how do you remove deep scratches from a car?
Collision Center of Andover is the Wichita area’s I-CAR Gold Class certified team of auto body technicians and our guys know everything about vehicle scratches and the best way to get them out.
When a Car Scratch is More than “Just a Scratch”
First, let’s discuss why this is more than just a surface problem. While the scratch on your vehicle’s finish may appear minor and will go unnoticed to most other people, it may be more than a cosmetic problem. A scratch in your paint could lead to future problems. A deep scratch, especially, can pierce your paint job and result in serious damage.
Once your car’s topcoat is penetrated, the next layers of your base paint layer and even the metal body can become exposed. That’s when rust becomes a problem. It can take just a day or two for rust to develop when a vehicle’s bare metal is exposed. Once you have rust, you have a bigger problem. And one that will need to be resolved by a professional technician, like our qualified auto body team.
Can I Get Rid of a Deep Scratch from my Vehicle Myself?
There are some instances when people can buff out scratches on their own vehicle. If the scratch is not too deep and it hasn’t penetrated the lower paint job, you may be able to get rid of minor scratches yourself.
How do I know if I can buff out a scratch myself?
Good rule of thumb: If you can catch the scratch with your fingernail, then it won’t buff out.
It’ll take a bit of work and quite a few products and tools, but if you want to avoid a visit to an auto body shop, there are steps you can take to handle it yourself. However, be aware that this is rarely the best option. We’ll get into why that is in just a bit.
If you want to try to fix your car scratches yourself, here are some of the things you will need:
DIY: Repair Needs to Erase Deep Scratches from Car:
Along with these products, you may find you need to work on your technique to fully get the paint job looking like new. It can be difficult to perfectly get out scratches if you’ve never done this before.
When To Go to an Auto Body Shop for Paint Scratches?
Be aware that trying to get out scratches yourself is rarely the best option. You won’t save any time, as typically this is a quick job for any quality auto body shop to handle, nor is it an expensive repair.
Simply put, getting out scratches is one of the easiest repairs we make every day. Our team of experienced auto body technicians are experts at this and can get it done quickly with perfect results.
Bringing your vehicle to a shop like Collision Center of Andover will not only save you a lot of time and hassle trying to figure out this job yourself, but also it won’t cost you as much as you think. In fact, we charge very little or nothing to our customers for buffing out annoying scratches!
If you have deep scratches or a lot of scratches, sometimes the solution will be beyond your ability. The entire panel may need to be repainted, which is another service we provide. We offer a full range of auto body services including the much preferred paintless dent repair service. You can count on our team of experienced techs to accurately assess exactly what sort of repair will get your car back to looking like new as quickly and efficiently as possible.
We stand behind that promise with a lifetime guarantee on our workmanship.
Need to Repair Deep Scratches from a Car? Call Collision Center of Andover
316-733-9310
Collision Center of Andover is conveniently located just minutes outside of Wichita. Our team of expert auto body technicians can handle everything from fixing deep scratches, paintless dent repair to full collision repair. Watch a stunning video of how we knock out dents quickly with the PDR method!
We are proud to be the preferred auto body collision repair shop for customers in the Wichita area and beyond, including El Dorado, Benton, Augusta, and Rose Hill.
Does a Dented Fender Need to be Replaced?
Cost & Considerations for Repairing a Dented Fender
When it comes to collision repair, a dented fender is a relatively common problem. Whether it is a minor fender bender or something more serious from a vehicle collision, a car’s fender can take a beating. A front fender is especially in a position to face more if its share of bumps and scratches. But if it does get damaged, does a dented fender always need to be replaced?
At Collision Center of Andover, we have handled thousands of dented fenders from drivers from Wichita to El Dorado and everywhere in between. We have seen all different types of damage can find a solution to getting the dent out and restoring the vehicle to look like new again. But while we can repair or replace any type of damaged fender, whether it needs to be replaced is a different question.
When a Fender Does Not Need to Get Replaced
Some dented fenders have such minor damage that it does not need to be repaired or replaced. It will still do the job the fender was built to do. However, you will probably be less than happy driving around with a dented vehicle. Sometimes a fender repair is essentially a cosmetic fix to get a vehicle looking good again.
Another time when a fender may not need to get replaced is when the damage is not very severe. A minor fender bender happens to a lot of us. When the dent or other damage is minor, it can usually need a simple repair. A fender repair can be different depending on what the damage is and who you go to.
Here at Collision Center of Andover, we are the Wichita area PDR experts. PDR stands for Paintless Dent Repair. It is a repair technique that allows us to get out bumps from your vehicle without needing any sort of painting or repainting. The results are not just quick, but they are amazing. Check out this page for a video to see PDR in action inside our state-of-the-art autobody body shop.
When a Fender Needs to Get Replaced
If the damage to the fender is significant enough, it should get replaced. While that may sound like you are in for a timely and expensive repair, think again.
Fender replacement is almost always cheaper than replacing a door, for example. And depending on parts availability, replacing a fender can even be quicker than a fender repair.
When you find yourself with a dented fender, it is important to keep in mind that what you see may not be the only damage your vehicle has. A collision can cause damage to parts of your car that may not be easily noticeable. You may be tempted to ignore a little dent, but you should not. What seems like only a minor fender bender can also have hidden damages.
Determining whether your dented fender needs to be repaired or replaced may not be obvious to the owner. That is why our expert technicians at Collision Center of Andover will do a thorough job to inspect the damage. Then we work with the customer to explain their options including cost and expected repair time. We will arm you with the information to make the right decision on what is best for your vehicle and your budget.
How Long Does It Take to Replace a Fender?
Replacing a fender takes a lot less time than you probably think! Depending on parts availability, a fender replacement can even be quicker than a fender repair. An older or specialty vehicle may require a longer wait time. This can also be true when factory parts are no longer made for a vehicle.
Other factors such as weather and supply chain issues affect how long this work will take. Read this article for the 9 biggest factors that impact how long any sort of vehicle collision repair can take.
Wichita Area Car Fender Service You Can Count On
Our skilled team of auto body technicians provides quick repair and replacement of dented fenders. We can provide service to any type of vehicle. We work with you and your insurance company to get you the proper service that will get your vehicle back on the road and look like new again.
We stand behind that promise with a lifetime guarantee on our workmanship.
Need a dented fender fixed? Call Collision Center of Andover at 316-733-9310.
Our Collision Center of Andover state-of-the-art autobody shop is in Butler County, mere minutes outside of Wichita. We are the preferred auto body collision repair shop for customers in the Wichita area and beyond, including El Dorado, Benton, Augusta, and Rose Hill.
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