Stubborn Car Scratches: Can Paint Correction Fix This Issue?

Seeing your shiny, clean car reflecting the sunlight is just a thing of beauty, right? But if you move closer and find tiny scratches on the paintwork of your car, you may begin to realize that without intervention, this damage may quickly become a problem for your vehicle. Of course, you won't want to damage your car even more by trying to correct the damage yourself, but what should you do? 

Scratches on your car's exterior destroy your vehicle's smooth finish, but besides feeling the rough texture of the scrapes on your fingers, what exactly is going on? Since a car's paint relies heavily on the reflection of light, you'll easily see scratches since it causes the light to scatter. 

The best way to restore the reflective qualities of your car is with paint correction. Of course, this is a task only professional auto detailing companies should do to ensure your car is brought back to its original glory. 

Types of Scratches That Can Impact Your Vehicle’s Paintwork

Scratches can affect the exterior of your car in many ways. Some scratches are barely noticeable while others may be deep and change how well your vehicle looks altogether! These varying degrees in severity affect the paint differently, requiring a unique paint correction treatment for each type.

Clear-Coat Scratch

Our cars are protected by a thin layer of clear coat that shields them from a variety of environmental factors, such as direct sunlight, dust, acid rain, and more. If this coat sustains any scrapes or scratches, you'd be happy to know that these can be easily repaired. This is primarily due to the fact that most clear-coat scratches do not impact the paintwork beneath. Though it is possible to fix clear coat scratches on your own, professional detailers will ensure that the damage is correctly fixed and that additional solutions are offered to ensure that your paintwork remains protected. 

Base-Coat/ Color Coat Scratch

The clear coat of a car protects the underlying paintwork from being damaged. However, some scratches can penetrate all the way through the clear coat itself and remove actual color from your vehicle's exterior. This type of scratch has a much higher repair difficulty. Professional detailers can work to polish and buff out the scratch to make it much less visible; however, these scratches can’t always be entirely fixed. 

Primer Scratch

Unfortunately, some scratches are so severe and deep that they expose the metal sheet under the protective coat and paint layers. Exposed metal is highly susceptible to oxidation and can lead to rusting that is difficult to repair. Because of this, it's best to take your car to an auto detailing company as soon as possible to take corrective measures immediately.

How Do Auto Detailing Companies Fix These Scratches?

Depending on how extensive your car scratches are, paint correction can have about six main steps. 

At Five Star Detailing, we will have your car go through an extensive washing process. After the car is properly cleaned, the vehicle is then assessed and the paint is further decontaminated using a clay bar. Once the surface is free of any residue or build-up, the machine polishing begins. In this stage, our professional detailers work to polish the vehicle with a cutting compound that aids in removing any scratches, swirls, or unsightly haze. The car’s exterior is then further refined to a glossy finish through a method that involves a unique finishing compound and various pads. Once all of this is complete, a sealant is applied to your vehicle’s exterior to preserve your car’s renewed exterior. At Five Star Auto Detailing, we also offer a high quality ceramic coating which provides even more protection than sealant against future paintwork damage. 

The Bottom Line: If You See Scratches on Your Car, Take it to an Auto Detailing Company Pronto

Nothing's more frustrating than seeing a disrupted shine in an area of your car. So if you find any scrapes and scratches, skip those DIY remedies and take your car to a professional auto detailing shop like Five Star Auto Detailing right away. This way, all the proper techniques, equipment, and products will be used to bring back your car's beautiful glow. 

How Can We Help You?

Five Star Automotive Detailing is a premier auto detailing studio in Rochester, MN, committed to bringing back your car's shine. Our auto experts offer various auto services from ceramic coating to detailing and paint correction. 

Looking for auto detailing in Rochester, MN? Schedule a free consultation with us today!