Car keyed - what to do?
Discussion
Some advice please.
My son has an Alfa GTV that he is trying to sell.
Yesterday someone keyed the bonnet and the boot. I am sure a buyer will use this to negotiate a reduced price as this has gone right through the black paint.
What can we do to minimise the effect? The car was for sale at £1,300 before the keying damage, so there is a limit to how much money can be spent.
Thank for advice,
Steve
My son has an Alfa GTV that he is trying to sell.
Yesterday someone keyed the bonnet and the boot. I am sure a buyer will use this to negotiate a reduced price as this has gone right through the black paint.
What can we do to minimise the effect? The car was for sale at £1,300 before the keying damage, so there is a limit to how much money can be spent.
Thank for advice,
Steve
Is it non-metallic black? This process is hard work and success depends on time you put in and the extent of the damage, but the cheapest option is:
Carefully fill the scratch with touch-in paint. Get the best match you can and be as sparing as possible, but try to fill the scratch. Wait for the paint to dry completely - this is not so easy at this time of year - a heated garage will help here. You need to be sure that the scratch is filled with paint (may take a couple of goes) and that the paint is totally dry. Now use very (very!) fine wet and dry paper (use it wet) to flat the new paint back to the level of the old - you are trying to get an even colour and surface, just don't go mad - only remove enough to get the scratch level with the original paint. Don't worry that the shine has gone where you have sanded, we will fix that.....
Now get some paint rubbing compound - I use Meguiars Scratch-X and also Farecla G3. Follow the instructions to put the shine back - it may take you a couple of goes. The compound breaks down as you use it, meaning it gets progressively finer and leaves a shiny surface. Now buy a bottle of 'poorboys Black Hole' (amazon etc) which fills the swirl marks - polish the whole car and it will look loads better.
I hope the above helps; good luck! (oh and its not my fault if you mess your paint up trying!)
Carefully fill the scratch with touch-in paint. Get the best match you can and be as sparing as possible, but try to fill the scratch. Wait for the paint to dry completely - this is not so easy at this time of year - a heated garage will help here. You need to be sure that the scratch is filled with paint (may take a couple of goes) and that the paint is totally dry. Now use very (very!) fine wet and dry paper (use it wet) to flat the new paint back to the level of the old - you are trying to get an even colour and surface, just don't go mad - only remove enough to get the scratch level with the original paint. Don't worry that the shine has gone where you have sanded, we will fix that.....
Now get some paint rubbing compound - I use Meguiars Scratch-X and also Farecla G3. Follow the instructions to put the shine back - it may take you a couple of goes. The compound breaks down as you use it, meaning it gets progressively finer and leaves a shiny surface. Now buy a bottle of 'poorboys Black Hole' (amazon etc) which fills the swirl marks - polish the whole car and it will look loads better.
I hope the above helps; good luck! (oh and its not my fault if you mess your paint up trying!)
I saw the two scratches last night and it was hardly anything like I was expecting - I reckon someone has walked past the car and caught it with something like a shopping basket. My son's not so sure.
A few hours with some touch up, Autoglym paint restorer and elbow grease has made the car look better than before! Quite a few other markes were touched up or polished out. I thought the car looked good before but its even better now.
Thank you all for the guidance and sympathy over the damage.
Steve
A few hours with some touch up, Autoglym paint restorer and elbow grease has made the car look better than before! Quite a few other markes were touched up or polished out. I thought the car looked good before but its even better now.
Thank you all for the guidance and sympathy over the damage.
Steve
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