[Sultan12]

Hi guys,
So I discovered a couple of scratches on my car today. I know there's loads of information about DIY Scratch fixing but I'm a newbie so was hoping for some clarifications with a couple of points.

The scratches are about 5 inches and are deep (I can provide pictures tomorrow). There is about 2mm of the body showing. There are also a fair number of stone chips (which are appearing white for some reason?) at the front which I wanted to address. I was going to go with chipsaway but I've heard mixed stories from them and I'm eager to try it myself. My car is the Milano red and I've seen the genuine honda touch up kit for around 15 squids on coxmotors.

So this is what I gather from my reading. I need to:
Clean the area well
Fill in the scratches giving time In between coats for the paint to cure
When the paint in the scratch has gone up to or above the level of the rest of the area - sand the scratch area slightly so it's smooth
Then apply the clear lacquer on top
Then is it time to polish? I don't have a machine but I do have a pair of elbows with a lot of grease.

My questions:
By sanding the scratch, I think it would be impossible to avoid sanding the "good" paint work around the scratch, wouldn't that mean I would have to paint that area if sanded too much or apply lacquer to it?
Are these touch up kits (basecoat and laquer) suitable for deep scratches to the body?
How long would a repair like this last?

I have another slightly unrelated question. The rear left bumper is fading, how effective are these 'paint restorers' like t-cut at bringing the colour back?

Finally, if it turns out a DIY job isn't the best idea, anyone recommend a body shop near blackburn?

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thank you!

 

[Das]

Couple of things I may add. Fill the scratch using a cocktail stick. The paint brush supplied is way way too thick to use. If you do not have a machine polisher id say its best not to sand at all. By all means use an abrasive polish, it will take the fresh paint down abit.
If your not keen to use the likes of chipsaway search facebook for an independant Smart Repair guy, its what they do for a living.

 

[Xzibit]

Also if your using a seperate base and laquer, then fill the scratch/chip with base (colour) below the surface and build the clear up above the surface like you said.

Then you will sand back to flat, a little larger area around the repair, you'll need to work up to a 2500 grit at least I would imagine and machine polish the sanding marks out. If doing by hand I think you will need to go up to 3000grit but I've never done it by hand.

As above use a cocktail stick and build the layers up over a few days to allow the paint to dry and gas out properly.

 

[Sultan12]

Couple of things I may add. Fill the scratch using a cocktail stick. The paint brush supplied is way way too thick to use. If you do not have a machine polisher id say its best not to sand at all. By all means use an abrasive polish, it will take the fresh paint down abit.
If your not keen to use the likes of chipsaway search facebook for an independant Smart Repair guy, its what they do for a living.

Thank you for your reply.
That's what I don't fully understand. If I start polishing the area and it reduces the fresh paint, wouldn't it also reduce the surrounding area? The would I need to put another coat of lacquer on or something?

 

[Sultan12]

Also if your using a seperate base and laquer, then fill the scratch/chip with base (colour) below the surface and build the clear up above the surface like you said.

Then you will sand back to flat, a little larger area around the repair, you'll need to work up to a 2500 grit at least I would imagine and machine polish the sanding marks out. If doing by hand I think you will need to go up to 3000grit but I've never done it by hand.

As above use a cocktail stick and build the layers up over a few days to allow the paint to dry and gas out properly.

Thank you for your reply. Please see my reply to Daz.

 

[Sultan12]

Here is the offending scratch

 

[Sultan12]

There's 2 there, hard to see with the camera but not as bad as I originally thought. Wiped it down with wd40. It still looks like it's gone through to the body though.

 

[veehexx]

sanding - depends how agressive you need to go. I cant remember if you should be at 600 or 800grit as a key before painting, then fill&paint as needed. From there you'd go to the next finer grit 800/1200 till the coarser grit marks are gone. from there, the next finer grit level & repeat till you're around 1800/2000. this will take out the keying marks and smooth out your paint repair.

from there i then used gtechniqs p1 polishing compound which brought the paint back to factory gloss and it's truely invisable.

some links to help you get started (not affliated with CYC, just my main go to place for this type of stuff)

Scholl Concepts - Sanding Bloc Kit

Scholl Concepts - Sanding Bloc Kit A 28mm universal sanding bloc designed for use with the self adhesive mini disc daisies or velcro-backed mini-disc daisies (not included). The kit includes a 30mm X 50mm moisturing sponge.

www.cleanyourcar.co.uk

Gtechniq P1 - Nano Composite polish (smallest size will do - goes a long way)


i've only prepped on metal paintwork. not done plastic scratches like yours seems to be, but it's only time and a bit of expermenting with grit to get the surface back smooth.

 

[Sultan12]

sanding - depends how agressive you need to go. I cant remember if you should be at 600 or 800grit as a key before painting, then fill&paint as needed. From there you'd go to the next finer grit 800/1200 till the coarser grit marks are gone. from there, the next finer grit level & repeat till you're around 1800/2000. this will take out the keying marks and smooth out your paint repair.

from there i then used gtechniqs p1 polishing compound which brought the paint back to factory gloss and it's truely invisable.

some links to help you get started (not affliated with CYC, just my main go to place for this type of stuff)

Scholl Concepts - Sanding Bloc Kit

Scholl Concepts - Sanding Bloc Kit A 28mm universal sanding bloc designed for use with the self adhesive mini disc daisies or velcro-backed mini-disc daisies (not included). The kit includes a 30mm X 50mm moisturing sponge.

www.cleanyourcar.co.uk

Gtechniq P1 - Nano Composite polish (smallest size will do - goes a long way)


i've only prepped on metal paintwork. not done plastic scratches like yours seems to be, but it's only time and a bit of expermenting with grit to get the surface back smooth.

Thank you for your reply.

So once I've smoothed everything out. Is that when I apply the lacquer to the entire area that's been sanded?

 

[cb550]

work out how much it's going to cost you in materials and then get a quote from a mobile scratch repair guy. Often well taken pictures emailed to them can allow them to quote you a price for the work.

Obviously there's going to be a substantial additional amount of money to have the work done. If you've never tackled anything like this before might be money well spent. Having done loads of body work repairs and paintwork over the decades, some pretty good when cellulose paint ruled; today I shy away from isolated scratch repairs etc to modern car paintwork. I've tried it a few times and always been disappointed (True to say non metallic paint might be a little more do-able.) Depend ultimately on your skills and expectations !

 

[veehexx]

i've only done stoneships on mine, but i'd say it's the same process. Yes.
stoneschips was more of a clean the chip hole, build up the hole with a few layers paint and finally lacquer and then sand back flat.
solid colours are a lot easier in this respect as you can just fill it up and sand back.

mobile man in a van is an option too, but i enjoy trying something new and hopefully get it right. if not then it's a small materials-only money and a sunny morning outside wasted.

 

[Sultan12]

work out how much it's going to cost you in materials and then get a quote from a mobile scratch repair guy. Often well taken pictures emailed to them can allow them to quote you a price for the work.

Obviously there's going to be a substantial additional amount of money to have the work done. If you've never tackled anything like this before might be money well spent. Having done loads of body work repairs and paintwork over the decades, some pretty good when cellulose paint ruled; today I shy away from isolated scratch repairs etc to modern car paintwork. I've tried it a few times and always been disappointed (True to say non metallic paint might be a little more do-able.) Depend ultimately on your skills and expectations !

Thank you for your reply.

A local (ish) guy quoted 120 for the scratches and stone chips but he isn't mobile. I'm not having much luck finding a mobile repairer except chipsaway, they haven't responded with a quote yet.

As the scratches are not that noticeable I might give it a go myself. I'll head to the Honda garage tomorrow and get some paint and probably wait for the weather to improve again.

 

[Sultan12]

i've only done stoneships on mine, but i'd say it's the same process. Yes.
stoneschips was more of a clean the chip hole, build up the hole with a few layers paint and finally lacquer and then sand back flat.
solid colours are a lot easier in this respect as you can just fill it up and sand back.

mobile man in a van is an option too, but i enjoy trying something new and hopefully get it right. if not then it's a small materials-only money and a sunny morning outside wasted.

Thank you for your reply.

Wouldn't sanding after remove the lacquer from the repair and surrounding area?

Yea I prefer to do the work myself rather than pay others to do it. Besides, it's not like I have to go into work so might as well kill some time.