Touch up or body shop?

CheWieB0y · 02-01-2008, 03:12 AM

When i walked to my car today i noticed something unpleasant a 3-4 inch long scratch, very thin though. it seems like something with a sharp edge scratched it. What do you guys think? should i use touch up paint or bring it to a bodyshop and spend a handful of $$ ?. And the car is only 4 month old. Thanks.

bug eye wrx · 02-01-2008, 04:12 AM

you can try touch up and see how it looks... if you dont like it go to the bodyshop...

Imprezademics · 02-01-2008, 08:16 AM

Touch up paint always looks like crap unless you know how to wetsand it and buff it afterwards. I would recommend you take it to a reputable detail shop and see if it will buff out. If they recommend touch up paint ask them if they can wetsand it to blend it in with the paint... otherwise you will be able to see where it was touched up and personally i hate how that looks. I almost rather have the scratch. lol. I dont think you need to take it to a body shop at all. I know the detail shop i managed would be able to apply touch up paint and buff it down to the point you can barely if at all see it. Good luck man.

Willie

P.S. Something like this should run you AT MOST (if they do the touch up paint and buffed it down) about $100 at a detail shop. A body shop will charge you more only because most shops will want to repaint the entire section and what not.

TexSurfer · 02-01-2008, 10:36 AM

need pics for proper suggestions.

sc00ter · 02-01-2008, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Imprezademics

Touch up paint always looks like crap unless you know how to wetsand it and buff it afterwards. I would recommend you take it to a reputable detail shop and see if it will buff out. If they recommend touch up paint ask them if they can wetsand it to blend it in with the paint... otherwise you will be able to see where it was touched up and personally i hate how that looks. I almost rather have the scratch. lol. I dont think you need to take it to a body shop at all. I know the detail shop i managed would be able to apply touch up paint and buff it down to the point you can barely if at all see it. Good luck man.

Willie

P.S. Something like this should run you AT MOST (if they do the touch up paint and buffed it down) about $100 at a detail shop. A body shop will charge you more only because most shops will want to repaint the entire section and what not.

BINGO!!

I would never use touch-up paint on my car. Unless you have access to the proper painting tools (wet sander, paint gun, primer, clear coat) and at that point you might as well just re-paint the entire panel

sssupercar · 02-02-2008, 08:38 PM

If it bothers you, take it to the body shop!

CheWieB0y · 02-09-2008, 11:11 AM

yeah thanks for the opinion however i tried using touch up paint on a small portion of the scratch and i hate how it looks, would the detailers still be able to correct the problem even if i applied a little bit of touchup on it? i guess ill go look for a good detail shop tomrw. Thanks

jefmcc · 02-09-2008, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CheWieB0y

yeah thanks for the opinion however i tried using touch up paint on a small portion of the scratch and i hate how it looks, would the detailers still be able to correct the problem even if i applied a little bit of touchup on it? i guess ill go look for a good detail shop tomrw. Thanks

Scroll down to the section on chip and scratch repair.

http://autopia.org/forum/guide-detai...nt-clinic.html

Get everything you need here:

http://www.paintscratch.com/

Kylar · 02-09-2008, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CheWieB0y

When i walked to my car today i noticed something unpleasant a 3-4 inch long scratch, very thin though. it seems like something with a sharp edge scratched it. What do you guys think? should i use touch up paint or bring it to a bodyshop and spend a handful of $$ ?. And the car is only 4 month old. Thanks.

How deep is the scratch? If its a super thin hairline scratch you might be able to buff it out with maguires scratch-x

CheWieB0y · 02-09-2008, 10:19 PM

i tried to buff it out last week and it was less noticeable but still was there.

02-01-2008, 03:12 AM	#1
CheWieB0y Scooby Newbie Member#: 159253 Join Date: Sep 2007 Chapter/Region: BAIC Vehicle: 2007 WRX STi WRB	Touch up or body shop? When i walked to my car today i noticed something unpleasant a 3-4 inch long scratch, very thin though. it seems like something with a sharp edge scratched it. What do you guys think? should i use touch up paint or bring it to a bodyshop and spend a handful of $$ ?. And the car is only 4 month old. Thanks.

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02-01-2008, 04:12 AM	#2
bug eye wrx Scooby Specialist Member#: 161584 Join Date: Oct 2007 Chapter/Region: MWSOC Location: IL	you can try touch up and see how it looks... if you dont like it go to the bodyshop...

02-01-2008, 08:16 AM	#3
Imprezademics Scooby Specialist Member#: 108309 Join Date: Feb 2006 Chapter/Region: MAIC Location: The First State Vehicle: 2000 Impreza RS Silver	Touch up paint always looks like crap unless you know how to wetsand it and buff it afterwards. I would recommend you take it to a reputable detail shop and see if it will buff out. If they recommend touch up paint ask them if they can wetsand it to blend it in with the paint... otherwise you will be able to see where it was touched up and personally i hate how that looks. I almost rather have the scratch. lol. I dont think you need to take it to a body shop at all. I know the detail shop i managed would be able to apply touch up paint and buff it down to the point you can barely if at all see it. Good luck man. Willie P.S. Something like this should run you AT MOST (if they do the touch up paint and buffed it down) about $100 at a detail shop. A body shop will charge you more only because most shops will want to repaint the entire section and what not.

02-01-2008, 10:36 AM	#4
TexSurfer Scooby Specialist Member#: 76072 Join Date: Nov 2004 Chapter/Region: TXIC Location: Detailing cars in HOT TX sun	need pics for proper suggestions.

02-02-2008, 08:38 PM	#6
sssupercar * Banned * Member#: 170752 Join Date: Feb 2008 Chapter/Region: MWSOC Vehicle: 2004 Impreza WRX STi World Rally Blue Pearl	If it bothers you, take it to the body shop!

02-09-2008, 11:11 AM	#7
CheWieB0y Scooby Newbie Member#: 159253 Join Date: Sep 2007 Chapter/Region: BAIC Vehicle: 2007 WRX STi WRB	yeah thanks for the opinion however i tried using touch up paint on a small portion of the scratch and i hate how it looks, would the detailers still be able to correct the problem even if i applied a little bit of touchup on it? i guess ill go look for a good detail shop tomrw. Thanks

02-09-2008, 10:19 PM	#10
CheWieB0y Scooby Newbie Member#: 159253 Join Date: Sep 2007 Chapter/Region: BAIC Vehicle: 2007 WRX STi WRB	i tried to buff it out last week and it was less noticeable but still was there.