A scratch is a cut into the layers of paint on your car. On top is clear coat, under that the color, then primer, then the panel itself. How deep the scratch goes decides what can be done about it.
Robert's scratch work happens in your driveway, like everything he does. He buffs out what can be buffed, touches up and hides what can't, and tells you plainly when a scratch is a body shop job.
The fingernail test
Run a fingernail gently across the scratch. If it glides over without catching, the scratch is probably in the clear coat, and buffing has a good chance of removing it. If your nail catches in the groove, it's gone deeper.
That's Robert's rule of thumb, and he's blunt about it. A scratch that catches your nail usually won't buff out. It can still be made to disappear from normal viewing distance with careful touch-up, but it won't be erased. The fingernail test guide goes into more detail.
“If it catches your fingernail, nine out of ten times it will not buff out. All I can do is hide it.”
Buffing light scratches
Light scratches, scuffs, and paint transfer sit on or in the top layer. Robert buffs and polishes the area with compound until the scratch is gone and the shine matches the rest of the panel.
Buffing and touch-ups are some of his smaller jobs, and they're often the quickest way to make a car look cared for again.
Touching up deeper scratches
When a scratch has cut into the color, Robert fills it with color he mixes on site to match your car, then levels and refines the area so it blends into the surrounding finish. Up close you may still find it if you know where to look. From a normal distance, it's gone.
Key scratches
A key scratch usually runs the length of a door or a whole side of the car, and it's usually deep. Fixing it properly means sanding and painting the entire panel, which is more than a mobile repair can do well.
Robert will tell you that up front. A body shop with a paint booth is the right place for it.
“Key scratches are a little bit difficult because the entire panel has to be sanded and painted, which is a little bit too much for a mobile service.”
Car wash scratches and curb rash
Car washes are a common source of scratches, whether it's swirl lines from the brushes or something falling onto the car. Robert has fixed a lot of them. Most are surface damage that buffs out; some need touch-up.
Curb rash, the scrapes you get from misjudging a curb, is also on the list. The car wash scratch guide covers what can usually be fixed.
“I have fixed quite a few cars from car washes that have scratched cars with the brushes or something's fallen on them.”
How Robert handles scratch repair, step by step
- Text a photo of the whole panel and one up close, in daylight.
- Robert tells you whether it looks like a buff-out or a touch-up, and quotes from the photos.
- On the day, he cleans the area, checks the depth, and buffs or touches up as needed.
- Touch-up color is mixed on site to match your car.
- You pay when it's done.
What affects a scratch repair result
- Depth. Clear-coat scratches buff out; scratches into the color can be hidden but not erased.
- Length. One panel is mobile work; a key scratch along a whole side is a body shop job.
- Whether the paint around the scratch is still sound or starting to peel.
- How much clear coat the panel has left, if it has been polished heavily before.
When scratch repair isn't the right fix
- Key scratches that need a whole panel sanded and painted
- Scratches across several panels
- Scratches with rust under them or a dent behind them on a metal panel
A body shop is the better choice for panel-length scratches and for metal dents. Robert will say so when he sees the photos.
How long scratch repair takes
Buffing and touch-up jobs are among Robert's smaller jobs, and most are done well within three hours.
Aftercare after scratch repair
- If paint was used, drive within a few hours and wait at least two days to wash.
- Hold off on waxing a touched-up area for about 30 days.
Scratch repair FAQs
Will my scratch buff out?
Try the fingernail test. If your nail doesn't catch, buffing usually removes it. If it catches, nine times out of ten it won't buff out, but it can be touched up so it's hidden.
Can you fix a keyed car?
Usually not as a mobile repair. Key scratches typically need the whole panel sanded and painted, and that belongs in a body shop.
Do you fix car wash damage?
Yes. Robert has fixed many cars scratched by car wash brushes or by something falling on them.
Do you repair curb rash?
Yes. Send a photo of the damage and he'll tell you what he can do with it.
Related services and guides
- Rock Chip & Paint Chip RepairService
- Bumper RepairService
- Lease Return Damage RepairService
- Will my car scratch buff out? The fingernail testGuide
- Can car wash scratches be fixed?Guide
Scratch repair around Charlotte
Robert does scratch repair in driveways across the Charlotte area, including: