How to Differentiate the Types of Scratches on Your Car

The quality of your car’s paint can affect the value of your car. If you want to maintain your car’s value, taking care of the paint is a no brainer. Frequent car washes and full car detailing will definitely help your paint last longer without fading, peeling, or chipping. One very easy solution to maintain the showroom condition of your car is by parking it in a garage and never driving it. For most people, that’s just not possible. We need our cars to get around town, which means the exterior of our cars suffer from the everyday abuse from road debris, door dings, and even from the natural elements.

If you take a closer look at your car’s paint, you’re likely to see a number of scratches and strange looking marks everywhere. These are different types of scratches that have to be treated with specific processes in order to be restored to like-new condition. Listed below are different types of scratches you’re likely to find around your car.

Clear-Coat Scratch (Paint Swirls)

One of the most common types of scratches you’ll come across are clear-coat scratches, commonly referred to as swirl marks, which are only on the surface of the clear coat. Swirl marks don’t actually scratch through the clear coat into the paint. They’re virtually everywhere on your clear coat, but paint swirls aren’t actually swirls. Swirl marks are actually fine scratches on the surface of the clear coat that, when looked at under the sunlight, resemble circular swirls. The good news about this type of scratch is that they are removable with a simple polish and buff. The bad news is that they’re everywhere and return rather easily.

Base-Coat/Primer Scratch

More severe scratches include base-coat/primer scratches. These types of scratches go deeper than the clear coat and actually affect the color layer of the paint. Sometimes they can go as deep as the primer layer. Deep scratches can come from a number of objects like rocks or keys. You’ll know you have a base coat or primer scratch when you see a chunk of paint missing or a deep gash that reveals bare metal. The process of fixing base-coat or primer scratches is much more intensive and takes a lot more time to complete than surface clear-coat scratches. You’ll have to clean the area, fill the scratch, wet sand the area multiple times, and apply a couple layers of clear coat to get the perfect repair.

Repairing scratches professionally is not a quick process, but with the right tools and know-how, it is possible. The finished product will be well-worth the effort if you want your car to look brand new. If you prefer to have a certified professional detailer repair your car’s scratches and dents, visit Yark Collision Center in the Toledo, OH area. Our state-of-the-art facility specializes in collision and auto repair, as well as car detailing. Contact us to schedule an appointment today to get your car looking in tip-top shape!