No matter how cautious a driver you are, chances are your vehicle will suffer a scratch or two. And even if the damage isn’t your fault, it’s important to pursue repairs if you hope to maintain the integrity of your vehicle’s paint. When it comes to minor paint repairs, there’s one question everyone wants to know: Can’t I just do it myself? Well, you certainly can – but that doesn’t mean you should.
At Minnetonka Collision, we’re committed to helping you maintain an aesthetic, functional vehicle exterior, and we believe you deserve to know the truth. If you think you can get by with a bit of “miracle” infomercial touchup paint, here’s what we think you should know:
Car Touch-up Paint Is Difficult to Match
Your vehicle’s paint is a compilation of dozens of different hues, which can make paint color matching a major headache when you don’t have the proper materials at your disposal. Commercially available car touch-up paint only comes in a small variety of hues, so unfortunately, it’ll never be an exact color match.
Worse, if the paint has any type of reflective sheen, you won’t be capable of replicating it without professional quality materials. A scratch might be unsightly, but when you cruise around with a blatantly obvious paint patch, you make the damage even more obvious.
Damage You Don’t See
If you’re not well-versed in auto body repair, chances are you won’t be able to recognize potential signs of underlying vehicle damage. Though you may only observe a small scratch, there may be underlying damage you simply can’t see. For your own safety, and to maintain the integrity of your vehicle, have a qualified auto body repair professional perform a thorough exterior inspection.
Low-Quality Materials Deliver Low-Quality Results
Store-bought car touch-up paint kits are about as low quality as you can get – there’s really no other way to put it. If you’re looking for a low-quality repair that’s bound to break down over time, then sure, you can get away with a DIY repair.
Not to mention, if you park outdoors, the sun will fade your vehicle’s original paint at a different rate than it fades your DIY touch-up. Bottom line? If you want your touch-up paint to last, professional-quality materials are the only way to go.
Car Wash Conundrums
Do you ever take your vehicle through an automatic car wash? Certain auto washes can be particularly tough on DIY touch-up paint, so keep that in mind. If you apply too much paint (it’s highly likely when you don’t know what you’re doing), it dries into a raised ridge that can easily detach as the wash’s mitters pummel your vehicle. Intense water pressure during the rinse cycle can also cause a similar outcome. So, unless you’re thrilled by the idea of applying paint touch-ups at regular intervals, either wash your vehicle by hand or avoid DIY scratch repair at all costs.
Need Expert Auto Body Repair? Minnetonka Collision is the Shop to Call
At Minnetonka Collision, we take pride in our commitment to unmatched quality and customer-centered service. Whether you’re dealing with a few minor paint scratches, unsightly hail damage, or a more extensive collision repair, we’ll care for your vehicle as we’d care for our own, because we believe in treating our customers like family. No matter what type of auto body repair you need, we’ve got you covered. To learn more about our services or to schedule your repair, give our team a call at 763-230-7805 or reach out to us on our contact page.