If your vehicle’s paint job has a noticeable scratch, you might be tempted to look the other way—it’s invisible at night, right? But letting that scratch sit unrepaired could result in more damage to your vehicle than you might imagine. Paint scratches aren’t just aesthetic flaws; they can actually encourage ongoing paint and panel deterioration over time. To help you better protect your vehicle, the auto body repair experts at Minnetonka Collision explain why prompt scratch repair is important.
Peeling Paint
Your vehicle’s paint job consists of several layers. Each of those layers must adhere properly to the layers surrounding it, or the paint will eventually begin to peel. The final layer, known as clear coat, is perhaps the most important layer because it protects the colored paint beneath it from deterioration and delamination (peeling).
When there’s a scratch in the clear coat (or a scratch that extends to the layers of paint beneath it), the paint surrounding the damage becomes more vulnerable to weather- and moisture-related deterioration. To avoid peeling paint, schedule an auto body repair appointment as soon as you see noticeable scratches in your vehicle’s paint job.
Rust Development
Paint scratches, whether they exist in the clear coat or the pigmented paint layers, leave your vehicle’s paint job susceptible to moisture damage. When tiny water droplets from rain, snow, sleet, or ambient moisture seep inside the groove of the scratch, the paint gradually deteriorates, leaving exposed metal behind.
When moisture makes prolonged contact with metal, the metal begins to oxidize, leaving an ugly patch of rust behind. And if the oxidation is allowed to persist, rust can quickly eat through both the paint and paneling surrounding the scratch. The best way to prevent rust development on your vehicle’s surface is to seek out prompt auto body repairs as soon as you notice any paint damage.
Vehicle Depreciation
Although a few paint scratches may not seem like a big deal, they can depreciate your vehicle more than you might assume. If you’re planning to sell your vehicle in the future or even trade it in at a dealership for a new ride, it’s appearance will play a role in determining its value. Though repairing the paint job will present an additional expense, that expense will likely be less than the amount of money you’ll lose on the sale if you don’t repair the damage. If you’re not prepared to sell your vehicle for anything less than top dollar, pursuing auto body repairs is essential.
Schedule Car Touchup Paint at Minnetonka Collision
If your vehicle has a damaged paint job, get in touch with our team at Minnetonka Collision so we can fix it! We specialize in specialty vehicle repair, dent removal, paint color matching, and a variety of other services designed to deliver a flawless final product. To schedule a free estimate or learn more about our services, give our Plymouth, MN office a call at 763-230-7805 or send us a message, and a member of our team will get back to you promptly.