How to Repair Car Dents and Scratches

Notice a dent or scratch on your vehicle? At Major World Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, we can help you learn how to fix it yourself. If you’d rather have someone take a look for you, our service team can help. Learn more about the types of damage as well as how you can fix them with us at Major World Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram near Astoria.

DIY Fixes for Scratches

If you don’t think a scratch on your vehicle is worth bringing up to the dealership to fix, we have a few tips to help you buff it out yourself. Here are some do-it-yourself tips:

• Candle Wax – This is by no means a permanent solution, but it will hold in an emergency. Gently rub the wax over the cleaned area to seal the scratch.
• Super Glue – Like candle wax, this helps seal the scratch temporarily and blends with the vehicle masking the damage slightly.
• Paint Polish or Rubbing Compound – When correcting a car’s paint, you always want to use the least aggressive solution first, kind of like when you cut hair. If you underdo it, you can always do more. If you overdo it, it can’t be undone. That said, we recommend using a light polish with a less abrasive foam pad first, and working your way up to higher-grit polishes or compounds if you see that scratches still remain in your paint. Only if polishing doesn’t remove scratches do we recommend wet-sanding, the next step.
• Wet Sandpaper – Shallow scratches just on the surface can easily be removed after cleaning the area and rubbing over it with 2000-grit wet sandpaper. Once it’s at a point where the scratch is almost invisible, apply a rubbing compound followed by finer and finer polishes, and then a wax or paint sealant for protection. Washing your car before any scratch removal is a best-practice, as is waxing the whole car once done.
• Touch-Up Paint: Usually available at service centers like ours, this fix helps hide deeper scratches.

DIY Fixes for Dents

A dent can ruin the curb appeal of your vehicle so be sure to take action. You can try one of these simple dent fixes at home:

• Plunger – Whether it’s the plunger from your bathroom or a car dent plunger, using this tool can pop the dent out with several attempts at leveling the dent out.
• Hammer or Mallet – Using one of these on the opposite side of the dent can help knock the spot back into place. Use the hammer for smaller fixes and the mallet for larger dents. Be sure to protect the side you are hammering with a towel or something equivalent to avoid more damage.
• Dent Puller – Only proceed with this if you’re used to using this method as this requires drilling a hole in the dent, lacing the wire through and pulling the dent back to surface level. You’ll then need to fill the hole, sand it down, and paint.

For the Bigger Fixes, Visit Major World Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram

If you have a bigger fix to handle, bring your vehicle to our Manhattan dealership. Schedule service with our team and we can get your vehicle fixed in no time. Have questions in the meantime? Don’t hesitate to contact our team near Jackson Heights.