There is a lot of advice out there about how to touch up the paint on your car. Some of the best advice, however, defines when it’s better to get a professional paint job by an Auto body professional or to have just simple rock chips and small scratches "touched-up" by a detail professional?
The DIY trend and YouTube “how to” video craze have made many car owners think they can fix every problem on their own. Sometimes, this isn’t a great idea. In a lot of cases, car painting or paint touchup is one job that is best to have done professionally.
This article answers two important questions: Why do some try to fix their car paint at home? When is it better to have the car painted by an auto body shop or touched up by a detailing professional?
WHY SOME CAR OWNERS TRY PAINT TOUCHUP?
Cracked, flaking, scratched, faded paint or clear-coat failure is always unsightly. Some car owners want a quick fix to make the vehicle look better. Others don’t want to file an insurance claim for paint damage that is unrelated to a collision. Still, others think they will save money with a DIY solution.
Touch up kits are widely available online, as well as automotive and hardware stores. They can cost anywhere from $50 to $3,500 depending on the types of painting equipment included in the kit. For very small scratches, these may prove to be a quick, cost-effective way to fix the paint for a better appearance. If applied well by a professional, the scratch will no longer be visible from a distance and provide the area from further damage and rust.
Up close, however, you are likely to notice a difference in the thickness, color or finish of the paint. This is because a repair kit does not match the number of layers, quality or exact color of the paint used by the manufacturer or body shop.
WHEN IS IT BETTER TO HAVE THE CAR PAINTED BY AN AUTO BODY SHOP?
It may be tempting to try to touch up your car paint by yourself, but there are some good reasons why smart car owners prefer to take their car to a professional. If you are deciding between having a detailing professional “touch-up” your vehicle or by having the car painted by an auto body shop, keep reading.
WHEN YOU WANT THE BEST RESULTS
For an older car model that you plan to sell in the near future, touching up the paint by a detailing professional is a valid option. For newer vehicles and primary vehicles, a touch-up paint won’t deliver the body shop results that you expect. The paint used by auto body professionals are of higher quality. The color and tint are precisely matched to your make and model. Auto body shops are able to apply the paint so that the finish matches your car perfectly and it restores that ‘new car’ look.
WHEN EXTENSIVE PAINT WORK IS NEEDED
Professional touch-up services are not intended to be used to fix sizable areas of paint damage. The amount of material provided in the kit and the time required to apply it would make it challenging to obtain good results.
Auto body shops have special equipment for vehicle painting which makes the job more efficient and effective. When the damage is extensive, there is also a high probability that there is other damage under the surface – to the car’s body, components or chassis. DIYers risk letting this more serious damage go unnoticed. When you take the car to a professional, technicians will verify the safety of the vehicle, check the extent of the damage, and make the repairs needed.
WHEN THE SOLUTION MUST BE COST-EFFECTIVE
Surprisingly, paint touchup may not be the least expensive option. Depending on the equipment and amount of paint needed to finish the job, you may end up spending more by trying to fix the paint damage yourself. It’s unlikely that you will ever use the material that you’ve purchased again in the future. Plus, if your DIY effort fails, it may cost even more to have the paint job fixed by a professional.
WHEN YOU WANT TO PRESERVE THE VALUE OF THE VEHICLE
It’s not recommended to use a touch-up kit on a collector car or vehicle that will be put up for sale at some point. The authentic value and resale value of the car decreases by applying a low-quality product. By painting the car yourself, you may even cause further damage.
A good paint job can actually boost the resale value when it comes time to sell the vehicle professional. Auto body technicians have the training and experience needed to perform seamless spot painting and full-body application that will safeguard the car for years to come.
WHEN THE WORK NEEDS TO BE GUARANTEED AND DONE PROFESSIONALLY
Only a reliable auto body specialist can provide car owners with a guarantee for the paint job and corrective bodywork. While a select few of professional detailers can provide expert paint touchup and scratch removal.
Paint touch-up is a temporary repair to enhance and preserve the rock chip or scratch from further spreading and to minimize further rust and degradation of the area of damage.
Please feel free to contact Body Brilliant Detailing of Long Island for any of your paint touchup or scratch removal services as they strive to use OEM quality touch up paint on the market for the best paint match as we have been providing these services with great results!
We also have a select list of professional auto body professionals as well that can provide expert body shop results for those vehicles which need expert body shop repairs!