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Noticed a trend where folks delay fixing scratches for years.
By the time they bring it in, the clear coat is gone. Why wait until it's a major headache?
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matthewh157mo ago
Those tiny scratches let water under the clear coat and it starts peeling. Once that protective layer is gone, you're looking at a full repaint instead of a simple touch-up. It's always cheaper to deal with it now.
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verab387mo ago
Clear coat damage can be tricky once it starts. I learned that the hard way on my old sedan after ignoring a scratch. Grab a bit of compound and see if it buffs out to check how deep it really is.
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the_tyler7mo ago
Actually, using compound right away can sometimes make things worse if the scratch is deep. You might just be grinding down the surrounding clear coat without fixing the real damage. Try the fingernail test first - if it catches, it's past the clear layer. That's when you need touch-up paint, not just buffing.
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kelly3857mo ago
Hold on, jumping straight to compound like verab38 said can be risky. If the scratch is deep, you might buff away GOOD clear coat and make the spot look cloudy. Doing the fingernail test first, like the_tyler mentioned, is a SAFER way to see if it needs touch-up paint or not. I learned that the hard way after ruining a small scratch on my door by buffing too soon.
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