fineito

My son's bicycle fell against my CR this weekend and left some scratches, no dents as best as I can tell. I wasn't happy, it was an accident, and a minor issue in the big scheme of things. Its as much my fault for not having my cover on the car, but i digress.

I am quite particular about my cars, and I know the scratches will bother me every time I lay my eyes on them. What are my options for repair/cosmetic cover up based on your experience? Dr. ColorChip? A scratch remover commercially marketed? Professional body shop inspection?

I've attached some picture via iPhone. There is some reflection and they are not the greatest, but it will give you some idea of the damage.

Your thoughts are much appreciated in advance.

Many thanks.

Gator996

Yikes. Those look fairly deep. I don't think you will find Dr. Colorchip satisfactory if you are somewhat ocd like I am. It's just not designed for scratches that deep though it is a great product. Then again, for the price of admission it might be worth a shot.

extanker

the one looks like we are way past a scratch ............more like a gouge . i would take it to a body shop......it can be made like new again

fineito

Thank you, Gents, for your responses.

I did take my CR to my body shop and it will work up an estimate. However, the estimator there prepared me for a pricey repair as the rear fender is one piece, the top portion of which extends all the around the door frame to the front windshield. The shop has to pry up the front windshield rubber seal to remove the "A" pillar portion, and then there is no assurance that the seal could be laid flat again upon reinstallation, leading to more cost with windshield resetting. Ugh.

I then called Dr. ColorChip and spoke to a customer representative about its kit. While intended for road rash, she seemed to think I could get favorable results. The scratches are no more than 1/16" wide and not that deep, IMHO. So, I purchased a kit with a mini-squeegee and the idea is to load some repair paint at the top of the scratch and squeegee it into the scratch. I can apply multiple layers, if necessary. I don't need a 100% perfect result, just something good enough that my eye is not drawn to the damaged area every time I get into the car. My hunch is that Dr. ColorChip will remediate the scratched area good enough to suit me (I am pretty **** about my cars and my stereo, but there comes a point where one needs to put matters in perspective). The fender is only very slightly dented in one area and it is barely noticeable. "First do no harm", as the medical profession says. That speaks to give Dr. ColorChip the first shot. Business must be good because Dr. ColorChip is backlogged 7-10 business days before it can ship.

I'll let the Forum know of my results in due time.

Tom

fineito

I ordered the Dr. ColorChip repair kit and applied it to my scratches. True to its name, it is primarily intended for chips. I had scratches. Scratches are harder for the kit to repair as they are shallower and it is more difficult for the paint to adhere to. So, the repair is not perfect, nor did I expect it to be, but my eye is notably less drawn to the scratches now than before, which met my objective. The attached picture post-repair does not give justice to the real life view of the repair. I am going to leave well-enough alone rather than the extensive panel repaint my body shop would require to make it perfect. The body shop estimate was never provided to me (not worth its time and effort probably), but it would have been pricey and involved. So, I can live with my scratch repair made easier by Dr. ColorChip and that will be that.