November 22, 2022
4 Types of Car Scratches and How Much Their Repairs Typically Cost
While you can do many things to preserve your auto’s exterior, your vehicle is bound to get a few minor scratches at some point. That’s just the way it is!
Sure, a tiny scratch isn’t something to panic about, but it can certainly ruin the appearance of your flawless car, especially if it’s in a very noticeable area. Plus, scratches, no matter how small they are, can knock down your car’s resale value. Ouch.
The good news is that car scratches don’t have to be permanent. You can find tons of repair solutions to eliminate them and restore the beauty of your vehicle. However, depending on factors like the scratches’ locations and sizes, fixing them can get costly.
That’s why you should address any tiny scratches right away as soon as you notice them. The longer you ignore them, the more money you’ll have to spend.
Again, determining the cost of a car scratch repair will depend on various factors, with the type of damage being the most important. Veteran Car Donations shares the details on what auto technicians typically charge for the following types of car scratches:
- Scuffs
Scuffs are the easiest and cheapest to fix, considering that they’re superficial scratches. They occur as a result of your car’s paint surface rubbing against another painted surface.
Since there’s no change in color from the scratch, however, scuffs may be harder to discover than deeper scratches. Spotting them might require careful inspection of your car.
Scuffs are fixed either by polishing or hand buffing. Auto body shops would usually charge less than $100 on average for scuff repair.
- Clear coat scratches
Clear coat scratches are those that don’t go deeper than the clear coat. Since this clear coat is the outermost layer of your car’s paint, weather elements like rain, snow, hail, and wind can damage it. As with scuffs, clear coat scratches can happen due to other objects rubbing or brushing against the surface.
Although these scratches aren’t severe, it’s impossible to remove them. They can only be polished down until they’re almost invisible. Repairing them can cost anywhere around $150 to $300.
- Paint scratches
Standard paint scratches go deeper than the clear coat, but not to the extent that they expose your car’s metal surface. These scratches cut through the base coat and may likely bare the primer, which normally has a different color than that of the base coat.
Once a scratch has reached the primer layer, touch-up paint will be required to restore the damaged area. If it has gone into the paint layer, the entire area should be sanded, buffed, and repainted. This means that even a small pain scratch can already be a bit too expensive to fix.
In such cases, you’ll find yourself spending between $400 and $1,000 or more for repair work.
- Deep paint scratches
Cutting deep and exposing your vehicle’s bare metal surface, deep paint scratches are the hardest and most expensive to rectify. These scratches need to be repaired immediately since metal tends to rust if exposed to the elements long enough.
Deep scratches will require sanding, priming, more sanding, and repainting of the base coat and clear coat. Getting them fixed by a professional can cost around $1,500 to $2,500.
Use Your Unwanted Car to Become a Champion for Struggling Veterans
Do you think it wouldn’t make sense to shell out a huge chunk of money to restore your old car that has lots of scratches, dents, and other exterior and interior damage? If you no longer want to be seen driving such a vehicle, hand it over to us at Veteran Car Donations.
Not only will you be getting rid of it at no cost to you, but you’ll also be a champion for the disadvantaged and neglected veterans in your community, giving them new opportunities to lead healthier and more productive lives.
Our team will have your car fixed before selling it through an auction. We’ll then hand over the proceeds to reputable military and veteran nonprofit organizations that are in partnership with us. Like us, these IRS-certified 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations are dedicated to helping former U.S. service members who are homeless, unable to find decent jobs, and suffering from serious disabilities and illnesses, including mental health issues.
Our nonprofit partners use the funding we give them to provide deserving veterans with housing and financial assistance, family support, employment and livelihood opportunities, free comprehensive health care and medical treatment, psychotherapy services, educational scholarships, and many other benefits.
The good thing about donating a vehicle to Veteran Car Donations is that you’ll get amply rewarded for doing so. Not only will you get our free pickup and towing service wherever you are in the country, but you’ll also qualify to receive the maximum tax deduction in the next tax season.
That’s not all. The best reward you’ll get is the immense feeling of satisfaction, knowing that your gift will help improve the living conditions of the suffering veterans in your community.
You can donate not just your old car but any other type of vehicle that you may have. Check out this list of the different types of vehicles we commonly accept from our donors.
You can check out our FAQs page to get to know our quick and convenient donation process and other important information you might want to know. If you have questions and concerns, feel free to call us through our 24/7 toll-free hotline at 877-594-5822 or write to us here.
Our Suffering Heroes Need Your Support Today!
After risking their lives and doing extraordinary sacrifices for us, our heroes truly deserve our help. Give yours today by donating a vehicle for their benefit to Veteran Car Donations. Call 877-594-5822 or fill out our secure online donation form now!