Is your car making a rumbling noise? Do you not get enough power when you press on the gas pedal? Then you need to hop — or rather, drive — on down to the auto service shop. It's okay if you do not know what is wrong with your car, because that is the auto mechanic's job to figure out. They can take a look, run a few tests, and figure out what's going on. Then, they'll give you an estimate for the repairs. Your car will feel like a whole new machine once it's all fixed up! Learn more about that process as you read the articles we've curated here.
2 Mistakes To Avoid When Touching Up A Scratch In Your Car's Paint
While walking by your car, you may have noticed that the paint has a deep scratch in it. Because it is quite noticeable and you do not want to risk body rust, you may have decided to try touching up the paint yourself. However, before you begin, make sure you know a couple of mistakes that you need to avoid that could cause problems with the finished paint job on your car.
1. Neglecting to Ensure the Area Is Completely Clean Beforehand
One mistake that you should avoid making when touching up a scratch in your car's paint comes before you even pick up the paint or the brush. If you do not make sure that the area is completely cleaned off, any dust, water, or oil on the surface will affect how the paint appears after it dries.
If any particulates are left on the paint, craters that are known as "fish eyes" will form. These craters form with the contaminates get in between layers of paint and separate them, causing the layers to peel unevenly.
Right before you start painting, wash your car with a mild, grease-cutting detergent such as dish soap. Then, make sure you thoroughly rinse and dry the area.
2. Attempting to Apply the Paint in One Layer
Another mistake to avoid when touching up your car's paint is attempting to apply the paint in one layer. Whether you believe that applying one layer will cut drying time shorter or will reduce the risk of peeling, doing so will only achieve the opposite.
If the car's paint is only one thick layer, it will take much longer for the paint to dry underneath the surface. This means that there is a greater chance that the underlying paint could slough off when the car is being washed or rained on.
As far as trying to reduce the risk of peeling, one layer of paint will have a greater chance of bubbling up if water or air gets beneath it. If this happens, the layer will peel off all at once.
Make sure you apply thin layers of paint, ensuring that each one is dry before applying the next coat. Do this until the last paint layer is even with the paint surrounding the touch-up area.
Even if you avoid making the above mistakes while touching up the paint in and around a scratch, it can still be difficult to achieve a flawless finish that is not noticeable and fully protects your car's body. Instead of attempting to do it yourself, consider taking your car to an auto body repair service to have a professional painter do it for you.