Small damage, sorted properly
Key scratches, scuffed bumper corners, stone chips and paint rubbed through to primer are small jobs that still need doing right. A touch-up can work for a small chip; a long or deep scratch, or one across a panel edge, often needs the panel refinished.
How deep is the scratch?
A scratch that only marks the clear coat behaves differently to one that has gone through the colour or down to bare metal or plastic. You can't always tell by eye, so a close-up photo, taken from a slight angle with the scratch catching the light, helps a lot.
What to send
- One photo showing where the scratch is on the car, then close-ups.
- Anything you know about how it happened, such as a trolley, a key or a stone.
Photos show a lot, but not everything. Damage behind a bumper or panel, bent brackets and broken clips often only show up once the car is in the workshop, so an inspection may be needed before a final quote.