Scratches on cars have become a common problem in every region of India. With a growing population, there is the need for amenities with cars being one of them. Parking the cars is especially a problem in India when we do not have clear marked spaces for it. Scratches are mostly a result of haphazard parking and the moving of vehicles in wrong directions. It is also a very big problem for people who own second hand cars. In a study, it was found that Bangalore has a strong market for second hand cars. Since the car has already been used for several years, it is unlikely that it will come without a trace of unwanted marks on it. These pre-owned cars in Bangalore do not come in the best shapes. The new owners have to deal with issues of scratches in these cars. The second hand cars in Bangalore are sometimes sold off via agencies where the buyer and seller do not contact directly. In these cases, it is likely that the agency is not being made aware of the scratches in the cars. So when the buyer receives the car, it may come with some minor scratches.
With the increase of second hand cars in Bangalore, the need to look for tips to remove scratches has also become prevalent. There are several methods by which the scratches on a car can be fixed. Below is a list of the most commonly used techniques which were seen to be highly used by the owners.
1. Use of toothpastes
The usage of toothpaste is being cited as a very well known method of removing scratches from cars. But this method only works when the scratches are not deep and they cannot be touched by the fingernails. The process of using the toothpaste is pretty simple. One just has to put the toothpaste on a cloth and apply it to the scratch and rub it. The toothpaste would stick to the surface and then it would smooth the surface of the scratch. Water and hose pipes during the process should be avoided during the process of applying the toothpaste. The paste should be evenly distributed around the scratch in circular motion when applied
2. Using scratch remover product for small scratches
The first and the most important step is to wash the car and leave no dirt on it. Then use the soap and sponge to rub on the scratch. In this process, household kits won’t help so there is a need to get a professional scratch remover for the purpose. Then use a towel or a piece of cloth to apply the product in and rub it gently over the scratch. One must make sure that the product is being evenly distributed. Rub the cloth not just on the scratch area but use it on the surrounding areas as well to have a desired result. After the application of the product, use a microfiber cloth to sweep away the extra bits of it. One can repeat it 2-3 times if needed depending on the scratch and how efficiently the product was applied the first time.
3. Painting to fix deep scratches
This is a process which may be useful for scratches that are not so small to be rectified using the previous processes. This is a method which is relevant for relatively bigger scratches. The first process in this process is to dry away the area where the scratch is present. Then use a sand paper to wipe the paint from the area. This may turn out to be a little bit tiring as sometimes the paint is too hard to remove from the surface and also because one must also remove it from the surrounding areas. The reason to remove it from areas near it is to ensure that when the vehicle is repainted, the area looks evenly covered in paint. When the owner is cleaning the scratch, he/she must remember to not let dirt particles get in between the sandpaper and the spot as it may again cause scratching on the surface. After that, rinse and dry away the area. After the drying process, one must spray the area with a sandable primer and wait for 10 minutes for the primer to sit on the spot and dry itself out. Then comes the most important part which would make a difference to the vehicle; coloring the scratch. This process may sound simple but it is not when applied. During the selection of the color, one must always remember to choose a shade which is closest to the primer as well as the car’s original color. This way, the spot would not look very different from the rest of the vehicle. There is a need to apply multiple coats of the color because a single coat may look too thin for the purpose. Lastly, one must always wax the spot where the paint has been applied as it helps seal the paint. During this last step, one should use a high quality wax so that the paint gets sealed tightly and does not wear off in just a couple of months. This step is sometimes ignored by the owners as they think that the paint has properties to stick to itself but it is important to keep in mind that paint is not a good adhesive and it needs the support of a quality wax to hold on to it.
It is important to follow the designated steps during the process of removing a scratch from the car. If not followed correctly, then the entire procedure can come to waste with wastage of money and energy. These methods of removing scratches from a second hand car in Bangalore are being reviewed by many people as well as experts. They have positively concluded about the effectiveness of the processes mentioned.