repair deep scratches on car Page 3

If your fingernail catches in the scratch, it’s deep—so forget the supermarket pen and bring real tools. Clean the area, mask it, and feather the edges with 800–1200 grit until the ridge is gone. If you’ve hit bare metal, add etch primer, then lay down colour-matched base coat in thin passes and finish with clear coat. After curing, wet-sand with 2000–3000 grit and polish until it blends, ideally without inventing new swear words.

DIY will set you back roughly AUD $50–$200 in materials; a panel shop respray is typically AUD $300–$1,500+ per panel and worth it for metallics or big gouges. If there’s rust or the scratch spans multiple panels, holster the pride and call a pro—your paint will thank you.