When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
So someone or something keyed my trunk and I’m trying to figure the best way to fix this scratch WITHOUT going through insurance. Is there any at home solutions I can do that’ll get my car looking back to normal??
Couple of things, go to the dealers body shop and do 2 things, ask then to tell you if it's just into the clear coat or all the way to the primer, can't tell from the photo, second get an estimate, if it's less or at about your deductible then just pay for the work yourself. If much more that's why you pay for insurance. One last idea, if it's just into the clear coat it sometimes looks white, if so done polishing compound and carefully work will get rid of it.
Sorry to be the bringer of bad news- that looks bad. If you take your nail and run it perpendicular to the scratch and you feel it, it probably has significant damage. Some insurance policies have vandalism coverage (0 deductible), and if you have comprehensive coverage, your deductible would (probably) be significantly less than the cost to prep and paint the full deck lid. Sorry this happened- some people are haters, some people hate what you have and how you got it. Keep ur head up and get it fixed right the first time
So couple of things. Run you finger nail in the scratch, if it catches then the scratch has gone all the way through the primer in that case you would need to go a body shop to get it repainted. If doesn't catch on then it probably is a clear coat damage. You can DIY that by using a compound to flatten out the clear coat using a DA polisher and then finishing it off with a polish.
Above is good advise except that even a slight scratch into the clearcoat will catch your fingernail, depends how deep, so don't skip a heartbeat at that. Having said that it does look bad and down to the primer in the pic.
You could try touch up paint , find a used trunk lid and have it swapped , or get it repainted. Looks through the clear so buffing won’t work. Probably a $500 -$700 job at a body shop to repaint if there’s no other damage would be my guess.
So someone or something keyed my trunk and I’m trying to figure the best way to fix this scratch WITHOUT going through insurance. Is there any at home solutions I can do that’ll get my car looking back to normal??
Who did you **** off at work?
After you get it fixed, invest in a hardwired two channel HD daah camera. Maybe run it off a cellink neo battery backup so you don't kill your main battery and get 24 hour motion recording.
You may one day catch the culprit in the act and get your repair costs back, after court.
Well, the shop I usually use would estimate that at around $1,200 or so. Sorry, but to do it as well as possible, they need to not only block sand that deck lid, repaint color, then repaint clear, AND they will need to blend into both rear fenders to ensure that the color and texture look exactly the same from the trunk to the fenders. That's the only way I would accept the job.
If somebody says they can paint just the deck lid, run. . . it won't match from all angles, and you will see it. The mis-match will make you crazy.
Well, the shop I usually use would estimate that at around $1,200 or so. Sorry, but to do it as well as possible, they need to not only block sand that deck lid, repaint color, then repaint clear, AND they will need to blend into both rear fenders to ensure that the color and texture look exactly the same from the trunk to the fenders. That's the only way I would accept the job.
If somebody says they can paint just the deck lid, run. . . it won't match from all angles, and you will see it. The mis-match will make you crazy.
This; the cost of prep, materials, and labor for repainting the deck lid is not a little job to mickey mouse around with. Imagine the absolute butcher job some are suggesting- touch up paint? My god. Seriously, call your insurance, ask about your coverage and options, and go from there. They will guide you, be able to have a shop provide an estimate, and you can choose to go through insurance or not at that point.
It looks like a deep gouge, meaning it needs to be sanded, filled, primed and the trunk lid resprayed. $$$ or a you could use it to learn DIY auto paint repair.. It may as well have been hit with a hammer.