Advert
Most of our vehicles will get scratched up at some point. It’s just so easy to get a scratch on our vehicles that no matter how safe we drive; scratches are pretty much inevitable. But this isn’t usually a big deal. Sure, if you drive a luxury vehicle that you take pains to keep looking pristine, a scratch is going to be annoying. But scratches aren’t as inconvenient as flat tires, shattered windshields, or shot transmissions.
This doesn’t mean you should just ignore all scratches on your vehicle, though. There can be long-term, significant damage resulting from even seemingly minor scratches. But it’s important to remember you have options when it comes to scratch repair. And some are more environmentally beneficial than others.
Scratch repair is necessary to fix scratches (duh). But why is it so easy for vehicles to get scratched up? Is there something wrong with vehicle finishes?
Some finishes are weaker than others, yes, but ultimately, it’s a result of environmental factors. You may have a garage in which to keep your vehicle, and you may keep that garage neat and tidy, so nothing falls on your vehicle. But all it takes is one small impact to create a scratch. Scratches can result from:
OK, so you have a scratch. You probably don’t drive a Lamborghini or a Rolls Royce, so is it such a big deal? Can’t you just keep driving with a scratch or two on your vehicle? Unfortunately, it can be a big deal.
By scratching away the paint and the finish, these abrasions expose the body of the vehicle to the elements. This can cause long-term damage. Air and moisture can get under the surrounding paint, causing it to peel away more. This can also oxidize the metal panels underneath. If left unchecked long enough, you may have to repair the whole panel.
In terms of auto body repair, there are different ways to fix a scratch. One is to simply repaint the whole panel. But this is extra work and takes extra resources than is typically necessary. So there are probably better options.
Typically, automotive scratch repair is better for the environment than full repainting. This is especially true when the repair is localized and requires minimal materials. Let’s break down the different factors:
Scratch repair – such as touch-ups, blending, or polishing – usually involve only small amounts of paint, primer, and clear coat, if any. Repainting, especially over large areas, requires significantly more of each of those materials, and solvents and hardeners, which have higher environmental impacts.
Many automotive paints and solvents have volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These evaporate during the painting and curing process and can contribute to smog and air pollution. Scratch repairs that avoid full resprays or use low-VOC products generate far fewer emissions.
Repainting often involves curing in heated paint booths to bake the paint, consuming a lot of energy. Scratch repair, especially if it doesn’t require the booth, is much less energy intensive.
Repainting can involve masking, sanding, and even panel replacement, which generates plastic, paper, and metal waste. Scratch repair is more targeted and typically avoids generating excess material waste.
While you may not think of scratch repair, or any other form of collision repair, as environmentally friendly, it often is the better option for intuitive reasons. A localized scratch repair just involves a much smaller area than repainting a whole vehicle panel, and therefore it involves fewer resources. It also involves less time and labor, so it’s probably your cheaper option as well.
Given all these factors, why wouldn’t someone opt for a minimal scratch repair? Why would they want a much larger repaint that covers more than just the area of the initial scratch? Well, the reason is typically because the auto body repair shop has recommended the larger, more expansive repair.
But why would the collision repair shop do this? Just to make more money? Possibly, but the answer is usually because they don’t have automotive paint matching technology and tools. Matching and blending automotive paint isn’t easy. Using a color that’s close to the original might sound good enough, but once you look at the finished repair, you’ll know it’s nowhere near good enough.
That’s why it’s important to only visit an auto body repair shop that has the paint matching technology and know-how to offer a perfect match, no matter what kind of scratch repair you need.
