Paint repair advice

[stripped fred]

It's not my top priority at the moment as have plenty else to do but I was wondering how I'd tackle the few areas of bodywork on my sharan which let it down. There's an area above the rear wheelarch where the paint doesn't match. I think it must have had a repair and they tried to blend it in and didn't quite get it right. There are also a couple of deep scratches. I was thinking about using an aerosol and having a go myself on the wheelarch and buying an electric mop type thing for the scratches and some cutting compound after painting along the scratch to build it up a bit. Am I on the right track? It doesn't need to be perfect just would like it a bit tidier.

[dieselnutjob]

it's metallic isn't it?

To get that matching with aerosols is going to be very difficult as it will need basecoat then clear lacquer.

I don't think that you can wet sand the 1K lacquer that you get from aerosol cans.

 

Concerning the scratches are you sure that they have gone through the laquer?  if it is the original lacquer they might disappear if you wet sand with 2000 grit paper and then T-cut afterwards.

 

Years ago someone keyed the entire length of my 607, and it looked terrible.  In the end by wet sanding and polishing I got rid of the scratch on both wings and the rear door.  Unfortunately on the door it went right down to the primer in just one spot but it required much less repainting in the end.

[steveo3002]

the scratch....does wetting it make it go away ?

 

if yes carefully fill it flush with clear and then a gentle tickle with 1500 and polish it  , if not fill with basecoat then clear then flat and polish 

 

the side panels might be a bit strong for a beginner , the old repairs want sanding with 800 until smooth , then grey scotch the rest of the panels and the other good door , get some matching basecoat and cover the repairs and then flick out into the good areas so that it blends away , then clear the whole panels and polish up etc ...more suited to a proper spray gun than cans   

[sierraman]

I'd leave it. You'll make it look much worse if you start touching it up on a panel like that.

[paulscavalier]

Maybe a touch up pen but use a thinner artists brush, or get an aerosol spray a bit in the lid and use an artists brush

[Parky]

Mantis scratch pen? One of those JML things you see in places like The Range or on TV might reduce that scratch a bit.

 

Otherwise I think putting new paint on might leave you with an area with an even more pronounced difference. Have you thought about getting a body shop or one of the dent repair companies to quote? Sometimes factoring in the cost of paint, paper, lacquers against the cost of a pro repair takes some of the sting out of it, and its someone else's fault if it doesn't look good. And that alone can be priceless sometimes!