How To Fix Scratches On A Black Car

Owning a car, who doesn’t want to keep their automotive child as shiny and beautiful as new, especially when you own a black one? In the article below, Car From Japan will guide you on how to fix scratches on a black car quickly and effectively!

Why Do Black Cars Scratch That Easily?

The black car is a considerably preferable vehicle color as it shows luxury and elegance. The chicest and most modern black cars can be named Mercedes or Toyota Camry cars. Although black car paint is eye-catching, it has several limitations. The black coat requires car owners to know how to keep the car and take good care of it in all circumstances. Moreover, if you do not wash your car regularly, the dirt and dust on the black painted surface will be visible. Black cars’ polishing time is twice as long as typical cars, so the cost is twice as much.

Particularly, automotive paint always consists of primer on top of bare metal, the paint color, and a layer of clear coat on top.

• Primer Coat (primer): This coat has the effect of covering defects on the surface. And at the same time, creating a bond with the color paint layer more firmly. Usually, primer can be dyed to match the finish paint color.
• Base Coat (paint color): Create color for the car surface. It can include one or more layers depending on the color properties desired by the manufacturer.
• Clear Coat (gloss/matte): The outermost layer of paint gives the surface a glossy or matte finish. In addition, it also limits external influences on the color layer and primer to achieve the best durability.

As you can see, the clear coat is responsible for protecting the underlying cand giving your paint one shiny appearance. That coat can be soft. The softness level depends on the vehicle manufacturer’s standard. If you touch or handle the paint coat with anything but the most-selective auto detailing equipment, you are likely to leave scratches on your car surface.

When you scratch the clear coat, it misleads and interrupts the reflection of light. Instead of seeing a perfect shining reflective image, some light will be scattered in different directions and become more apparent from some angles than others. You may only notice the scratches in cars with bright colors in direct sunlight.

These basics apply to a black car in a clearer-than-ever way compared to other color coats. In contrast with some widespread belief, black paint can damage easily compared to different colors within the car coloring scope.

These road-battle trademarks will not reveal much when the car paint is a lighter color like white or silver, because the scratches can blend in easily. But the problem with darker coats, specifically black, is that the high discrepancy or contrast between light and dark coats will make any flaws more visible than ever.

How Do Scratches Affect The Black Car Paint?

As described at the beginning, black car paint scratches occur due to many different reasons. Depending on whether the impact is strong or slight, the damage can be shallow or deep, large or small. The scratches are caused by rubbing dirt and using an inappropriate cleaning cloth. Also, heavy scratches are mainly due to collisions and traffic accidents.

These can have some severe and impossible-to-remove impacts on cars. If there is no improper treatment of car paint scratches on black paint, it will worsen over time.

• Make the car lose its original aesthetic.
• Decrease the vehicle’s life.
• Surrounding places where scratches spread, there will be a risk of corrosion and rust.

Types Of Scratches You Can Deal With

Before heading to how to fix scratches on a black car in detail, let’s get into several multi-shaped scratch types you should know in advance to find suitable handling methods.

Overall, not all scratches are created equal. Some are much easier to get rid of than others. Here’s a brief rundown of what you can expect when it comes to different types of scratches, but before that, you may want to check your black car with a nail check.

Have scratches on a black car the fingernail test

Every time your car is scratched, it means that one or more of these layers has been damaged. In general, you can fix car scratches at home if the clear coat is the only affected one. However, if the scratch goes deeper into the base coat and beyond, you’ll end up with a mess on your hands and may need the help of a professional detailer.

To know the depth of the scratch, check with your fingernail. Just pull your nail the length of the scratch. If your nail “catches”, the scratch has passed through the clear coat. If your nail has no resistance, it means the scratch is just deep on the surface and can be easily repaired.

Clear coat scratches

These are scratches that have not damaged the paint of the base coat. These scratches are very small and can be made invisible with a suitable polish or product.

Deep scratches on paint and primer

Once the scratch has passed through the base coat and primer, the paint has already been damaged. And not too much polishing will cause the abrasion to disappear. You will have to sand the area, then apply a fresh coat of primer and topcoat using the same color as the manufacturer. Usually, this work needs to be done by a professional.

Paint transfer scratches

This is an unusual type of scratch forming when your car hits a painted object. With just the right amount of force, the paint from the object will transfer and stick to your vehicle. The good news is that the transferred paint usually only sits on top of the clear coat and will come off by scrubbing it off with a sponge. However, if it’s deeper than that, you’ll be forced to apply a fresh coat of base coat.

How To Fix Scratches On A Black Car

How to fix the car clear coat scratches

As noted above, these are scratches affecting only the top layer of the vehicle. They are also known as surface scratches and are the easiest to repair.

Equipment: Microfiber towel and paint polisher

Step 1. Apply a small amount of polisher to the microfiber towel

Using a paint polish removes not only scratches but also swirls, water stains, oxidation, spider marks, and other contaminants. It acts as an all-in-one repair compound that you can use for any minor damage to the exterior of your car.

Assuming you’ve washed off any surface dirt, apply a small amount of high-quality polisher to a microfiber towel.

Step 2. Rub into the scratch

Using a microfiber towel, rub the substance into the damaged surface using regular lines, following the contours of the scratch.

Step 3. Wipe off excess

If used correctly, good quality scratches on the black body will completely disappear, making the car look as good as the day you first met.

How to fix the deep scratches on a black car

Once the scratch has penetrated the base coat and primer, repaint the damaged area. Here’s how to fix deep scratches on black cars.

Equipment:

• Premium sandpaper (2,000 or 1,500 grit)
• Microfiber towel
• Car primer
• Base coat paint
• Sanding pad (optional)
• Matches or toothpicks (optional)

For starters, the safest way is to buy base coats and outerwear from the same place.

Step 1. Polish the transparent paint layer

Since the scratch has penetrated the base coat or primer, you’ll need these, but the clear coat is in the way. Wrap sandpaper around the sanding pad if you have one, and start polishing the clear coat layer. Rinse with water now and then so you know how far you’ve come. Do this until the primer is exposed.

Step 2. Apply car primer

Use an applicator or whatever you have on hand and apply car primer to the scratches area. Make sure it is dry before moving on to the next step.

Step 3. Paint the car

Once the primer has dried, mix the car paint and apply it to the affected area. Make sure not to overdo it. You only need a thin layer. Furthermore, it is paramount that the new paint color matches the original paint color. There should be a small sign underneath your driver’s side door with information about your car’s specific paint number. Use this number when buying in-store. When in doubt, contact the manufacturer for more precise guidance.

After painting, let it dry. The dryness may take a few days. But once it settles, the scratch should disappear.

If this sounds overwhelming, you may want to hire a professional to handle things. The only downside to this method is the cost. It can cost you close to $1,500, depending on the extent of the damage.

How to fix scratches of transferring paint

Last but not least, on the notices on how to fix scratches on a black car, there are scuffs or scratches due to transferred paint, which requires a bit of muscle to remove. Below is an easy way to remove the paint transfer scratches you may wait for from the beginning.

Equipment:

• Specialized lubricant
• Sponge
• Warm water

Step 1. Apply lubricant to the transferred paint

The specialized lubricant softens the paint, so it comes off easily when you polish it afterward with a sponge. Make sure to apply this formula only to the affected area as you don’t want to damage the natural paint finish of your car. Wipe off excess lubricant from damaged surfaces.

Step 2. Scrub the transferred paint with a sponge

Dip the sponge in warm water and use it to scrub the transferred paint until it comes off. You may need to apply more lubricant if you have difficulty. Rub in the same direction as the grain of the offending paint.

>> See More: How to Touch up Car Paint: Three Effective Methods

Tips For Black Car Owners To Keep The Car Paint Shiny And Glossy

After grasping every small but solid steps on our’s ‘how to fix scratches on a black car‘ guidance, you still need to remember some great tips below to keep your car paint in the smoothest status every day, just as clean and clear as on the maintenance due.

Tip 1. Avoid overusing orbital polisher

Overall, for drivers who are not a professional handling mechanic equipment daily, using the orbital polisher to ensure a smooth outcome may be a bit complicated.

When doing this project with an orbital tool, you will never want to remove a thick layer of car coat as it will surely destroy your top paint in just one or two days. However, an electronic polisher if not handled well will likely peel off more layers of clear coat on car paint than you intended at the beginning of the process. Not careful enough, things get out of hand, and you may end up clear straight up through and ruin the car paint color.

The feeling of getting a perfect coating layer can hunt you to the point that it may trick you into doing the polishing as hard as possible. If you feel confused about any step or procedure, bring your car to a specialized detailer for paint modification work.

Tip 2. Consider a ceramic coating for your car

When you have finished dealing with scratches on a black car, it may be one good time to coat a solid ceramic top layer for your car paint.

During the process, the top layer of your car’s clear coat can be damaged, making your car paint look flat and dull, lowering the whole outlook aesthetics. So if you ignore replenishing the up-top coatings, you may soon experience driving a mobile flaky steel fish. And things will not turn out well later, in any aspect.

Applying the ceramic coating will prevent unpleasant and annoying feelings of easily damaged coat in just a short time. This coating can protect car paint from water and many other contaminated substances like caked-on dirt or bug droppings. Moreover, it is also effective when it comes to the light scratches’ shielding effect.

If you accidentally ruin the car’s ceramic coating layer, aside from knowing how to fix scratches on a black car, you should also be aware of the coat’s benefits that can save your paint a life. In this case, only a bit of detailing polish is enough to help your car look as shiny as before.

With this coating project, you can immediately get yourself a product to work on without relying on any detailer. Note that sometimes, the ceramic needs to be reapplied. So be cautious in its due time to maintain the best-looking coat for your car every day.

Tip 3. Use a protection film for car paint

A protection film for car paint, also called PPF, is a plastic film applied to car paint like a vinyl wrap. The PP film will prevent scratches on car and other damage, ensuring that the coating layer underneath is not damaged.

If drivers have chances to choose, a lot may want this film because its ability to prevent scratches is somewhat topknot in the field. You can ask for the top-front coating only to save money but still can take its advantages at the same time. For optimal protection, consider applying the protection vinyl film on the entire car and covering it up with the ceramic coating. You can rest assured that the car paint will keep that evergreen look throughout its service life if carefully handled.

FAQs On How To Fix Scratches On A Black Car

Does wax cover car paint scratch?

The wax will usually cover scratches, assuming they haven’t penetrated the base coat. Note that the key word here is cover. So you need to understand the wax itself doesn’t actually fix the scratch but only covers it up, making it invisible to the naked eye. However, if the paint has been damaged, the wax will be powerless to do anything.

How does car scratch remover work?

Scratch remover works by breaking up the clear paint and then filling in the scratch that damaged the paint, thus repairing it.

Are there easy ways to hide black car scratches?

When you are making every penny, you may not have the budget to buy professional-grade products that can repair scratches. The next best thing is using household items that can cover up the damage. Topping the list is nail polish. Due to the wide range of colors, it is easy to find one that matches your car. Another option is to use black shoe polish, which is especially helpful when you own a black car because both colors are similar. Apply some of them on top of the scratch and watch it disappear.

Does it work when removing black car scratches with toothpaste?

Surprisingly, toothpaste works well at repairing scratches on black cars. This is because it contains microscopic abrasive particles, which essentially act like sandpaper on your car, removing imperfections. Please note that this only works for minor scratches affecting the clear coat. Anything deeper will require replacement paint. For best results, use whitening toothpaste, as they have more grit than regular toothpaste. Apply it on a microfiber towel and wipe the wound clean.

Wrapping Up On How To Fix Scratches On A Black Car

After going through some notices, you now know how to fix scratches on a black car and grasp some maintenance black paint tips.

If you deal with any confused or mistaken understanding along the way, take your car to the professionals for more detailed cleaning and repairing techniques. We hope you can get better insights to prepare well for any detailing project in the future. Good luck!

For more car maintenance tips, visit Car From Japan today.