Getting any accident with your vehicle is distressing, whether major or minor. Going through the insurer can be stressful for minor repairs, making it simpler to just take care of the repair yourself. If you're handy around the home, you can easily fix minor scratches and dents by carefully following the instructions in the following paragraphs. However, major repairs should be done by a professional in an auto-body repair shop. Read on to learn how to fix your minor scratches and dents.

To fix a minor scratch 

For minor scratches, you will need very fine grit sand paper: you can get this at an auto-part shop. Ask them to give you the paper used for wet sanding. Sand the scratches surface to mix the scratched area with the original car paint without ruining the surrounding area. Run your fingers over the sanded area to determine whether you've done it properly: stop when you cannot feel the edges of the scratch, and the sanded area tapers smoothly onto the unscratched surface surrounding it. Use body filler for deeper scratches, and then sand the area as described above.

Next, use masking tape to cover surrounding areas to avoid over-spraying. Apply good-quality paint primer and wet-sand as described above to allow the paint to bond properly to the surface. Find paint that matches your original colour—you may not get a complete match, because the car paint slightly changes colour on exposure to sun and elements, but you can get what's closest to the original. Do a final wet-sand with extra-fine grit paper after the first coat and allow it to dry. Follow with a second light paint layer. Use good-quality rubbing compound on the newly-painted surface until you match it with the surrounding unmarked area.

To fix minor dents

If you have a dent, you can get a minor-dent repair kit cheaply at your local parts shop. There are different dent repair kits depending on vehicle model, so ask the seller what's best suited for your car. The kit comes with detailed instructions for use: follow them to lift the dent surface without affecting your paint job. Polish and wax the entire surface after repairing the dent to ensure the entire vehicle colour is the same.

Uneven dents are not only unsightly, they can present unique challenges when they are located in a difficult-access location. The same repair kit as above can be used for uneven dent repair, but you'll also need a small drill bit. Use the drill to make a tiny hole inside the dent. Screw in a small sheet-metal screw and pull the dented surface with a vice grip. Once the dent is lifted, sand the entire surface with fine-frit sandpaper and use the procedure described above to touch-up the paint.

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