How to Fix a Dent in a Car

Scratches and dents in your car are inevitable. A wayward baseball hits your fender. A shopping cart sideswipes your door on the way to the cargo area. One of your keys accidentally scratches your liftgate or trunk.

In the event you find a new scratch or dent on your vehicle, the team from Drive Burtness can help you figure out how to fix a dent in your car by yourself. Or, if you prefer, we can fix it for you when you bring your vehicle into our service centerfor maintenance. Learn more about the different types of damage as well as the many ways to repair them, thanks to our guide on how to fix a small dent in your car!

How to Fix Scratches on Your Car

When there’s a scratch on your vehicle, and you don’t think it’s worth bringing into a dealership or mechanic to buff the scratch out, here are some do-it-yourself scratch removal tips. Perhaps you want your car to look better, but it doesn’t have to look perfect. If that’s the case, you can perform this repair yourself.

• Candle Wax – This is by no means a permanent solution, but it will hold in an emergency. Gently rub the wax over the cleaned area to seal the scratch. It can temporarily keep moisture at bay.
• Super Glue – Like candle wax, this helps seal the scratch temporarily and blends with the vehicle to slightly mask the damage.
• Paint Polish or Rubbing Compound – When correcting a car’s paint, you always want to use the least aggressive solution first. It’s similar to when you cut your hair. If you underdo the solution, you can always do more. If you overdo it, it can’t be undone. That said, we recommend using a light polish with a less abrasive foam pad first when fixing scratches on a car. Then, work your way up to higher-grit polishes or compounds if you see that scratches still remain. Only if polishing doesn’t remove scratches do we recommend wet-sanding, which is the next step.
• Wet Sandpaper – Shallow scratches just on the surface can easily be removed after cleaning the area and rubbing over it with 2,000-grit wet sandpaper. Once it’s at a point where the scratch is almost invisible, apply a rubbing compound followed by finer and finer polishes. Wax or paint sealant for protection to finish fixing scratches on your car. Washing your car before any scratch removal is a best practice, as is waxing the whole car once you are done.
• Touch-Up Paint: Usually available at service centers like ours, this fix helps hide deeper scratches. Make sure you match the paint as close as possible when you fix scratches on a car.

How to Fix a Small Dent in Your Car

Don’t let a dent ruin the curb appeal of your model. Try one of these simple fixes as you try to fix a dent in your car at home before bringing your vehicle to our facility.

• Plunger – Whether it’s the plunger from your bathroom or a specialized car dent plunger, using this tool can pop out the dent. You may need several attempts at leveling the dent out. This is the simplest method as you try to fix a dent in your car.
• Hammer or Mallet – Using one of these on the opposite side of the dent can help knock the spot back into place. Use the hammer for smaller fixes and the mallet for larger dents. Be sure to protect the side you are hammering with a towel or something equivalent to avoid more damage. You’ll have to remove the panel where the dent is to accomplish this. Make sure you have the proper tools. On modern vehicles, you’ll have to be careful when removing sensors.
• Dent Puller – Only proceed with this if you’re used to using this method. A dent puller requires drilling a hole in the dent, lacing the wire through, and pulling the dent back to surface level. You’ll then need to fill the hole, sand it down, and paint over it.

These are the main steps on how to fix a dent in a car. If these steps seem too time-consuming or maybe you don’t have the right supplies or parts, consider bringing your vehicle to our experts. We’ll have your vehicle repaired in no time, and it will look like new!

For the Bigger Fixes, Visit Drive Burtness

Now you know how to fix a dent in a car. If the damage is too much for a hammer or superglue, we encourage you to bring your vehicle to our Drive Burtness service center. Not only will our staff know how to best fix the damage, but we’ll also help your car look like new again!

Contact us or call today to schedule an appointment or to learn more about how to fix a dent in a car. We’re happy to help in any way we can!