Deep scratch

A scratch that's cut through the clear coat and into the paint doesn't automatically mean a repaint. In most cases, we can blend it out on-site, in your driveway, the same day.

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Before & after

Here's what the fix looks like

Every one of these is a real job we did somewhere around Summerville or Charleston.

Close-up of car tire and scratched grey car fender with black scuff marks and paint damage.

Before

Close-up of a fixed area on a vehicle's light gray fender above the tire.

After

Deep scratches

2 hours

250$

Car hood covered with water spots and light reflections of sky and clouds.

Before

Glossy black car hood with a Raptor badge and reflections of trees and a lamp post.

After

Water spots

2,5 hours

300$

Close-up of white vehicle's front left fender with black scratches near the headlight and tire.

Before

Close-up of a white vehicle's front tire, black fender, orange side marker, and headlight.

After

Light scratches

1,5 hours

150$

Close-up of a black car's fender with visible scratches and scuff marks above the tire.

Before

Close-up of the front left wheel and fender of a black vehicle on a gravel surface, showing tire tread and part of the headlight and indicator light.

After

Paint transfer

2 hours

270$

Reflection of a person wearing a blue visor and black shirt, crouching and holding a phone, seen on a glossy surface with a long scratch across it, with a beige house door and siding in the background.

Before

Reflection of a man taking a photo with a smartphone, kneeling next to a black toolbox with red latches on a gravel surface in front of a white house with a door and window.

After

Deep scratch

1 hour

140$

Close-up of the driver's side of a black car with visible scratches and scuff marks on the door near the handle and lower panel, parked on a gravel surface with grass and trees in the background.

Before

Close-up of the side of a black car with a large dent on the rear door panel, parked on a driveway in front of a garage, with reflections of nearby house siding on the car surface.

After

Light scratches

1,5 hours

150$

Deep scratch

What you need to know

A clear picture of what you're dealing with makes the next step a lot easier.

Don't let it sit

Fill out the form with a few quick details and a couple of photos and we'll send back a real price, usually the same day.

How to tell if it's a deep scratch

  • You can feel it with your fingernail. If your nail catches or drags across the mark instead of gliding smoothly, it's gone past the clear coat.
  • You see a different color at the bottom of the scratch. Grey, silver, or white showing through usually means it's reached the primer or bare metal.
  • It doesn't buff out with polish. Light scratches often fade with a good polish. Deep ones stay put no matter how much you rub.
  • It's been there a while and hasn't changed. Surface scratches sometimes seem to "heal" slightly with washing and waxing. Deep ones don't.

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What happens if you leave a deep scratch

It's not just cosmetic — a deep scratch left untreated tends to get worse, not better.

  • It starts to rust. Once a scratch reaches bare metal, it's exposed to moisture and air. In the Lowcountry's humidity and salt air, rust can start forming in weeks, not years.
  • The damage spreads. Rust and exposed metal don't stay contained. What starts as a small scratch can grow into a larger patch of corrosion that costs far more to fix later.
  • It lowers what your car is worth. Whether you're selling, trading in, or returning a lease, visible paint damage is one of the first things that gets flagged in an inspection and it shows up in the offer.
  • The fix gets more expensive. A scratch caught early can often be blended out without repainting. Once rust sets in, it usually can't and the repair jumps from a same-day fix to a full panel repaint.

Simple process

How we fix it

Once you know what you're dealing with, here's what happens next.

//01

Protecting the surrounding area

Nearby trim and panels are taped off first, so only the damaged spot gets touched.

//02

Prepping the scratch

The area is cleaned and gently smoothed so the repair material has a clean surface to bond to.

//03

Filling with a matched paint blend

A custom mix of paint and clear coat, matched to your exact color, fills the scratch.

//04

Blending and polishing it smooth

The area is leveled and polished until it sits flush with the surrounding paint, with no visible edge.

One honest note

For most deep scratches, the repair blends in well enough that you won't notice it at a normal glance. Under certain angles or close inspection, a faint trace may still be visible — full invisibility is really only possible with a repaint. If a flawless, invisible finish matters most to you, let us know and we'll be upfront about what to expect before you book.

FAQ

Questions we get a lot

Chances are, someone's already asked what's on your mind. Here's what we tell them.

Will the repair be completely invisible?

Can every deep scratch be fixed without repainting?

Will the repaired spot match my exact paint color?

How long does it take from quote to repair?

Does a deep scratch actually cause rust?

How much does deep scratch repair cost?

Get started

Get your free quote

Fill out the form with a few quick details and a couple of photos and we'll send back a real price, usually the same day.

A man wearing sunglasses, a blue visor, black t-shirt, and gray shorts kneels on a driveway holding a vehicle buffer polisher while smiling at the camera, with a white SUV and toolboxes containing car care products nearby.