Paint transfer

A streak of someone else's paint on your car is almost always sitting on top of your clear coat, not inside it. In most cases it comes off clean without any repainting.

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$

Paint transfer

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 paint transfer

  • It's a different color than your car. Most paint transfer is obvious, a streak or smear in another vehicle's color.
  • It happened after a bump or close call. Tight parking spots, shopping carts, and light contact with another car are common causes.
  • It sits on top of the surface. Run your fingernail near the edge. Paint transfer often has a slightly raised feel compared to a scratch.
  • Your own paint underneath looks intact. In most cases there's no scratch or gouge under the transferred paint.

What we check before removing it

  • Whether your clear coat was also scratched. Sometimes paint transfer happens alongside a light scratch underneath.
  • How long it's been there. Fresh transfer usually lifts more easily than paint that's had time to bond and cure.
  • The condition of your own paint nearby. This helps us confirm the right products and approach for a clean result.

Simple process

How we fix it

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

//01

Testing the affected area

We check how the transferred paint sits on your clear coat before choosing a removal method.

//02

Applying a safe compound

A clay bar or gentle rubbing compound lifts the transferred paint without cutting into your own clear coat.

//03

Checking for underlying damage

Once the transfer is removed, we check whether any scratch remains underneath.

//04

Polishing to finish

The area is polished so it blends seamlessly with the surrounding paint.

FAQ

Questions we get a lot

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

Will removing paint transfer damage my own paint?

Is there always a scratch underneath?

Can I remove paint transfer myself?

How long does paint transfer removal take?

What if there's a dent along with the transfer?

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.