How to Fix Scratches on a Keyed Car

Keyed cars can be repaired at home by polishing the scratches.

A keyed car can be quite vexing to an owner, not just only because the act is vindictive, but also because the damage is blatantly left on the side of the car rather than on an inconspicuous area, as with bumper scuffs. On the upside, the repair isn't as costly or time consuming as with repainting car scuffs or re-sculpting dents. The repair can be done at home with some polish, sandpaper and a polishing wheel. The trick is not to buff polish through the paint.

Things You'll Need

• Soap
• Water
• Cloth
• Shoe polish
• Sanding block
• 2000-grit wet/dry sandpaper
• Rubbing compound
• Polishing wheel
• Car wax

Instructions

1. Clean the damaged surface with soap and water. Rub down with a sponge and dry off with a lint-free cloth.

2. Rub shoe polish over the scratches to fill in the scratches. This will visualize the scratches while polishing.

3. Block-sand the scratches with 2000-grit wet/dry sandpaper and plenty of water, until the shoe polish disappears.

4. Apply rubbing compound on the scuff marks left by the sandpaper.

5. Polish the rubbing compound with an oscillating polishing wheel to restore shine. Do not buff through the paint, into the next layer.

6. Hand-polish with a lint-free cloth to remove the residual rubbing compound.

7. Finish by applying car wax over the repaired surface.

References

• Popular Mechanics: Automotive