Expert: William Forster - 11/25/2008

Question
Our 2006 Kia Rio was scraped along the whole driver's side.  We were given
two suggestions on dealing with the scratches.  Repainting the whole side or
buffing out the scratches.  My husband is concerned about buffing out the
scratches because he's worried that the buffed areas will be more susceptible
to rusting.  Is this something that could happen?

The guy who's suggesting buffing says that repainting the side of the car
reduces the re-sale value and could peel.

Can you give us the truth?

Thanks!

Answer
If the scratches are through the clear coat, it needs to be repainted, plain and simple. If the scratches are light, and will come out with a minimal amount of sanding and buffing, then that is always the way to go. However- Excessive sanding and buffing will reduce the clearcoat's film thickness, and it will prematurely break down from the sun beating down on it. You will start to see discolored halos in the paint- these are caused by the clear not being there to protect the basecoat color, allowing it to oxidize and fade. That will reduce the resale value much more than refinishing it, or leaving the scratches in the finish. In a nutshell, scratched paint, or improperly buffed scratches will affect value more than refinishing, in the long run. Rust will only start if the scratch goes to bare metal. Bill