Need help!

[whitetaco02]

Okay, I am pretty anal about my truck so please excuse me first of all.

I do take my truck camping and hunting but keep it clean when in the off season and I am very careful not to hit anything to scratch it.

This saturday I had a friend of mine's son decide he wanted to jump in the back of my truck while we were looking at trailcam photos of deer using a laptop on my tail gate.

The kid then decides he wants to get out climbing out the side of the truck and as he does he slides down putting about an 8 inch scratch down the side of my new truck with his belt buckle. (I know it's a truck but I still try to take care of it).

His dad told me to find out how much it would be to get it fixed. I went today and got two quotes. One for $566.43 and another for $544.35. They told me that they were going to have to strip that entire side and redo the paint and clear coat so it will all blend together.

One lady tried and abrasive with a wax over it and it helped out a bit but it is not 100%. She told me that if it was her truck she would not worry about it as it won't be factory paint anymore and could "possible" have problems down the road.

My question is:

What would you all do? Would you get it fixed or not worry about it? Do you all think it would be worth it to go to all of that trouble?

There is a ding and dent guy that is local who does this sort of thing in parking lots and hear that he is the real deal. I am going to see him tomorrow and get a quote from him on what he can do.

What do you all suggest?

Thanks

P.S. Truck is still too new to get scratches!

 

[deadbeat son]

You'd be surprised what a good touch-up with an airbrush will do for something like that. It sounds like that's the guy you're going to see tomorrow, and that's the route I'd take.

 

[whitetaco02]

Yeah, I think that is what he would do. I am going to get a quote from him and then tell my buddy I need the money to get it done. I have a feeling if I get it done and then try to get him to pay me afterwards he will be dragging his feet getting me the money!

 

[mountainpete]

I use my truck offroad, but I keep it nice. I fix dents immediately. If a paint chip or scrape on a bumper or slider rusts I fix it. To me a clean and repaired truck is a long lasting one.

If the scratch bugs you enough to post here you already have your answer. Get it fixed. Dent doctors and other people that car dealerships use to touch up used cars do a good job and are usually much cheaper.

Pete

 

[whitetaco02]

I use my truck offroad, but I keep it nice. I fix dents immediately. If a paint chip or scrape on a bumper or slider rusts I fix it. To me a clean and repaired truck is a long lasting one.

If the scratch bugs you enough to post here you already have your answer. Get it fixed. Dent doctors and other people that car dealerships use to touch up used cars do a good job and are usually much cheaper.

Pete

Pete, that bad thing about it is it happened on my birthday and ruined my day! I felt like I had to throw up when it happened. It is also the first thing I look at as I walk to my truck. It drives me crazy but am not sure I want to deal with disassembling my truck to fix it.

I hope the ding and dent guy can work his magic!

 

[Overland Hadley]

I feel your pain.
If it bothers you then have it fixed. Although I would suggest trying to keep the factory paint on the panel, so maybe airbrush is the way to go.

 

[whitetaco02]

Here is a picture of the scratch.

 

[Nullifier]

Here is a picture of the scratch.

Sounds like way to much drama for a small scratch to me. It is not even into the paint. You should be able to wet sand and at worst spray some fresh clear. No big deal

 

[whitetaco02]

Sounds like way to much drama for a small scratch to me. It is not even into the paint. You should be able to wet sand and at worst spray some fresh clear. No big deal

Agreed!

I just left the dealership that the ding and dent guy was at and he told me that he can get 90% of it out by wet sanding and buffing it out so that is the route I am going to take. He is going to charge me 20 bucks and told me to be back up there around 2:30 today.

What is all involved in wet sanding?

 

[UK4X4]

"What is all involved in wet sanding? "

the scratch is not through the clear coat if thats the case

so he'l get out a bucket and some very fine sandpaper:Wow1:
he'll then start putting millions of small scratches in the panel alongside the one you already have

so when he's finished you won't see the original one :victory:


:coffeedrink:

 

[whitetaco02]

"What is all involved in wet sanding? "

the scratch is not through the clear coat if thats the case

so he'l get out a bucket and some very fine sandpaper:Wow1:
he'll then start putting millions of small scratches in the panel alongside the one you already have

so when he's finished you won't see the original one :victory:


:coffeedrink:

And by buffing it they will come back out?