Hi,

Just got home from a spot of shopping and noticed some idiot has scratched the front passenger side bumper and wing on my Focus. They didn't leave a note or anything so I'm fuming. This is the second time someone has scratched my car - in the same place! Why are people so inconsiderate?

:(

thats definately a car scrape mate...look deep aswell...doesnt look like it will go with just T-cut probs needs repainting.

Hi,

Just got home from a spot of shopping and noticed some idiot has scratched the front passenger side bumper and wing on my Focus. They didn't leave a note or anything so I'm fuming. This is the second time someone has scratched my car - in the same place! Why are people so inconsiderate?

:(

I know it's a right bugger, but it happens. What you have got to do is take action that extends the odds of it happening again. You can increase those odd's massively in your favour. First off, park at the extremes of the car park when using supermarket car parks. There are a few reasons for this, one being, unlike normal car parks people can be in and out more often, so the odds of doors being opened against your motor, or like in your case a glancing blow when the car next to yours is reversing. Putting lock on to early as they reverse out of the parking bay.

And I know I'll get slated on this one by the feminists on the board, but here goes anyhow. The female of the species has always got her mind on what she is going to do next, not what she is actually doing at the time......possibly it's the flaw in their much vaunted ability to multi task :D

Right, your parking at the extremes of the car park, want to increase the odd's by another 100% in your favour? Well our local Morrisions has planting on one end of the car park that abuts the in and out exit road. And some of this planting cuts in parallel to some of the parking bays, breaking the run of bays up so to speak. So I park in one of those bays if I can, meaning only one flank of the car is exposed to being damaged. Besides that extra bit of exercise walking to and from the supermarket must be good for us :)

Back to the scratches, try gently T cutting them, you will be surprised what marks you car remove with that stuff, especially it its their paint deposited on your motor.

had the same thing myself on the rear bumper,had to have a smart repair done, cost £70

I had the rear of my old Peugeot 306 damaged by some T!*t in an Asda car park. No note as per usual, cost me £70 to get it sorted. I take my dad shopping now, he has a disabled badge because of his metal knees those disabled spaces are great :-)

Graham

Hey catch,

I do try and park as you say at the extremes of the carpark if possible despite being told that we're 'miles' from the shop. I still get battered old cars parking next to me even if there are plenty of spaces nearer to the shops.

I think that the marks on the wing may polish out but the scratches on the bumper are fairly deep. Will one of those touch up pen things be any good for this? Also is tcut ok to use on metallic paint?

I think that the marks on the wing may polish out but the scratches on the bumper are fairly deep. Will one of those touch up pen things be any good for this? Also is tcut ok to use on metallic paint?

The pens may be OK as I should imagine black will be one of the easiest colours to match. Halfords do a three pot [under, top and lacquer coat] pack. Now Watch this Video but buy the Halfords kit. Now do as the video says regards applying the colour coat, but instead of using their "magic" blob remover, substitute it with white spirit, it will do the job. The knack is getting the drying time right before applying the white spirit, but at 99p for a bottle of white spirit you can afford to experiment a bit ;)

Yes T Cut will work on metallics, most surface scratches are in the lacquer coats that are sprayed on top of the colour coat to protect it. So T cutting the lacquerer coat is fine, but be careful not to go to deep that you T Cut the colour coat away exposing the undercoat.

I removed a small scuff from my front bumper "silver Met" , got the Ford kit off Fleabay for £1O , cleaned the scuff first the applied the paint .

Left it for a day the i used 250 wet and dry paper, slowly working on the high spot of paint, until smooth , then applied the clearcoat , again waiting a day i the used 250 wet and dry paper slowly blending out the clearcoat bump until smooth to the touch , being very carefull not to touch the out side edge until i had got the clearcoat down.

Wiped with a clean dry cloth and then T-Cut the area to bring the shine back in the clearcoat and then polished.

Looks pretty good but not perfect :D