How to Deal with Plastic Scratches on the Rear Bumper of a Car?
2 Answers
For severe scratches, generally, the bumper, rearview mirrors, and some cars' wheel arch parts are made of engineering plastic. Whether to repaint or not depends on the owner's preference. Touch-up pens are available at general automotive stores. The owner can report their car model and the official color name to purchase a touch-up pen with the appropriate color code.
I also encountered scratches on the plastic bumper when I reversed and scraped against the curb last time. First, thoroughly clean the scratched area with car wash soap to ensure no sand particles remain. Then observe the depth of the scratch: if it's only on the surface, using polishing compound with a soft cloth in circular motions can mostly remove it; if the black primer is visible, a touch-up pen is needed. Go to the auto parts store to buy a touch-up pen with the same color code, and apply 3-4 thin coats as per the instructions, allowing 15 minutes to dry between each layer. Finally, apply a layer of transparent car wax for protection. A reminder here: before touching up the plastic part, it's best to lightly roughen it with 1500-grit sandpaper, otherwise the adhesion will be poor. The whole process takes about two hours, and doing it yourself can save three to four hundred dollars in repair costs.
