Is It Serious If the Car Side Skirt Gets Scratched?
3 Answers
Scratches on the side skirt are not serious. Things to note: Scratches on the vehicle's side skirt are not a major concern, as the side skirt, along with fenders, hoods, and doors, are part of the vehicle's body panels. Damage to body panels does not affect the vehicle's structural integrity; you simply need to visit a 4S shop for repairs when convenient. However, one important point to note is that if the side skirt is made of metal and the primer is damaged during the collision, it is essential to repaint it as soon as possible. Otherwise, the metal part can easily rust, making future repairs more complicated. How to repair: The repair method depends on the material of the side skirt and the extent of the damage, as plastic and metal side skirts require slightly different approaches. Plastic side skirt. If the damage to a plastic side skirt is minor, usually just repainting is sufficient. If there are cracks, the entire side skirt will need to be replaced. Metal side skirt. Even if a metal side skirt is deformed, it does not need to be replaced; it can be repaired through metalworking.
Scratches on the car's side skirts should indeed be taken seriously, especially on metal parts. Once when I was reversing, I scraped against a curb and initially thought it was just a bit of paint loss, no big deal. But after it rained, that spot started to rust, with rust marks spreading like spiderwebs. The mechanic said such areas are particularly prone to water accumulation, and if rusted through, the repair cost could run into thousands. If the paint is chipped exposing metal, it's advisable to quickly touch it up with a paint pen. As for plastic side skirts, it's less of an issue, mostly affecting aesthetics—I've seen people use black shoe polish to temporarily cover scratches. However, pay attention to the depth of the scrape; deep cracks might affect the structure.
Honestly, us veteran drivers dread undercarriage scrapes the most. Rocker panel damage really depends: minor scratches are just cosmetic, but if it's dented, highway wind noise instantly worsens with annoying whistling sounds. Back when I drove an old Passat with a dented rocker panel, rainwater kept seeping in during storms, and the passenger footwell carpet grew mold - almost mushrooms! Metal rocker panels are worse; in coastal areas they can rust through in two months. Once I noticed a bulge at a scrape spot, poked it, and it was a rust hole! Learned my lesson - now I squat to inspect the rocker panels during every car wash.
