Should I go to a 4S shop or a repair shop for new car scratches?
2 Answers
It all depends on personal choice. The cost of a repair shop is lower than that of a 4S shop, but the repair technology may be slightly worse than that of a 4S shop. The efficiency and accuracy of 4S shops are more advantageous than those of repair shops. However, going to a 4S shop may involve insurance issues, leading to an increase in insurance costs the following year. When the scratches are shallow and the primer is not damaged, you can choose not to repaint at this time, because such scratches are hardly visible unless you look closely, and the primer not being damaged has little effect on the car. Just waxing the scratched area can effectively reduce the severity of the scratches. The scratches are deep, but the scratched area is not a metal part. In this case, the impact is not too great, because for plastic parts, losing a layer of paint is not a big deal, it depends on the owner's personal preference. The scratches are deep, and the scratched area is a metal part. At this time, repainting is necessary, because once the body steel plate and other structures lose the protection of the surface paint, the steel plate is exposed to the air and is prone to corrosion and rust, and the paint surface ages quickly, causing serious damage to the appearance.
As a regular car owner who recently faced the same issue, I recommend taking a new car with scratches directly to the 4S shop. Although it costs about 30% more, their original factory paint has a higher color match, making the color difference almost unnoticeable. Last week, my car was repainted at the 4S shop, where even the rustproofing was done meticulously—they removed the entire bumper for repainting, unlike outside repair shops that just mask and spray. Moreover, since the car is still under warranty, repairs done at the 4S shop are recorded in the system, which helps with the resale value later. Of course, if it's just minor scratches on the bumper, going to a reputable auto repair shop can save you a thousand yuan or so. The key is to visit the repair shop in person to check if their equipment is professional and whether the technicians have original factory training certifications.
