What to do if the car door is severely scratched and dented?
3 Answers
The solution for severe scratches and dents on a car door is to perform bodywork and repainting. Bodywork and repainting can repair the scratches and dents on the vehicle. If the car's paint surface is not damaged and only the dent remains, you can directly use paintless dent repair technology. Bodywork and repainting is an automotive repair technique that involves restoring the deformed parts of the car's metal shell to their original shape, then applying specialized paint to make the deformed metal surface look as good as the undamaged areas. The car door provides access for the driver and passengers and isolates external disturbances, to some extent reducing side impacts and protecting the occupants.
Last time my car door got a big dent, I thought I'd try fixing it myself. I first bought a dent repair kit with suction cups and pullers, which worked for shallow dents, but deeper ones were hard to flatten without risking paint damage. Then I used body filler, sanded it, and repainted, but the color didn't match and the surface ended up uneven. For serious dents, DIY results are poor—tools cost money and waste time. Many professional shops now offer PDR (Paintless Dent Repair) technology, which is fast and doesn’t require repainting. Trying to fix it yourself might just make things worse. My advice: test on a small area first; if it doesn’t work, leave it to the pros. There are plenty of online tutorials, but for complex jobs, trust the experts—save yourself the hassle and avoid turning a small issue into a big one.
After my car door was hit with deep scratches, cost became my top concern. DIY repair is low-cost but high-risk—materials like filler and spray paint cans only cost a few dozen bucks, but unskilled operation may lead to rework, increasing total expenses. Small repair shops offer much cheaper quotes than 4S dealerships, with professional equipment to fix dents and repaint for a few hundred. If the accident cause is clear, insurance can cover part of the loss. After repairs, I added a transparent paint protection film to prevent future scratches, which is more cost-effective long-term. Don’t overlook routine checks, like parking away from obstacles to minimize damage. The money-saving secret? Compare services thoroughly and avoid delays to prevent rust from worsening.
