What to Do When a Black Car Gets Scratched and Reveals White?
4 Answers
Black car scratches revealing white can be treated with a touch-up paint pen. The white marks won't rust, or you can directly go to a 4S shop to spray some black paint or perform polishing. Before using the touch-up pen, shake the paint well. Apply the base coat like painting nails. You can add a certain amount of thinner to the touch-up pen to ensure smooth spraying and careful application. If the scratches are on the front or rear bumper, there's no need to rush for touch-up as bumpers are plastic and won't rust—you can do it at your convenience. If the body is damaged, observe the depth of the scratch. If the metal is exposed, timely touch-up is necessary to prevent rusting and large-scale paint peeling.
Oh, black cars getting scratched and showing white marks is way too common—my own black car’s rear bumper has been a victim too! First, clean the scratch with a damp cloth to check the depth. If it’s just a shallow surface mark with no noticeable dent and only the white primer showing, you’re in luck. Try using scratch wax first, rubbing it in circular motions repeatedly—many light scratches can be covered up this way. But if the scratch reaches the metal, especially on areas like the door, don’t delay. I’ve seen cases where people ignored it, only for rust spots to appear after a few rainy days. My advice: find a reliable auto repair shop to apply touch-up paint or do a spot respray. Otherwise, rust could spread and make things worse. And whatever you do, don’t fall for the online hack of using toothpaste—it might dull the clear coat!
From my experience, touching up scratched black paint depends on the situation. For tiny scratches the size of sesame seeds, you can use a dedicated touch-up pen (make sure to get the correct color code! Black paints come in many shades). Before applying, clean the area thoroughly, shake the pen well, apply thinly without overdoing it—otherwise it'll bulge like a mole. Let it dry completely before gently polishing. However, if the scratch is wider than two fingers or exposes bare metal, touch-up pens won't work well—it'll look like a cheap patch. In such cases, professional spot repair is needed; they use blending techniques for seamless transitions between old and new paint. Remind the technician to use OEM clear coat to avoid noticeable color mismatch. Also, avoid automatic car washes for a week after repair—the new paint needs time to fully harden.
No matter how small the scratch is, seeing that white mark on a black car makes your heart skip a beat! First, check where the damage is: if it's on the front or rear plastic bumper and the white is showing, it's not a big deal—it won't rust. If it looks bad, just cover it with a sticker. But if the metal part is exposed, that’s a problem! I learned this the hard way—thinking a scratch the size of a fingernail wouldn’t matter, only to find the paint bubbling six months later. For emergencies, you can buy a rust-proof touch-up pen (around 10 bucks at an auto parts store) to seal the metal and hold it off for a while. If you want it perfect, go for a respray, but don’t fall for roadside ‘quick paint repair’—they spray directly without sanding the edges, leaving a clear line between the new and old paint like a scar. Look for a shop that does seamless repairs—they’ll sand down a large area around the scratch to create a smooth transition, then respray the whole section. It’s more expensive, but the results are much better. Keep a can of scratch wax for black cars in your car—it’s a lifesaver in emergencies.
