Scratches...how to best repair them?

I noticed my first scratch on my passenger door handle. Not sure how it got there, but I'd like to repair it.

What do you all recommend? I imagine touch up paint is the best and least expensive option. What brands would you use? Brush or pen? Have you made any mistakes with application that you'd share or tips to use?

Thanks in advance.

 

My wife scratches the hell out of the area BEHIND the door handle... fingernails...!! Diamond rings will mess up yer truck also...

I've seen a peel-n-stick plastic somewhere and was trying to find that for mine; however, no luck yet...

Your scratch sounds worse....like on the "outside" of the handle..... Is it down to the white primer..?? Maybe the "touch-up" pen would work, but if just surface scratches in the clear coat.... a good buffing with wax might do it...

 

Here's the scratch...just that small white line. I know it's small...but it's going to bug me every time I open that door.

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...andle-cup-guards-ft-xpel-ultimate-ppf.420570/

 

Depending themail depth of the scratch, I cold buff that out in 2 mins. There is no easy way but it depends on how deep it is. There are a couple different products to fix it.

 

Thanks for the advice. Cold buff...what is that? What products do you recommend?

 

If doing it by hand, 3M makes a product that's called Hand Glaze. Part number is 05990. You can try to use that but it you can snag the scratch with your nail, buffing it won't work. I have buffed many scratches out by wet sanding with 2000 grit paper and buff it with a 3" buffing pad on my drill with compound and glaze. You have to be very careful with wetsanding/buffing around edges because of your not careful or go in the wrong direction, you will burn the clear and expose the base coat.

 

You could be a gentleman and open the door for your wife...preventative measures and brownie points

 

that would come out really easy
if you dont want to get into any serious detailing. get a decent Microfiber towel. Get some Meguiars ultimate compound and give it a good buff out with that. then follow up with some Ultimate polish. Should pretty much remove that completely or to the point its very hard to see. If you want to get into it and get an actual machine and proper pads I can help with what to go with that

DO NOT wet sand unless you know what you are doing. Car paint is only about average 90micron thick and thats the whole depth. Its WAY to easy to go right through especially compound areas like this. flat sections are much easier

 

I can't tell if that's just the handle cap or if it's actually on the handle too...but if it's just the cap, you can just buy another one already painted. Like others have said, if you can catch it with a fingernail, it's thru the clear and no amount of sanding or compound is going to fix it.

I wouldn't bother trying to touch it up with a pen or whatever, it will just look worse.

Here's the part numbers and the prices for the handle(assuming you have smart entry) and the cap

LF handle
69221-0E010-J2. $51.69
LF handle cap
69217-0E040-J2. $22.47

 

Yes, I can catch it with my finger nail. That sucks a scratch will cost me $23. The cap is the only part scratched.
Where do I go to buy this...the dealership?
Thanks for the info...I appreciate it.

 

If I were you I'd stop at a local body shop and ask them if they can buff it out real quick. Might do it for a few bucks and save you $

 

I believe you can buy these pre painted. Most manufacturers sell them painted as replacement parts.

Found it...it's part number 3, but I'm not sure which side you need. Not sure if there was front or rear door as I just did a quick scroll. Comes in BBP like yours.

http://parts.olathetoyota.com/auto-...k-and-hardware-scat/?part_number=6921004030j0

 

yea I suggest NOT doing this..99% of the body shops out there dont know their ass from a hole in the ground how to properly buff out paint. Most likely they will have some idiot with a rotary who has no idea how to use it. Sling compound all over your truck make a huge mess and induce holograms all over the paint and say there you go. All fucked up and ready to go.

 

I feel sorry for your area then. In my small town we have 6 shops that are quality and understand how to buff a small scratch.

 

but do you know what proper is as well? What you think is proper might just be just as wrong as the body shop. Do you have any real experience with PROPER paint correction?

 

Actually I'm a sales rep for automotive paint. I have fixed scratches myself including dark and black vehicles. With the right products, it's not hard to make a scratch disappear without any swirl marks left behind. I understand how the clear coat works and how it can be fixed.

 

look out..he is a sales rep of paint. So obviously you know 100% exactly how to properly do paint correction. Ohh and fixed a few scratches as well.
When you have done many cars of full corrections then let me know. not a couple scratches here and there
such as this
From this



to this




or my old mustang. perfect black paint in direct sun NO swirls or scratches




This


to this

 

Nice work.

 

Well that escalated quickly.