Greetings,

Wondering is it possible to mask the deep scratches shown in the below image.

http://img577.imageshack.us/img577/6492/s1370008.th.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/577/s1370008.jpg/)

I'm a complete n00b when it comes to paint touchups... Is it possible for a DIY job or need to be done at a detailing shop?

I did some googling and found a not-so-beginner guide (http://www.autopia.org/forum/click-brag/70028-small-how-chip-repair-wetsanding-spring-cleaning-black-g35-56k-%3D-owie.html) . I guess some of the products noted in this guide may not be available locally?.

Wondering what do members on this forum suggest? Please do let me know if you need higher res pics.

TIA

Looking at the photo the actual arch will need respray 100%, paint is chipped & there is no detailing shop in the world that will bring that back to life. You might be able to make scratches that are further down less noticeable by trying buffing with cutting compound, that should get rid of "white" color which makes scratch very noticeable. Proper fix would be a respray, of the door & the arch. About $400-$500 should get you there. Touch up paint,yes its doable, if you get a REALLY good colour match, its possible to make it look OK, if you never done it, i seriously recommend letting someone with experience to do it.

Definetly a job for a panel shop. Both the door and the quarter panel will need to be refinished. Also being a metallic colour, it would be very hard for an autobahn spray can to match the colour well and blend into the original colour.

If you are proficient at panel work, and have done a bit before, rub it back with 180 grit, apply body filler to the scratches and sand smooth with 180 grit. Then block sand the repair and surrounding area with 360 grit. You will need filler primer at this point. Spray top coat over the repair area and then apply clear coat too the whole door and about too the filler cap on the quarter panel.

Either way, good luck mate, i like the colour too. =D

Yea if you try to get colour from autobarn i can guarantee it will differ so much that it will be impossible to blend in, you will need paint shop to match it for you (use your fuel tank lid cover), they wont do spray cans, so you will need someone with compressor.

I'd say it'd need to be repainted.

The detailing guide you've linked with wet-sanding is a pretty standard method of reasonable scratches from paint. If you've only 'brushed' a pole etc with your car, you could probably polish them off using that guide (or pay someone else to). And most of those products would be available locally, it's just a matter of knowing where to look.

However, in your image, it looks like the scratches are potentially down to the primer or the bare metal of the door - and obviously you can't polish out a scratch when there's no paint left.

Not willing to spend $$$ as I'm wanting to sell it for whatever I can get and doubt spending the extra to fix this will increase the sale value...

Anyhow, thanks for all the replies. I kinda knew that repaint is the only go but thought I will check as I read somewhere when I was researching that this product (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/TURTLE-WAX-COLOUR-MAGIC-DARK-GREEN-WAX-POLISH-500ML-/220735079315?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item3364d60393) can do a good job but probably not in my case? If I understand correctly, the chipstik provided with this product can help with filling the paint but the colour of it does not appear to match mine...

You could add on a good 500 + dollars in value having paint that's in good nick mate. It would DEFINETLY be worth fixing.

No way would that polish work. Your best bet is going to a proper automotive paint place and get it mixed exactly. Even better get a touch up van to come around and do it. At least then them paint would be exact as they mix it on the spot. No more then $100 at the most and would improve it a fair bit

Touch up van? Never heard of them before?

EDIT***
Yep found one from googling - http://www.scratchmagic.com.au/car_chip_repair_contact.html

I have just mailed them for a quote! they appear to have good testimonials...

I used to have one. Plenty of them around now. They have all the colours and can do minor repairs etc

Not willing to spend $$$ as I'm wanting to sell it for whatever I can get and doubt spending the extra to fix this will increase the sale value...

Anyhow, thanks for all the replies. I kinda knew that repaint is the only go but thought I will check as I read somewhere when I was researching that this product (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/TURTLE-WAX-COLOUR-MAGIC-DARK-GREEN-WAX-POLISH-500ML-/220735079315?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item3364d60393) can do a good job but probably not in my case? If I understand correctly, the chipstik provided with this product can help with filling the paint but the colour of it does not appear to match mine...

I tried that on my GF's car, very similar colour to yours, and it doesn't work. The chipstick stuff will not stay put, as soon as you polish it it all comes off, doesn't matter how long you leave it before polishing. No good even for fine scratches let alone deep ones like yours.

Chipstick stuff as far as I've seen is pretty much a coloured white-out pen. It only hides obvious paint chips if your car is covered in dirt to hide the mismatched lumpy chipstick dots. And you wouldn't usually sell a dirty car.