Paintwork Damage
Car paint scratches are not only unsightly, but will reduce the resale value of your vehicle. Furthermore, ignoring the need to undertake a scratch repair on your car’s paintwork can lead to rust problems– meaning you could needlessly incur extra, but avoidable, costs in the future.
Previously, the only options for your car paint repairs were expensive body shops or claiming on your insurance, but now using the SMART repair method, there is no excuse to leave those car scratches unattended.
SMART stands for Small to Medium Area Repair Technology. It’s a technique for repairing small areas of car bodywork damage. Here at RS Scuff’N’Buff we use materials and paints to blend the repair with the surrounding panel. It’s much quicker and cheaper than traditional car repair.
Questions? We’ve got the answers…
We’ve rounded up some of our most commonly asked questions. If you still fancy a chat before giving us the keys of your car, we’re all ears…
“Fair wear and tear occurs when normal usage causes deterioration to a vehicle. It is not to be confused with damage, which occurs as a result of a specific event or series of events such as impact, inappropriate stowing of items, harsh-treatment, negligent acts or omissions.”(* source BVRLA)
We advise that you should bring the car in for an appraisal approx. 6 weeks before the vehicle is due for return. This will allow you to arrange to have any unacceptable wear and tear rectified.
Before appraising the vehicle, make sure that it has been washed and is thoroughly clean but remember to allow time for it to dry. Water on the paintwork can mask faults.
During the inspection, any damage that in our opinion is identified as being outside of the BVRLA Fair Wear and Tear Standard will be advised to you, along with appropriate lease repairs method, and estimate of price, should you want us to repair any damage. RS Scuff’n’Buff are able to complete most of these repairs – usually in less than a day and at up to 50% less than a conventional body shop using the SMART repair process., and significantly cheaper than the cost to hand the vehicle back with the damage still present .
We inspect the cosmetic condition of the vehicle bodywork, wheels and trims. All other elements of the vehicle condition should be assessed independently.
We inspect the cosmetic condition of the vehicle bodywork, wheels and trims. All other elements of the vehicle condition should be assessed independently.
What happens if you find damage on the car ?
If upon inspection of the car we will advise the best course of action. Based upon our understanding of the BVRLA Fair Wear and Tear Standard there are 3 classifications of repair.
- Essential Repair– This is where the damage is outside the BVRLA Fair Wear and Tear Standard , and to avoid charges , it must be rectified.
- Desirable Repair– This type of damage might not be considered as minor, as permitted by wear and tear, but a leasing company may assess it as chargeable.
In this case it’s best to check your specific policy details. (Each leasing company may vary their returns to meet customer and operational requirements).**
Fair Wear and Tear – This damage falls within the BVRLA Fair Wear and Tear standard, and should not result in a charge .
Your RS Scuff’n’Buff Fair Wear & Tear Inspection will cover the cosmetic condition of the vehicle bodywork and wheels. Be aware that on return to the leasing company, other elements of the vehicle condition, some listed below, may be assessed and potentially generate charges where the vehicle does not meeting the required standard or condition. Please check the specific returns details of your lease policy.
- Inspect lamps, lenses, windows and mirrors for chips, cracks and holes.
- Check the tyres (including spare) for damage. Check that the wear on the tread across each tyre is even, and within the legal limit.
- Clean and valet the interior.
- Check upholstered areas for odours, tears, burns, stains and wear.
- Inspect all controls, including audio equipment and accessories – they should be present and fully functional.
- Ensure the vehicle has been serviced according to the schedule, and the service book is stamped
- Check the vehicle mileage, and reduce your daily mileage to stay within you limit.
- Ensure you have both sets of keys.
- Remove any badges or decals you may have added ( when removing there may be a difference in paint colour that has to be rectified before you return the vehicle.)
- Check that all the equipment supplied with the vehicle is still present (spare wheel, emergency triangle, jack, locking wheel nut etc )
Headlights were originally made with glass, but this fragile material made them prone to cracking and shattering. Over the years, car manufacturers have moved to making headlights from polycarbonate — it’s a hard type of plastic that’s been specifically tempered to resist shattering. While this type of plastic is strong, it is notoriously porous and can collect grime and dirt easily, They then added a UV film to protect the lens and extend its life. This coating works well for a few years but begins to degrade over time. From constant exposure to UV rays, the direct heat of the bulb and the harsh chemicals and debris a vehicle encounters on the road, your headlights are constantly being worn down, discoloured and scratched which creates the foggy or yellowed look
Cloudy lenses are not just a cosmetic concern; it can also be one of safety. Foggy headlights can greatly reduce the overall light output and road coverage of the bulbs. They can also reduce your visibility to other vehicles on the road, not to mention pedestrians. The less you can see at night, in fog or in harsh weather means more accidents, as foggy headlights can reduce the light output by as much as 50 percent
Yes, if the headlights are discoloured and foggy, your vehicle can fail an MOT
We can restore your headlights for you in a few hours.
We never use stock paint, which is almost never the same batch of paint that was used in painting the vehicle, and could, therefore, be visibly a slightly different colour. We use computer assisted mixing on-site to create a paint to match the panel we are painting, ensuring the best possible colour match.
Unlike many other repairers, we can and do provide repairs to metallic, pearl, mica and combination effect finishes.( 3 and 4 stage) .
The process should only take a few hours .We ask that all cars are dropped off to us between 8-8.30am, and we will call you in the afternoon when they are finished . If for any reason there is going to be a delay we would call and let you know.
Because we use the SMART repair process we can localise the repair, and if the damage is just on one corner of the bumper then using our technique we can keep the repair area to a minimum keeping it cost effective without compromising on quality .
It is impossible for us to price a repair without seeing the damage, as repairs can vary greatly from one vehicle to the next. So you can pop in and see us anytime during our working hours and we will give you an estimate . We can also price the repair by photos send via our website, email or WhatsApp. ( If on viewing the vehicle after giving a photo estimate, the damage is more extensive or on other panels, that are not visible from the photos , then additional charges would need to be applied, but we would discuss this with you before carrying out any repairs)
Yes we can.
First of all we would see if the scratch marks have broken the paint. If we find they haven’t then we can sand and polish the scratches out, without need to repaint the panels, therefore saving you money. This is always our first option.
If the scratches have broken through the paint, then we would have to re paint the damaged area, and re lacquer the whole panel, and adjacent panels in some cases.
When an act of vandalism takes place, the situation becomes less clear, than if it was a non fault accident. Car vandalism is considered an at-fault claim because the vandal is often unidentifiable, and your car insurer won’t be able to cover costs from them.
It’s better to check with your insurer as you are likely to lose some of your no-claims discount if you make a claim with some insurers, and it may be cheaper for you in the long run not to make a claim.
Yes we can. We us a state of the art paint colour matching system and with our retractable SMART repair booth , we will ensure you will never know the damage was ever there.
We can repair the side of your car in one day, unlike traditional body shops where you would lose your car for days on end.
We never use stock paint, which is almost never the same batch of paint that was used in painting the vehicle, and could, therefore, be visibly a slightly different colour. We use computer assisted mixing on-site to create a paint to match the panel we are painting, ensuring the best possible colour match.
Unlike many other repairers, we can and do provide repairs to metallic, pearl, mica and combination effect finishes.( 3 and 4 stage) .
If the panels which have been scratched have broken the paint and cannot be polished out then they can easily be repaired. The scratches are sanded down, filled (if needed) primed, resprayed, and blended as far as is necessary, again only painting the damaged area.
We can’t give you an estimate unless we see the vehicle, either in person, or by photos. The colour of the car and location of the damage will determine whether we have to blend the paint and lacquer into the next panel, and this all affects the cost.
This convenient process is performed usually within one day. We ask for the cars to be dropped off between 8-8.30am, and would then call you in the afternoon when they are ready for collection.
We never use stock paint, which is almost never the same batch of paint that was used in painting the vehicle, and could, therefore, be visibly a slightly different colour. We use computer assisted mixing on-site to create a paint to match the panel we are painting, ensuring the best possible colour match.
Unlike many other repairers, we can and do provide repairs to metallic, pearl, mica and combination effect finishes.( 3 and 4 stage) .
If we can remove your wing mirror cover , then we will do so , and you can leave the premises with your car , and we will call you when the case has been repaired.
If we can’t remove it, then we would repair the cover instead ( we would let you know before the repair is carries out, whether we can remove it nor not )
We can’t give you an estimate unless we see the vehicle, either in person, or by photos
Dent’s come in all different shapes and sizes.
These can be pulled out if the dents are large or deep or have damaged a curve in the panel like a wheelarch, they are then filled and painted. Smaller dents may need just filling and then a paintwork repair.
Like with all our repairs we can’t give an estimate until we have seen the damage in person as we would have to look at the size of the dent, and where about it is on the vehicle before we advised you of a price.
We prefer to try and save the panel, but in some cases this isn’t possible and we may habe to replace it. We would give you a price of the replacement panel before undertaking any repairs.
This convenient process is performed usually within one day. We ask for the cars to be dropped off between 8-8.30am, and would then call you in the afternoon when they are ready for collection.
We never use stock paint, which is almost never the same batch of paint that was used in painting the vehicle, and could, therefore, be visibly a slightly different colour. We use computer assisted mixing on-site to create a paint to match the panel we are painting, ensuring the best possible colour match.
Unlike many other repairers, we can and do provide repairs to metallic, pearl, mica and combination effect finishes.( 3 and 4 stage) .
Paint less Dent Removal(PDR) is a separate skill which is applicable if the paint is not damaged and the area is suitable for access for PDR. We have a number of dent specialists linked to our business please let us know your location and we will be more than happy to supply their contact number.
Yes. We will need authorisation by email from your insurer to proceed with the work. If you have been asked to collect quotes for repair work by your insurer, we will be pleased to assist.
Non-colour coded bumpers which have become scuffed or scraped can be repaired using a compatible filler which is then textured and finished with a matching colour to ensure the repair matches the original.
We can’t give you an estimate unless we see the vehicle, either in person, or by photos
