What is a bare metal scratch across multiple panels?

Bright shiny metal in the line means every layer is gone: clear coat, colour and primer. Nothing is protecting the metal along that line.

What kind of repair does it need?

Painting each panel it crosses, with the bare metal primed first, and blending into the panels beside them. On steel, rust can start soon. On aluminium there is less hurry, but it still needs sealing.

Class of work Multi-panel refinish, with bare metal to prime first.

Each panel is painted and blended into the ones beside it, with priming added wherever bare metal shows.

What to do next

This is where insurance becomes a real question. Put the repair price next to your excess before you decide. A claim costs your excess plus any effect on your premium and no claim bonus. On steel, seal the line with a touch-up pen now, while you wait for quotes. Ask for each panel priced on its own as well.

Sources

  1. Moneysmart (ASIC)governmentGenerally, if you're at fault and you make a claim, you'll either lose your bonus or it will be reduced.
  2. Moneysmart (ASIC)governmentGenerally, you have to pay an excess when you make a claim whether you're at fault or not.
  3. PPG GBpaint makertreat the surface with the correct metal treatment fluids and etch primer…
  4. Axaltapaint makerphosphoric acid wash primer (etch-…
  5. Repairer Driven Newstrade mediaBare aluminum exposed to moisture and oxygen forms a hard protective coating…
  6. BASFpaint makerBASF recommends blending into an adjacent undamaged panel whenever the panel…
  7. Chemical Guysproduct sellerIf you catch the scratch with your fingernail, it likely extends into the paint layer.

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Related

What is a light scratch on car paint? A light scratch sits in the clear coat or just into the colour. Learn how to tell the difference and what repair each one needs. What is a deep scratch on car paint? A scratch your fingernail catches usually improves with polishing, and only comes out fully if it is still shallow. Learn what to expect and when it needs paint. What is a scratch into the colour coat? A scratch showing your car's own colour, duller than the surrounding paint, has broken through the clear coat. Learn what repair it needs. What is a colour coat scratch across a panel? A scratch into the colour coat that runs the length of a panel needs refinishing. Learn what that involves and what to ask for.
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