First-time Clarity owner here. I purchased a pre-owned green 2018 Touring yesterday and was in the process of debadging the car of the three "Plug-In" badges. I was able to get two off painlessly and without a mark, but the third one on the plug door got a nasty scratch while I was taking off the leftover adhesive (attached below). The car is due for its ceramic coating next week and I would really like to have this fixed before they coat it. Is there anything I or Honda can do to touch this up before it is coated over? Home remedies? Body shop? Cheers
I got primer, color, and clear coat just to have on hand. Haven't actually used any yet even though I do have a scratch on it.
If you want it to look right, just pay a body shop to paint the plug door. Unless you have auto painting experience...If you’re the type of person who debadges a car, and believes in the benefits of ceramic coating, you are a bit a perfectionist...and that’s fine. But as such, I can almost assure you are also the type of person who will not be happy with the results of any DIY repair...
I tried finding a shop in my area that would just paint over a scratch. Every place I went to wanted to repaint the entire car so they could charge $5000.
I have painted a lot of cars, trucks and old tractors in my time, and I would just paint the charge door. A body shop isn't going to want such a small job.
I was involved in the auto body repair industry for 25 years. I can assure you replacing and/or repainting broken mirrors and fuel doors and door handles and moldings is routine, inexpensive, and fast. They don’t even need the car, much less need to paint the whole thing. Remove the part, and bring it to them with a Honda color code. Or have them remove it if you can’t figure it out. Never heard of a shop turning such a small job down. Certainly less than $100 most places, Expect maybe $50 in many. Benefit of paying a bit is an absolute perfect and professional result, and certainly no need to paint entire car. Petey, there is no such thing as a body shop “just painting over a scratch.” I would turn that customer down too. Entire panel needs prepping and sanding. And maybe entire adjacent panel too. So I don’t know where your scratch was, but depending on location, this is either a $50 scratch repair as OP is showing, but the identical scratch in a different location or different color it could just as easily be a $1000+ scratch I can’t deny. I see no point in taking time explaining the difference since it doesnt apply to this thread. But in summary location is everything when it comes to scratches and pricing due to detrimming needs, blending needs, etc. But I’m addressing this car, not yours. This is just a charge door on this particular green car. Yours was clearly in a different location than this. Or go ahead and DIY. Not my car so no skin off my back. Just expressing my expectations of end results. Many perfectionists regret home repair attempts like this. And many don’t realize how quick and easy and cheap this could be done by a body shop, since all damage is contained to such a small piece. Groves has experience painting...totally different for him. No doubt he could DIY with good results. But for a newbie? First time ever I assume based on his questions? That first run or fisheye is likely to bring regret. But I don’t know OP, maybe he is ok with imperfection. Maybe he’s a painting wizard. Only he can decide...
A very good auto detailing shop might be able to help with this as well and would be glad to do an overall car detail as well. Get your car perfect again!
You are correct, I have never painted a car before so I would much rather a professional job than a DIY touch-up. I'll look for a body shop in the area that is open. I am not sure how to take off the door but I am sure that one of you wizards here do. Thanks all!
Just take the car to the shop. A decent shop will quote a price somewhere less than $100, but maybe near there, take it off for you while you wait, and tell you to come back in a couple days after it’s painted and then they’ll reinstall as you pay and leave. Drive for a few days without a charge door while they paint and cure it. If they come up with crazy excuses or upsells, just say no thank you and move on to a different shop. Save time by calling ahead. There are certainly crappy and/or snooty shops who won’t welcome your small job. But some wills. And definitely don’t demand a price over the phone, that will always make a legit shop go a bit defensive and they will absolutely need to see it in person to quote accurately, but I do recommend you present the phone idea of them just taking it off and painting it while they have it in their hands and you get it a few days later. Those who talk in circles or balk or give you 100 excuses? No good. So just don’t visit them. Get a couple who welcome the idea over the phone. Those are the ones you want. Now just visit them and choose on your gut based on the visit and the exchange.
