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Scratch and key mark repair in Stoke-on-Trent

Scratches and key marks, gone.

From light scratches to deep key marks down to the metal, repaired and blended so you can’t see where the damage was. All done in our Longton workshop, Stoke-on-Trent.

✓Price agreed up front✓Same-day repairs on most vehicles✓Lifetime paint warranty
Scratch and key mark repair on a blue car
✓ Lifetime paint warranty✓ JLR Level 3 qualified✓ Price in 4–5 hours✓ Workshop in Longton✓ Pay on collection
ABOUT SCRATCHES

Not all scratches are the same

Scratches come from bushes, bike handlebars, careless car-park moments and, unfortunately, keys. How we fix them depends on how deep they go.

Light marks in the clear coat can sometimes be machine-polished out. Deeper scratches need filling, priming and painting, then blending into the panel so the repair disappears.

If a car has been keyed along several panels, we price each panel so you can decide what to do, including whether to go through your insurance.

Audi A7 door scratches before repair
HOW DEEP IS IT?

The layers of your car’s paint

Clear coatThe glossy top layer that protects the colour. Light scratches here can often be polished out.
Base coat (colour)Your car’s colour. If a scratch reaches this layer, it needs repainting.
PrimerHelps the paint stick and protects the metal. Grey or white showing? It needs a repair.
Bare metalOnce you can see metal, rust can start. Fix it quickly.
The fingernail test

Run a fingernail gently across the scratch. If your nail doesn’t catch, it’s probably only in the clear coat and may polish out. If it catches, it has gone into the colour or deeper and needs a paint repair.

All of these layers together are only about 0.1mm thick, which is why even a light key mark can reach the primer.

Not sure how deep yours is? Send us a close-up photo and we’ll tell you.
WHY FIX IT NOW

Why fixing scratches now saves money

Bare metal rustsA scratch through to the metal lets moisture in, and rust spreads under the paint around it.
Dirt makes it worseOpen scratches collect dirt and road salt, which makes the edges harder to repair cleanly later.
It spoils the whole carA single long scratch makes an otherwise tidy car look neglected and pulls down its value.
Lease companies charge for itScratches over 25mm, or any showing primer or metal, are usually charged at hand-back.
GOOD TO KNOW

Scratch repair facts

0.1mm
Roughly the total thickness of a car’s paint, primer to clear coat.
Source: Wikipedia, Automotive paint
25mm
Typical longest scratch allowed as fair wear and tear on a lease car, if no primer or metal shows.
Source: BVRLA-based lease guides
5–15%
How much cosmetic damage can reduce a car’s value, depending on severity.
Source: CAP HPI, as reported by Smart Fix Autos
OUR WORK

Scratch repair before and after

Audi A7 door scratches before repair
BEFORE
Audi A7 door scratches repaired and painted
AFTER
Audi A7 · door scratches repaired and painted
Audi A7 doors masked for painting in our Longton workshop
DURING
Audi A7 doors painted in the booth
AFTER
Audi A7 · doors masked and painted in the booth
QUESTIONS

Scratch repair questions answered

See all FAQs →
Can every scratch be fixed?
Almost always. Light ones may polish out; deeper ones need filling and painting. Send a photo and we’ll tell you which.
My car’s been keyed on several panels. Can you help?
Yes. We’ll price each panel so you can decide, and some owners claim it on their insurance.
Will I see where it was repaired?
No. We colour-match and blend the paint so the repair disappears.
Are touch-up pens good enough?
For tiny stone chips they can help. On longer scratches they usually leave a visible line, and they don’t stop rust once metal is showing.
FREE, NO-OBLIGATION PRICE

Get your scratch repair price

Send a close-up of the scratch and a photo of the whole panel. We’ll reply by email or WhatsApp within 4–5 hours with a price and a date.

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