Fixing a scratch on an Alfa 159 door.

SimonMaher

Hello all,

Bought an Alfa 159 to replace my old 156. Lovely car, nice spec and drives beautifully.

Anyway, car is parked outside the house and a kid scrapes the door moving a chair. Quite deep scratch just on the seam of the door by the handle. Tracked down some genuine Alfa touch up paint and put it on. Perfect but needed a lacquer. Used a small spray for it but typically it rained (funnily enough this summer!) and it looks ****e to be honest. Has a real matt finish to it and a couple of bubbles.

Now before I start sanding it down or giving a fortune to a bodywork guy to fix it up, have we any suggestions on the board? Should I just sand the lacquer off and re-lacquer it or do I need some more serious intervention? The touch up brush did a lovely job of filling the scratches and that is grand but now there is a reasonable sized area (the scratch was about 10 inches) with the matt look taking the colour off.

Thanks in advance,
Simon

Curran

Stick up a picture - will give people a better idea of what you are dealing with!
Sounds like a light wet sand and machine polish might sort it....but a pic or two will tell more!

SimonMaher

Curran wrote: »

Stick up a picture - will give people a better idea of what you are dealing with!
Sounds like a light wet sand and machine polish might sort it....but a pic or two will tell more!

Thanks Curran!

Have attached two photos - one a closeup and the second a wider shot. It looks like there is excess paint in the photos but its just where the lacquer has flowed down as if it was sprayed on too close or too much. Rest of the top bit of the door is just dull and a bit bubbly (lacquer only, not paint!).

Cheers,

Simon

http://www.flickr.com/photos/73399076@N04/7630033762/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/73399076@N04/7630033144/

Curran

Am I correct in saying that you used a touch-up kit on just the scratch, filled/painted it, and then you used a spray lacquer on just the area around the sctratch?

SimonMaher

Curran wrote: »

Am I correct in saying that you used a touch-up kit on just the scratch, filled/painted it, and then you used a spray lacquer on just the area around the sctratch?

Spot on. I did the filling and painting but didn't feel comfortable spraying on the lacquer so gave it to someone else to mess up for me . Oops.

Simon

Curran

But the lacquer was only sprayed on the scratch and not the rest of the door??

To me, it looks like the door was painted previously...if you look at the wider photo you posted - the whole door seems to be very flat and has alot of "orange peel", which would suggest its been painted, badly. Ive pictured and extreme case below - you'll see similar, less obvious on your door.




And in the close up shot, it appears as though a huge chunk of paint has flaked away from the impact.

Obviously its very difficult to say for sure, but thats how it appears to me!

Your location says Dublin, Im in Swords - if you are local and want me to take a look; shoot me a PM