Severe damage to the varnish reduces the value of the car

While driving, your Focus is constantly exposed to «shelling» various foreign bodies. At high speed, small flying pebbles, even small grains of sand, act like shots on varnish. On winter roads, the front of the car and its hood are primarily at risk - you can hear how the solid components of the scattered substances knock on the body. But damage from stone impacts is not dramatic. Even a hit while parking with scratches and scars is also not a reason to panic. Such areas, as well as traces of someone else's varnish, are often simply removed with a varnish cleaner or abrasive polish.

Ford repair kit - practical after stone strikes

Many manufacturers offer to eliminate «small» stone damage practical repair kits. They are as easy to use as a bottle of nail polish. A common alternative is spot varnish, which can be used to fill in scratches from stone impacts with several coats. With standard lacquers and minor damage, wax crayons in the color of the car also help, although the wax film only lasts for a few car washes and then must be renewed. If you forgot the lacquer designation and paint code of your car, no problem, your Ford dealer will decipher the data using the numbered code on the vehicle's data sheet.

Timely repair of varnish damage

Do not ignore even the smallest damage to the varnish: rust will do its job in a short time - under adverse conditions (dampness, heat, or exposure to salt) even for several days. And if rust has been spreading unhindered for months or years, then the sad result will be large pockmarks or rusty holes. In this case, only costly repairs will help. We can talk about them as little here as about the larger body repair. For such work, we recommend that you contact the workshop. Experts will give you comprehensive information about all body work on the car.

Everything will work out with the right material

adhesive tape (use only material for professionals).

Newspapers or film for pasting.

Sanding block made of wood or cork for flat sanding.

Sanding paper with different grits for wet and dry sanding.

Spatula, putty mass and hardener. Spray putty for leveling small irregularities.

Primer as a basis for applying a new varnish. Covering varnish.

Lacquer cleaner, preservative, polish.

Elimination of damage from stone strikes

Using a thin needle or a watch screwdriver, remove the lagging edges around the perimeter of the varnish crater.

Carefully scrape off the rust with a sharp knife. After that, put a few drops of rust converter on this place and let it work for about an hour.

Now clean the damaged area with lacquer thinner and dry well.

Spray some reactive primer into the spray cap and then apply a thin layer with a brush or fingertip. Dry the reactive primer well.

Using the tip of your finger or a plastic knife, press a small amount of putty into the pothole, close to the surrounding lacquer surface, and let it dry. Immediately wipe off the putty stains on the varnish with a rag.

Carefully wipe off excess putty with a narrow strip of fine-grained sanding paper wound around the tip of a pencil. As you do this, rotate the pencil between your palms.

Spray some top coat on the lid of the jar and let it air dry for about 1 minute..Apply thickened varnish in a thin layer with your fingertip or brush.

Completely dry varnish (in summer about two days, in winter after five days) buff over a larger area with polish or lacquer cleaner.