Parking dents and scrapes: fix them before they get worse

Shopping centre car parks, the narrow streets of the villages, the angled bays in tourist areas... Parking damage is the most common thing we see at the workshop. It is rarely serious, and that is exactly why people tend to put it off. The trouble is that small damage does not always stay small.

The most common knocks

• Scrapes on the corners of the bumper, front or rear, from manoeuvring against a pillar or a high kerb.
• Door dings from the neighbouring car's door or a shopping trolley.
• Scratches on wings and sides from passing too close to a wall or another car.
• Scuffed door mirrors or broken mirror housings.
• Side skirts and lower bumper edges marked against the kerb.

Why they can get worse

A scrape that only marks the clear coat has no consequence beyond looks. But many parking knocks lift or crack the paint, even at a very small point. That is where the trouble starts:

• On steel panels, if bare metal is exposed, the humidity and salt in coastal air encourage corrosion. At first it is a speck of rust; over time it can creep under the paint and lift it all around.
• On plastic bumpers, cracked paint lets in water and dirt, and the edges tend to peel more and more, especially under strong sun.
• Dents that have stretched the metal may have cracked the paint inside the crease, even if it cannot be seen from outside.
• The clips and brackets of a bumper that has been hit may have come loose or broken, and the bumper ends up sagging or rattling.

What's more, the longer you wait, the harder and usually more expensive the repair becomes: damage that could have been fixed with dent removal or a touch-up may end up needing sanding, rust treatment and a full panel respray.

What can be done, depending on the damage

• Surface scratches: often greatly improved with polishing.
• Dents with no paint damage: in some cases they can be recovered with paintless dent repair, which keeps the original paint.
• Scraped or cracked bumpers: plastics can often be repaired rather than replacing the whole part.
• Chipped paint or bare metal: the area should be prepared, treated and repainted, matching the colour to the neighbouring panels.

What to do in the meantime

If you cannot bring the car in straight away, at least wash the area with water and mild soap to remove salt and dirt. Avoid rubbing with abrasive products or trying to sand it yourself. And take a photo of the damage: it will help you see whether it is spreading, and you can send it to us if you ask for a quote on WhatsApp.

If someone hit your car while it was parked and you know who it was, remember it may be a claim event covered by their insurance. In that case, it is worth filling in the accident report form or at least taking the other driver's details.

If you have a parking dent waiting to be fixed, send us a few photos or drop by in Las Chafiras and we will give you a free, no-obligation quote. You can also see how we work with private customers and our dents and dings service.