You've probably heard of crazy stories where people use a hair dryer, dry ice, or maybe even a vacuum cleaner to fix a dented area on their car, but which methods actually work? Some methods are high-risk and will cause more damage if you don't do them correctly. 

Elgin CDJR is here to suggest some ways on how to fix a dent in a car or how to fix scratches on a car by yourself if they are minor issues. Leave the major repairs to the experienced service technicians at Elgin CDJR! Find out the various methods to fixing the dent in your car or scratch on your car below, so your Bartlett ride can look its best once again.

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How To Fix Scratches on Car at Home

If your car has some minor scratches and you're not in a hurry to get it fixed immediately for good, then you can learn how to fix scratches on your car. Keep in mind that the following methods are temporary fixes and if you want permanent scratch repair and get your car back to like-new condition, you will need to go to professionals! 

Candle Wax

Rely on the candle wax to fix the scratch on your car for a short period of time. Clean the area and then slowly and carefully rub wax to seal the scratch. This should buy you enough time until you can go to a service center near South Elgin. 

Super Glue

If you don't have candles at home already, you probably have super glue! Use super glue to hide the damage temporarily. 

Paint Polish/Rubbing Compound

If you want to buy more time than the candle wax or super glue method, try a light polish with a less abrasive foam pad and only use higher-grit polishes or compounds if the current polish isn't fixing the scratch. For this method, any overdoing can only cause more damage to the surface of your car, so you want to approach fixing the scratch carefully. Don't want to overdo it? Get it repaired by a professional! 

Wet Sandpaper

Similar to the paint polish method, you should also approach this method carefully as wet sandpaper is even more strong than paint polish. Wash your car first and then rub over the area with a 2000-grit wet sandpaper to remove any shallow scratches. Once the scratch is almost unseeable, follow up with a rubbing compound that is less strong. Finally, apply a coat of wax or paint sealant to protect the area.

Touch-Up Paint

If your car has deeper scratches and you want to stall some time, you can use touch-up paints to hide them temporarily.

Learn more about how to remove paint scratches on your vehicle. 

How To Fix A Dent in a Car at Home

Similar to scratches, leave the worries about how to fix major dents in a car for the experts. However, if you have small dents, we can tell you some straightforward ways on how to fix small dents in your Elgin ride. If these methods don't work, it is probably a sign that you need professionals and not more complicated ideas involving suction cups and compressed air! Take a look at the following methods. 

Plunger

A car dent plunger or even the one from your bathroom is how most drivers fix the small dent in their car. Use it to pop as well as even the dent out. 

Hammer/Mallet

Maybe you used the plunger and got most of the dent popped back out, but there's still some dent left. You can try a hammer or mallet on the opposite side of the dent when you have a towel (preferably a microfiber towel for extra protection and softness) or something equivalent in between. A hammer should do the trick for minor dents while a mallet is needed for larger dents. 

Dent Puller

This method is for those experienced with using a dent puller. You will need to drill a hole in the dent, so you can lace the wire through that hole and then pull the dent back to surface level. Then, you will need to fill the hole, sand the surface down for evenness, and add paint as well as a sealant.

Let the Experts at Elgin CDJR Make Your Car Beautiful Again

Whether the issues need more than a quick, temporary fix or you don't want to add more damage to your car, come by our Streamwood location and our service experts can get your car back to looking like-new again. If you're worried about the cost, Elgin CDJR has service specials and financing for services and parts available! Schedule an appointment today and we can remove those scratches, whether they are just surface scratches or deep scratches, or get that hideous dent removed.Â