Save Money: Paint & Fix Your Car at Lowest Cost - Leased Car Return
I am not fixing the car body to look 100% perfect, I am trying to save your money by presenting the cheapest fix. If you don't fix the car, and you're leasing it, you will not pass an inspection and the lease company will charge you. This will end up costing more. So I'm trying to show you the minimum amount of money needed to pass the leasing company's inspection.
If the area is small you may use touch-up paint. However, it is unlikely the color will match even if the seller guarantees matching based on the color code. I will show you what to do if the paint you buy based on the color code does not match your car.
Conventional advice is that spray paint looks better. However, if you don't do a good job, you'll have a larger mess on your hands. So my approach is to experiment with touch-up paint first. If the color doesn't match, you can always remove the touch-up paint, change the color, and experiment again. You can always spray paint over the touch-up paint later on.
If you rarely work on auto body, there is also no need to buy a buffer. I will show you a DIY buffer using tools you already have. All the odds and ends that accumulate in your garage are not really junk!
Depending on the kind of scratches you have, I will show you different options for fixing your car (rubbing compound, repair pen, and clear spray). This will give you an idea of different costs, and help you save money and avoid waste.
I will also show you the effect of sunlight and shade during different times of the day, so don't be fooled by how the paint looks under different conditions, and don't waste your time and money trying to match the color perfectly.
Index
0:00 lowest cost to pass lease inspection
0:20 car lease return inspection charges
0:43 body puncture charge
1:04 remove front bumper & fix puncture
1:24 touch up paint color match problem
1:44 spray paint problem
2:07 make sure less than 2-inch dents
2:40 try touch up paint combined with paint removal
3:55 darker under different lighting angle
5:13 body buffing and DIY polishers
6:27 rubbing compound to polish
7:13 commercial polisher and rubbing compound
7:48 sand paper grit: P5000
8:08 3 cheap options: rubbing compound, scratch pen and clear spray paint
8:42 clear coat pen
9:48 paint on wheel hub caps
11:32 paint color under different sun light effect
13:00 final polish
To maximize your savings, you may also need to watch these two videos:
How To Repair Auto Body Puncture & Dent | Cheap and Easy