Introduction

During the exterior preparation and cleanup portion of the new vehicle preparation, a paint condition that requires more than simple polishing may be identified. Many of these conditions can be repaired without sending the vehicle to the paint shop.

SCRATCH:

SAG OR RUN:

DIRT:

ORANGE PEEL:

CLEAR COAT:

Minor paint problems such as light scratches, sags, runs, dirt, and orange peel can turn into costly repair bills if not handled properly. Because of the great number of highly metallic colors and the recent trend toward using a clear top coat, a simple, fast, and effective method of paint repair is needed.
The paint repair system illustrated in this pamphlet has three basic steps: 1) color sanding, 2) compounding, and 3) polishing. These steps don't sound new or dramatic, but the recent improvements in materials make the difference.

Each of the problems that can be solved by this process exists only in the top coat of the vehicle paint. If the problem can be sanded out before you get down to the primer, or to the color coat on vehicles having a clear coat, there will be no need to repaint the area. This will reduce the cost of the repair by saving time, labor, and materials.