Minor car damage: fix it yourself or get it done by a professional?

  • Posted on
  • By Autoglas Concurrent
Minor car damage: fix it yourself or get it done by a professional?

The likelihood of sustaining car damage whilst driving in the Netherlands is around 4%. That may seem like a small risk, but when you see the cars on the road in the morning, you soon realise that there is a real chance you’ll end up with damage to your car. A minor scratch or dent often seems harmless, especially on older cars that have seen better days, but car damage is never a pleasant sight.

Go directly to:

 

In some cases, you can tackle the damage yourself with a touch-up pen, whilst in others it is wiser to go straight to a body shop. But in which cases can you easily repair the damage yourself, and when is professional repair – such as spot repair – the better choice?

When repairing car damage yourself is a good option

Tackling damage repair yourself can be a very attractive option, especially when the damage is minor, particularly on an older car (which is clearly no longer ‘as good as new’). Polishes, touch-up pens and repair kits can be found at your local DIY store, and you can also find plenty of options online to do the job yourself.

However, it is worth bearing in mind that the damage will never be completely invisible when repaired this way. Without professional materials and equipment, the area often remains dull, or the finish isn’t quite even, or there is a (slight) colour difference. If that isn’t a problem for you, then you can simply get to work on the damage to your car yourself.

Please note: this article relates exclusively to car damage such as paintwork damage and damage to the bodywork, such as the panels, and therefore not to damage to the car window(s). If you have a damaged window and would like to know more about this, such as when a damaged car window needs to be replaced, please visit our page on car window damage.

When you should not attempt to repair the damage yourself

There are a number of situations where it is better not to attempt to repair the damage yourself, such as:

  • Your car is new or otherwise still completely intact and you want to keep it that way;
  • The damage is extensive or goes deeper than just the paintwork;
  • You want the car to remain optimally protected against rust, for example.


If you want to be sure that the car will look perfect after the repair, for example because it is an expensive, new car or a company car (or simply because you take good care of your car), then you should opt for professional damage repair. It costs more, but the result is also significantly better.

Repair shops do more than just repair the visible damage

When you opt for damage repair by a specialist, they look at the bigger picture – not just the surface damage, but also any damage beneath the paintwork. Professional tools and equipment are then used to repair the car, after which the correct colour codes are applied to restore the paintwork.

This ensures that the repair is of high quality and complete, which in almost all cases means that it is barely noticeable that the car has been damaged. And since any issues beneath the paintwork are addressed immediately, this area does not become susceptible to rust, as that is something that can lead to much higher costs in the long run.

How spot repair works for minor damage

There is also a middle ground between doing it yourself and extensive bodywork repairs, and that is spot repair. This is a method where only the damaged part of the car is treated, rather than the entire panel on which the damage is located. This makes spot repair much cheaper. These treatments are mainly chosen for scuffs, scratches and minor parking dents.

For this type of minor damage, spot repair is a more logical choice because the work is carried out precisely on the area where the damage is located, and the specialists ensure that the colour blends seamlessly, meaning that larger sections do not need to be repainted, which is much more expensive than localised repair.

Weigh up the costs against the results

The best option for your situation depends on a number of factors, including the age and condition of the car, your budget and your personal preferences. Doing it yourself can be appealing if the car is older or if you don’t have high expectations, but bear in mind that there’s a good chance the result will be disappointing, which could be frustrating and even make it harder to sell the car later on (after all, it’s clear that the car has been damaged). That is why professional damage repair may well be the better option, or at the very least something you should consider before you start working on it yourself with polish and touch-up pens.