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What
kind of damage does Scratch Master specialize in? |
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I
do high quality, fast repairs to minor damage that
does not require a full body shop.
Exterior: paint
scratches, bumper
scrapes,
door dings, mirror scuffs, hood chips, dents
up to basketball size.
Interior:
leather and vinyl seats, dashboards, and door panels:
color re-dye, worn spots, holes, rips, scuffs, cracks,
gouges, tears, stains, cigarette burn holes, discoloration,
punctures, scratches. |
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Are
you mobile? You come to me? |
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Yes.
I come to your home or work place rain or shine. |
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How
can you do it in the rain? Don’t you need a shop? |
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A
shop is not needed for minor repairs. My service van
has an attached retractable awning. It’s big enough
to cover an entire car. This awning will protect your
car from the elements and allow me to deliver a professional,
quality repair rain or shine. Guaranteed! If your damage
is major, I can assist you in locating a body shop in
your area. |
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What
if it’s breezy? |
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No
problem. If there is high wind speed, we may have to
reschedule. |
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How
much time does it take to make a repair? |
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Average
repair time is 45 minutes to 3 hours depending on the
severity of the damage. |
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Are
you certified? |
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Yes.
I am I-CAR certified in paint finish matching. Insurance
companies often require I-CAR certification for quality
assurance. |
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Is
your work guaranteed? |
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Yes.
All our work is guaranteed for as long as you own your
car. |
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I
have a brand new car. Can you really make my damage
look “like new”? |
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Yes.
I provide the finest services and products that surpass
the quality of most repair shops. Please see the “Our
Experience” page as well as “Our
Guarantee” page. |
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Should
I file an insurance claim? |
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Because
our rates are so much lower than conventional body shops,
most customers prefer to avoid a claim and pay the cost
of the repair themselves. The total bill often ends
up being less than your deductible, and everyone likes
to avoid a rate increase and a blemish on their claim
history. |
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Can
you work with my insurance company? |
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Yes,
if you decide to file a claim, I can assist you through
the whole process. |
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I
have a LEASE RETURN vehicle. Can you help? |
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Big
time. Unfortunately, by contract you are required to
pay for "excessive wear and tear”. Let me
fix those scratches and dents before the dealer or lease
company sees it. I can save you money since you receive
the cost benefit of a more efficient repair method.
Don’t pay more for traditional methods needlessly. |
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I
want to sell my car fast and for top profit. What should
I do? |
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Obey
Kelley Blue Book. Also, let me carefully inspect your
car for free. Please see my “Selling
Your Car” page. |
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Who
have you done work for? |
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See
the “My Experience”
page. |
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How
much money can I expect to save compared to what a conventional
body shop charges? |
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Because
of a more efficient process, you will save anywhere
from 20% up to 90% in rare cases (depending on the type
of damage). |
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Are
quotes free? Where do I call? |
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Yes,
all quotes are free and without obligation. Simply call
1-888-SCRATCH
for a phone “ballpark” estimate or send
in a request quote. Brian’s cell # is
253-732-0000 |
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I
have a scratch. Will the color match? |
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Yes.
I guarantee an expert color match. |
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How
does Scratch Master match the color? |
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I
can match your color to perfection. It’s simple.
Your car has a paint code that references its’
exact factory color. The Scratch Master has access to
the formulas or “recipies” for every factory
color . I simply look up the formula in my database
and then accurately mix the color by using a digital
scale that measures every drop to the 1/100th of a gram.
This is the same process used at dealers and auto body
shops. However, Scratch Master uses only premium quality
Spies Hecker brand paint. This “elite” brand
of paint surpasses the quality of most and is found
in the finest of body shops. |
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How
does Scratch Master fix a scratch? |
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I
use traditional body shop methods as well as non-traditional
methods such as “paint the scratch, not the
car” and “micro-repairs”.
Traditional
methods:
These
are the mainstream practices used in body shops and
I-CAR training manuals. I am I-CAR certified, experienced,
and know how to fix it “by the book” and
follow standard body shop protocol. This knowledge
is absolutely foundational, but these “rules”
are not always practical when performing repairs to
minor damage. For Example: The “Continuous Film”
rule. This is standard body shop protocol. Let’s
say you have a 4 inch X 4 inch scratched area on the
corner of your bumper. The rest of your bumper is
in perfect condition. The “Continuous Film”
rule says that when fixing this damage you must re-coat
the whole bumper in its entirety. And most of the
time you will have to remove the bumper from the rest
of the car. This “continuous film” rule
is how to do it “by the book”. It makes
sense when you have larger damage. But in the given
example, I believe in breaking this rule in order
to abide by a higher rule. I call this higher rule
“Save time, money, and your factory finish when
practical” I don’t have to repaint your
whole bumper again to fix it with excellence. I do
a micro-repair. But the catch is: the repair techniques
must be performed properly and with the highest quality
products available (which is the case with me.) For
a step by step guide on how I repair bumper scrapes,
see the next question below.
Non-traditional
methods:
I
use non-traditional methods and “higher”
rules, when I make a judgement call that traditional
methods are overkill. One of these higher rules is
“save your factory finish when possible”.
This rule says that in many cases, it is a higher
quality repair to just fix the chip or scratch and
leave the remainder of the original factory finish
untouched. Less is more. Part of the reasoning is
that your factory finish is the best finish your car
will ever have. Let’s say your car was in great
shape and a body shop offered to pay you $1000 if
you would allow them to repaint your car. You’d
be getting a bad deal because your car just lost value
and the new paint job isn’t quite the same as
factory. Also, problems can arise when your factory
finish gets re-coated. For one thing, these panels
can become more prone to blistering, chipping and
cracking. Have you ever seen a hood with a ton of
chips on it? I can almost guarantee it’s been
repainted. And besides, why waste time and money when
I know how to trim the fat?
I
believe it is a public disservice to offer the traditional
“paint the whole panel” approach in cases
when non-traditional methods are a better option and
visa versa. I will not withhold this information from
you, and you will reap the benefits. |
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Step
by step, how does Scratch Master repair a bumper scrape? |
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1.
Keep in mind I don’t repair large areas. It’s
a very clean operation.
2.
A surface cleanser (ammonia based) is sprayed on and
dirt is removed from the repair area.
3.
The same area then gets further cleaned with a scuff
pad, a quality wax and grease remover, and prep solvent.
This step not only removes all contaminants, it also
roughs up the existing finish so that it will permanently
accept the new paint finish. Careful attention to
detail is given to hard to reach edges and crevices
so that the paint will permanently stick without having
to remove your bumper.
4.
Now that the area is cleaned, I sand off the shallow
scratches and leave the deeper scratches.
5.
Clean off sanding debris.
6.
Hand apply a plastic adhesion promoter inside of the
deeper scratches. Let adhesion promoter flash dry.
The purpose of the adhesion promoter is it prepares
the deep scratches to receive or accept the scratch
filler permanently.
7.
Apply a fine, flexible polyester putty to remaining
scratches. Let dry. Sand smooth. Clean sanding debris.
8.
Mask off adjoining panels that are close to the area
being repaired so that no overspray will get on your
car.
9.
Spray adhesion promoter over remaining plastic that
was exposed by the sanding process. Let dry.
10.
Spray two coats of flexible high build primer over
repair area. Bake Dry with a short wave infra-red
heat lamp.
11.
While waiting for the primer to finish baking, I mix
your exact factory color (base coat). I use the finest
quality Spies Hecker brand auto paint. See above to
find out how I mix your factory color.
12.
Primer is then wet sanded smooth. Sanding dust is
cleaned off.
13.
I then take a temperature reading of the repair area
by using a laser thermometer. Next, I choose a reducer
that accurately fits the temperature of the repair
area and mix it into the base coat (color). This thins
the paint and makes it ready to spray. The base coat
gets strained, poured into the gun and is then sprayed
on over primer. On average this takes 5-6 coats to
fully cover the primer. Each coat must be dried before
applying the next one. Also, I keep the base coat
as close to the primered area as possible in order
to keep the repair small. As a side note, I use the
high quality Sata Mini-jet paint gun.
14.
Then I spray on a high quality clear coat over this
to give it a permanent shiny look. It blends in super
nicely with the rest of your bumper.
15.
Remove masking.
16.
Bake the clear coat when necessary.
17.
You have a top quality repair. You’ll love it.
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I
have chips & scratches all over my car. Can you
help? |
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Yes.
Although I am able to deliver a “perfect”
invisible repair, this process is usually impractical
when chips & scratches are on every panel. It turns
into a big job and gets kinda spendy. But I have a process
where I color-match directly into your chips and scratches.
You can still see the chip or scratch, but the color
of it matches your car now and it’s a very nice
improvement. It’s the biggest cosmetic bang for
the buck in this situation. Excellent value. |
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Do
you offer a paint guarantee? |
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Yes.
We offer a lifetime guarantee on the paint for as long
as you own your car. The color will match and the paint
will never peel off. |
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What
is Paintless Dent Removal? |
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Paintless
Dent Removal (PDR). This is the fastest, highest quality,
and most cost effective method in the world for fixing
minor dents. I use a specially designed board that casts
a reflective pattern on the dent, ding or crease. Then,
working from behind the panel, I use specially crafted
tools to give your dent hundreds of gentle and precise
pushes and “massage” the metal back to its’
original shape without bondo or paint. For more info.
See our "Dent Removal"
page. |
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What
are the advantages of PDR as opposed to traditional
methods? |
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The
most important advantage is quality. This is the closest
you can get to “like it never happened it the
first place”. I preserve your original, valuable
factory finish. And the result is, “Wow! It’s
Gone!”
I
save you valuable time since the average repair time
is ½ to 2 hours (not days like traditional
methods)
I
save you money since the average cost is approximately
50-75% off of traditional repair methods. My prices
are usually less than your insurance deductible. Avoid
a claim and possible rate increases.
Fact:
This process is so sensible, insurance companies have
adopted it as the “preferred method” for
repairing minor damage!
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Will
my dent pop back in after you leave? |
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No,
I guarantee it is completely permanent. |
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Can
every dent be repaired with paintless dent removal? |
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No.
While most minor dents can be removed by PDR, not every
dent qualifies. Especially in cases where the metal
is deeply stretched, twisted, or rippled. When I encounter
this problem, I can offer a traditional repair using
bondo and paint if the dent is relatively small. |
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What
size dents can be fixed? |
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I
fix dents that range from dime size to Basketball size.
The most common size dent is maybe the size of a golf
ball. |
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Do
you offer a “multiple dent discount? |
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Yes. |
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What
is "no drilling?" |
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As
a shortcut, many PDR techs punch and drill holes in
order to more easily gain access to the backside of
a dent. In many cases, the car owner is never informed
of this. There have been extreme abuses of this technique
where multiple holes (5-7) were drilled on one panel
and its’ integrity was compromised. Some insurance
companies have adopted a “No drilling” policy
because of these abuses from wreck-less PDR techs.
Here’s
my policy on drilling:
1. Most dents can be accessed without drilling. I
have the proper knowledge & tools and take the
extra time necessary to avoid drilling.
2.
If it is impossible to remove the dent without drilling,
or if a small hole will save you a significant amount
of money, I will always inform you of this beforehand.
The decision will be yours.
3.
All small holes will be carefully placed, professionally
rust-proofed, sealed, and plugged. They look like
they naturally belong on the car.
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If
you have any more questions or would like a free estimate,
call: 1-888-SCRATCH or
visit our online estimate
page, fill out the form and one of our trained
estimators will contact you usually within 1 business day.
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Lease
Return? | Selling Your Car? | Scratch
Repair | Dent Removal | Our
Guarantee | Our Experience
Onsite Inspection | Photo Gallery | Q
& A | FREE Quote |Contact
Us | Home
1-888-SCRATCH
E-mail:
Brian@thescratchmaster.com
Serving:
Algona, Arlington,
Auburn, Beaux Arts Village, Belfair, Bellevue, Black Diamond, Bonney
Lake, Bothell, Bremerton, Brier, Browns Point, Buckley, Burien, Carbonado,
Carnation, Centralia, Chehalis, Clyde Hill, Covington, Darrington, Des Moines, Dupont, Duvall,
Eatonville, Edgewood, Edmonds, Enumclaw, Everett, Federal Way, Fife,
Fircrest, Fox Island, Gig Harbor, Gold Bar, Granite Falls, Hunts Point,
Index, Issaquah, Kenmore, Kent, Kirkland, Lacey, Lake Forest Park, Lake
Stevens, Lakewood, Lynnwood, Maple Valley, Marysville, Medina, Mercer
Island, Mill Creek, Milton, Monroe, Mountlake Terrace, Mukilteo, Newcastle,
Normandy Park, North Bend, Olympia, Orting, Pacific, Port Orchard, Poulsbo,
Puyallup, Redmond, Renton, Rochester, Roy, Ruston, Sammamish, Seatac, Seattle, Shelton,
Shoreline, Silverdale, Skykomish, Snohomish, Snoqualmie, South Prarie,
Stanwood, Steilacoom, Sultan, Sumner, Tacoma, Tenino, Tukwila, Tumwater, University Place,
Wilkeson, Woodinville, Woodway, Yarrow Point, Yelm
©
Copyright 2006 Scratch Master. All Rights Reserved.
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