# My Sentra SE-R was "key'd" - options?



## whizler (Nov 22, 2003)

Some *()[email protected]# key'd the left side of my black Sentra, front to rear on the driver's side.

I took it to a Nissan dealer body shop and they want $1k to fix it. Basically, they just re-paint the entire left side.

Don't have the kind of cash to blow on that option. Was wondering what other options I have to get it fixed, from someone who'll do it cheaper, to a more "surgical" approach. I live in the Wash./DC area.

Thanks for any advice.


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## chimmike (Oct 17, 2002)

find a reputable body shop around town, they will likely charge a bit less than nissan.


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## Zac (Mar 10, 2004)

How deep is the keying? Is it all the way to the metal? How long?

edit: depending on the scratch itself, their is a lot you can do to get rid of it completey or reduce it to being barely visable.


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## Ruben (Oct 15, 2002)

Uhhhh, insurance?


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## vector03 (Nov 12, 2003)

I you never have it fixed it'll be the only thing that happens to the car....damn Murphy


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## UofS bolts35 (Jul 12, 2003)

try insurance depending on deductible. if not too deep, turtle wax color match works good on black cars with not so deep scrartches


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## Blank (Aug 21, 2003)

if it isnt too deep, meguires scratch remover is the hotness...


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## Zac (Mar 10, 2004)

GS27 removes some lighter and medium scratches with elbow grease. If it is a deeper scratch, you will need a variable speed rotary buffer (NOT an orbital buffer). You can cut the paint with a wool pad using the professional class of Meguiar's Heavy-Cut abrasive cleaner at medium RPMs. This will heat up the paint, close the gap and help eliminate the scratch. After using the abrasive, you will need use a compound cleaner with a foam pad, followed by a polish, and then a wax. The bottom line is you will need to use one type of abrasive or another to remove this scratch. The rotary buffer is the best tool a detailer can have if they know what they are doing, and the worst weapon if they don't. If done right, the scratch will disapear completely. If you have never used a rotary buffer before, you will want to get someone who has had quite a bit of experience to do this, otherwise, you will fuck up your paint. Good luck, and let me know what you decide to do.--Zac


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## Blank (Aug 21, 2003)

NickZac said:


> GS27 removes some lighter and medium scratches with elbow grease. If it is a deeper scratch, you will need a variable speed rotary buffer (NOT an orbital buffer). You can cut the paint with a wool pad using the professional class of Meguiar's Heavy-Cut abrasive cleaner at medium RPMs. This will heat up the paint, close the gap and help eliminate the scratch. After using the abrasive, you will need use a compound cleaner with a foam pad, followed by a polish, and then a wax. The bottom line is you will need to use one type of abrasive or another to remove this scratch. The rotary buffer is the best tool a detailer can have if they know what they are doing, and the worst weapon if they don't. If done right, the scratch will disapear completely. If you have never used a rotary buffer before, you will want to get someone who has had quite a bit of experience to do this, otherwise, you will fuck up your paint. Good luck, and let me know what you decide to do.--Zac


 dude, he obviously is a newb at buffing cause hes asking here, and his paint is BLACK!!! stay away from the rotary Buffer, swirl marks are not your friend!!! :cheers:


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## whizler (Nov 22, 2003)

Thanks for the replies guys. Really appreciate it. Gives me some ideas to explore. I wonder if there's a place in my area that specializes in this sort of repair.

I really don't know how deep the cuts are. They look variable. I think I'll try some ideas on one or two sections and see how it goes.


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## Zac (Mar 10, 2004)

blankgazex said:


> dude, he obviously is a newb at buffing cause hes asking here, and his paint is BLACK!!! stay away from the rotary Buffer, swirl marks are not your friend!!! :cheers:


If you get swirl marks on any paint with a rotary buffer, it was most likely a human mistake for setting wrong speed, using wrong pressure or moving too fast or slow. Then again, I have never worked black Nissan paint with a rotary buffer. Their are plenty of polishes that take all swirl marks away. Rotary buffers are the only tool that cause swirl marks, but also the only tool that can completely remove them.

As for the :newbie:, try a light abrasive such as Meguiar's Scratch X or GS27 by hand. If that doesn't work, find a good detailer and see what they can do. If they can't do anything, I pity the noob.


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## chimmike (Oct 17, 2002)

I never use a rotary buffer.........hand is the best way, period. First time I used the rotary was the first time I got swirl marks.


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## Zac (Mar 10, 2004)

chimmike said:


> I never use a rotary buffer.........hand is the best way, period. First time I used the rotary was the first time I got swirl marks.


Hand isn't the best. What speed were you using and what material where you doing the initial cut with? What chemical were you using? I am imagining you used a 9 inch pad? It is a multistep process. Using an abrasive to initially cut the paint does leave swirl marks, especially if you use a wool pad, in which you later remove with a swirl remover polish and a less harsh pad.

edit: also if it was your first time using a rotary which is harder to control than orbital or hand, swirl marks aren't that suprising.


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## Blank (Aug 21, 2003)

buffing by hand cant do anything compared to a rotary, you just gotta know what your doing... avoiding swirl marks is easy as long as your not trying to cut corners, keep the buffer level, not to much pressure, use enough compound, work slowly, keep moving...


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## acriml01 (May 12, 2004)

If the rest of your car's paint looks fairly new, then you might want to try touch-up paint. My car is black, and I had scratches on my door from some punk who banged it in a parking lot and drove off. I took it to a nearby body shop, and they touched-up the scratches with two coats, then color-sanded and polished the entire car for $150 including labor (they even let me keep the bottle of paint). I can't even tell where they put the touchup paint. My car looks almost brand new now. I know you're all probably gonna kick me in the groin for even mentioning touchup paint, but the best thing about black cars is that it blends in much better.


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## Jasper (Apr 2, 2004)

if your in MA, i have a cousin who owns a body shop, who has a talent for getting insurance companies to pay for damn near anything (has an appraiser in his pocket too)
if you get keyed, a scratch longer than 3 inches is covered by insurance i think (which is y if u really wanna f*ck someone over, you cover the car in tons of 2.5in scratches). might be diff lengths for diff insurances, mines 3in, i think your set with any length seeing where its the whole side of your car

i have the Dupli-Color scratch fixers (some minor dings and scratches, assholes at school opening doors into my car D:.) get the Super-Black one, use the pen tip. if u have a steady hand, you can repair scratches pretty well yourself. step1...strip wax...then use the scratch remover. i (then) used a 1400grit automotive sandpaper to even the paint to teh cars surface (so no bumps where new paint was). then rewax your car (i mean a niiice paste wax, that'll actually PROTECT your car)
i did it, a few times actually, and its worked very well for me


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## Zac (Mar 10, 2004)

acriml01 said:


> If the rest of your car's paint looks fairly new, then you might want to try touch-up paint. My car is black, and I had scratches on my door from some punk who banged it in a parking lot and drove off. I took it to a nearby body shop, and they touched-up the scratches with two coats, then color-sanded and polished the entire car for $150 including labor (they even let me keep the bottle of paint). I can't even tell where they put the touchup paint. My car looks almost brand new now. I know you're all probably gonna kick me in the groin for even mentioning touchup paint, but the best thing about black cars is that it blends in much better.


If you actually wet sand and buff the touch up paint, it looks fairly decent.


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## whizler (Nov 22, 2003)

Wow great advice! Thanks tons!


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