So I went to take my car for a carwash, and some how the brush moved my little tiny XM antenna down a big putting a huge scratch (about 2 inches or so) on the rear of my car just above the right light. It looks pretty deep almost like someone keyed it. I can cover most of it with the antenna but some of its showing. Is my only option to fix this have the dealer do it?

 

What color is your car? You can get some touch up paint and a paint repair kit, sand it down, fill it and smooth it out if its deep, if its shallow (very white) don't bother with touch up paint and just fill with clearcoat and pollish. If you do it right, less than $30 and good as new, I had a few on the front from rock chips, I can't find them in good light. I also got keyed anlong the entire driver side, most is fixed but a portion on the bonnet I'm still afraid topolish enough so I'll have to pay to get that completely vanished.

 

Just curious: why is your XM antenna on the rear of your car (above the right light? as in tail light?)? They work much better on the roof.

 

Look into some of thr local "airbrush repair" outfits (Aerocolors is one I kno of)
The dealers even use and may have info for you.
Last month a Aerocolor rep and a "din Doctor cam to a Porsche meet that I attended.
Stone chips, small scratches wer GONE wit the artfull work and I saw some small det remaval as well.

My dad has a 57 speedster and had a 3 inch rub on the fender well (not down to metal)
They preped it, custom mixed the paint and, airbrushed it, about an hour later sanded/ polished it. You can NOT tell at all, cost $80

 

He's got a convertible...

 

Eek! Just hearing the "brush" part scared me. Sorry to hear about the scratch

 

Its a convertible so the antenna is thread out the back from the trunk. The color is pure silver. Where can you get a touch up kit?

 

If you could show a picture, it would help to see how deep it is.
I've had some pretty bad scratches on my rear bumper (self induced with a hose while washing the car ).
It looked pretty bad and I was ready to call my insurance company to have the bumper replaced...but I decided to give it a try myself.
I used those two 3M products:


It 's the same stuff professionasl use.
Take your time and use the Rubbing Compound on the scratch until it disappears. Follow up with the swirl remover, add a coat of wax and that should do the trick.
I removed all my bumper scratches that way. It works great. I wish I could have taken before/after pictures the result was so impressive...but I was too angry at the time...

Good luck!

 

This is what I found when I washed and waxed the other day. The longer scratch is about 1/2". The scratch is all white on my AB mini so motor on's comment "if its shallow (very white) don't bother with touch up paint and just fill with clearcoat and pollish" I dont get how it will look AB.

Any hints on what I should do to fix this. I am suprised how freakin' calm I was when i found it and how calm I am now about it. Minerva is my baby and I want her perfect! Thanks everyone!

 

Sorry about you scratch but "Lessons Learned": don't take the MINI to a carwash. Handwash the MINI.

 

http://www.autovisuals.com/

 

Stone chips repair undetectable? Any more info available on this process?