Hi, I have an 87 GN that is mostly original with just under 40K. The paint is pretty good, especially for original. My car was "keyed" on thursday, and i'm wondering what the best thing to do is now. The scratch goes down the driver's side, almost all the way bumper to bumper. It's not so deep that it's down to the metal. Is it better to leave the car original and scratched, or should I have it repaired....and....if i have it repaired, to what extent should I go? The small area between the hood and the grill was repainted before I got the car, so that may also be a factor in deciding what to do. Please advise, I'm new to all this and don't want to do the wrong thing. thanks
MAN THAT SUCKS!!! Original paint is great and all, but I don't think too many people will care that your car has original paint when it includes a huge key mark. Also you mentioned the header panel already being repainted. You can try to find a good body shop in your area, ask them to look at it and see if it can be repaired and blended back in. If not... maybe plan on a repaint eventually.
Before you rush off and get the side painted, there are some great detail guys out there that can fix the scratch. Check out places like: detailcity.org/ autopia.org Do a search There are some really talented people out there who have fixed some horrendous key damage with a touchup brush microsanding and polishing. It is possible to fix without a repaint. You need to find the right guy.
thanks everyone for the comments. I searched around my area in Michigan and found a guy that is going to take a look at it and determine whether filling the scratch is feasible. If anyone has a comment on this place (www dot classicappreciation dot com) let me know.
