Sometimes, a scratch or scuff on your car's bodywork is just too deep and wide to be able to use a paint repair kit, and the panel may need respraying instead.
However, if money is tight and you simply can't afford to have it done professionally, or your car isn't worth spending that kind of cash on, the other option is to do it yourself. We're talking aerosol cans here, and not a compressor and paint gun.
Daunting? Yes, but it can easily be done to a level where it at least looks much better than a nasty gouge running across the bodywork.
Some panels will be harder to spray than others, so be wary of the task ahead. A large area like the roof, bonnet or boot lid, for example, will be extremely hard to tackle and will require some good skills to do a good job. Unless you really don't care too much about the outcome, I'd recommend taking it to a professional to have sizeable areas like those spray painted.
Getting the correct paint colour match is absolutely essential, and while you're working to a budget, there are still lots of places out there who can mix cans of paint to the exact specification of your car by using the paint code, and they'll be pretty much close price-wise to the generic ones available from nationwide motoring stores. Oh, and it'll likely be a much better match than using theirs too.
There are plenty of videos on YouTube on how to prep and spray your car, so take your pick. I like this one, simply because it's fun and easy to follow:
https://youtu.be/LHA0jhp3CSM
If you don't have a garage, or one big/tidy enough to pull the car into, or the weather is looking bad, it's probably best to remove the panel and find somewhere under cover and well ventilated, to do the job.
This is a guide on how to do a basic spray job, and not one on how to fill in/repair dents and really deep scratches, although there are plenty of YouTube guides on how to that as well.
Equipment you'll need

- Tools to remove the panel, if necessary
- A dust mask or filter respirator
- Sanding/grit paper in varying grades (600, 1,200, 1,600 etc). If you're not sure which you'll need, ask the paint shop which grit grades they recommend using on the bodywork.
- Degreaser
- Masking tape & masking paper
- Primer paint
- Basecoat paint
- Clearcoat spray
- Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh.
- Press the space key then arrow keys to make a selection.

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