WOULD you like to drive down your car repair bill?
Research shows we often don’t claim on insurance for damage that costs less than £1,000 to repair.
But if you get a light scratch on your paintwork, there are cheap fixes. Emma Stack from car dealership, Peter Vardy (petervardy.com) reveals some.
MELT INTO IT: “Candle wax can be a cheap alternative to car scratch wax. After the area is clean, rub the candle wax gently on the mark and the wax will cover up and seal the scratch. But this is just a temporary fix,” says Emma. Any unfragranced, colourless candle should work. Tesco has £2 versions or Ikea has 75p natural block candles.
IT’LL BE ALL WHITE: Emma says: “For light scratches, take a dry, soft cloth with toothpaste on it and rub the paste into the mark on the car body in a slow circular motion. Make sure it’s evenly applied. Rinse the area with clean water. If the scratch is still visible, repeat.” Whitening is supposedly more effective due to tiny abrasives in the paste. Oral-B Pro-Expert Whitening Toothpaste 75ml is on offer for £2, down from £4, at Boots.com.
SAVE: £2
THINK PINK: “The Pink Stuff is made of 99 per cent natural ingredients and has been described as a miracle cleaning paste with one TikTok user buffing away scratches in her paintwork using the stuff,” says Emma. It’s £1 at poundshop.com but grab it for 89p at B&M.
SAVE: 11p
WORK MAGIC: Emma says: “A magic eraser is made of melamine foam and acts as a very fine sheet of sandpaper. If your car is lightly scuffed, it can buff out the mark. Make sure you’re light-handed, though, as you run the risk of damaging the outer coat.” Pick up a pack of two Doktor Power ones from Asda for £2.97 or head to Tesco where two Flash Magic Erasers cost £2.50.
SAVE: 47p
UP TO SCRATCH: Emma says: “If your nail catches in the scratch, it could be too deep to treat with household pastes and may need a touch-up from a professional.”
SAVE: £1.25
- Prices correct at time of going to press. Deals and offers subject to availability.
Deal of the day
THE Tower cordless 3-in-1 vacuum cleaner is on offer for £99, down from £249.99 at tofs.com. That’s a huge discount.
SAVE: £150.99
Cheap treat
I LOVE the So…? Summer Escapes body mists. Pick up a bottle of Caribbean Soul (200ml) for £2.98, down from £5.99 at Superdrug.
SAVE: £3.01
