Thread: First off-road drive in my first Defender

I agree with the scratches, I have the same feeling about dust in hard to get places. Whenever I felt like it I used to look hard into the door pillars of my Rangie and the colours of layers of dust would remind me of where this magnificent vehicle had taken us.

JC

Ok so I'm getting the "keep the scratches, they're character" vibe here. Consider it done!

If I do get a bad one though, that goes through the primer, what's the go?

Bob

It is aluminium alloy so will not rust like steel panels do.

You can get yourself a touchup pen if you want to reinstate the colour.

No touchup pen will cover the hail damage

The Stealer will sell you the proper touch up kit. 2 little bottles a bit like the missus' nail varnish. The one is the actual colour and the other a clear coat to seal it. Little pricy for what it is, but it is the correct colour.
My stornoway grey 90 needed a bit of a touch on the one wing corner after a deep scratch from a rock thrown by a road train. I firmly believe in the scratches and character idea, but I also agree that some are just unnecessarily unsightly and need tidying up.

If they don’t have it in stock and they want to order it, just do it yourself from Duckworth’s in the UK. This is what any Land Rover dealer should be the world over!
http://www.duckworthparts.co.uk/landrover/index.html
Cheers!

Thanks Loubrey. I have a spray can of Stornoway Grey at home - would it be easier using this or the touch-up paint? I've never tried to use either before and don't want to make a mess of it.

I've got a scratch on the roof so I can probably practice up there first and then when I balls it up, cover it with a roof rack!

Carefull with the spray. I have only used it to "colour code" one or two small accessories that came in some unneccesarily bright colour.

Unless you have auto detailing/panel beating experience, spray cans are difficult to operate without messing up. The two part brush or pen sets works a lot better for individual deep scratches as you can "build up" a couple layers to get back to the surface.

Unless the scratches are through both the clear coat and colour coat (you'll see the white undercoat clearly through your colour coat) you'll do better to try and buff it out as suggested earlier. I would only go the paint route as very last option.

Right you are Loubrey. One of the scratches is definitely through the clear and colour coat so I'll get onto the Stealer or Duckworth's a call and get myself a brush kit.

Thanks for the advice mate.

scratches on the landy are like the wrinkles on my face; character lines

Means been there done that got the scars to prove it.