I live in Chicago. I own a 2011 Honda Fit. The exterior of my car’s front passenger door has just been scratched - a small but deep scratch which punctured the surface in one place. Is the scratched/punctured site more vulnerable to rust? I wonder if I should make this fix a priority with winter coming. I do not have covered parking and I want to retain as much resale value as possible. Otherwise, the cosmetic flaw isn’t a big issue to me presently.
It really depends on how deep…If to the metal then yes…but if there’s still paint then it shouldn’t rust.
I’d get a bottle of touchup paint from the Honda dealer and paint it, just to be sure there’s not a problem.
With a puncture, you really should try and get it sorted out. It’s also a way for moisture (snow, dirt, road debris) to get into the door itself (quicker than the door can drain it away), where it can play with the electrics, locks, and such.
If you can’t get it done now, you might want to get some sandpaper, filler, and patch over it, then spray it with a can of something until you can get it done correctly.
To answer your question: Yes, it will rust quicker right there.
Thanks everyone! I will see about getting it fixed asap.
By ‘punctured the surface’ do you mean went clear through the metal, an actual hole? That has to be fixed ASAP, if so.
On a new car, get a bottle of the factory touch up paint pronto. There is the primer, then color, then the clear coat. If it has just scratched the clear and not gone into the color coat, its not so bad and might be able to be buffed out. If it is into the color coat or deeper into the metal, it needs to be covered right away. Color coat is not a finish coat and can’t stand up to the elements. Bare metal can start to rust overnight and once that happens its like a cancer and hard to stop. You should have a bottle of the touch up paint anyway for any small chips in the paint.