Despite me always parking well away from the herd in supermarkets, on Friday some idiot parked so close that I had to shimmy sideways between the cars when I returned. I opened the door and tried to lean in, but realised I couldn't, so had to clamber in through the passenger side.

The problem is, as I leant in to try to get in the buckle of my belt gouged a scratch (on the rear door close to the front door handle). It's deep, about 30mm long. I can see white/metal/primer (the car is black) in the valley of the scratch.

Question is, what can be done? How do dealers treat these types of scratch?

Any and all advice welcome.

I'll try to attach a photo later

Probably worth taking it to a good body shop. I recently paid £180 to have a dent removed from the nearside front wing which included a repaint of the whole wing and also some scratches removed from the rear bumper which also required a repaint.
Don't know where in the Midlands you are but if you are anywhere near Corby there is a bodyshop I'm happy to recommend.

If you have the equipment and guts to do it

http://www.live2detail.com/showthread.php?...-Procedure

Could be wrong but it might not be as bad as you think as lacquer will always scratch white,
Genral rule of thumb is if you can feel the scratch with your finger nail is it wont polish out regardless of if it only been in the lacquer or not, With that said its possible you can put a shine back on the scratch its self which will take the white away and replace it with the shine it once had.
If your lucky and this is the case yes you will see the scratch when you look for it but it wont be in your face as it is at the moment.
Try a bit of compound and as your rubbing along the scratch keep checking your polishing cloth, If it remains 100% clean your in luck its only lacquer deep, If you see any colour on the cloth its time to get the paint out im afaid.

Hope that helps

To answer your first question 'how do the dealers do it'; there are two dealer options .
.
If the scratch is deep then the only way is to mechanically sand the door to base metal and fully respray the whole panel from scratch, (excuse the pun). If any attempt is made to fi the scratch and top spray then in time the filler will shrink and the scratch magically reappear as an undersurface blemish. This method is expensive.
.
The other dealer method for the sales forecourt is to use a franchise paint scratch repairer,( I'm not going go use any trade name). They use fast dry primer fillers and colours followed by a one pack laquer. This repair will look fine for say 6 months however expect to see the repair area after say 1 year as the paint degrades.
.
Main Dealer bodyshops use water based primers and colour then finish with two pack laquer which mimics the OEM factory finish and will last indefinite.
.
If your scratch is only a mere 30mm I would use a manufacturers paint stick/ tin of the colour and touch it in HOWEVER buy a quality artists sable brush and not the one with the touch up tin. Finish with laquer.
.
Please please don't dream of aerosol cans as you will end up with an almighty horror!
.
If it is only the 30mm then only you will know its there, you can always have it done properly at a later date.
.
Hope this helps. Kind regards from Fred.
. 2010GS Auto ex Celeb, Santorini Black, 2011 facelift , spoiler, spats, mudflaps, LED footwell lamps, Witter detach,
Other cars:-
1958 & 1959 Austin J40 Pedal Cars under restoration (I make many J40 parts)
If you have an Austin J40 or Pathfinder Pedal Car looking for a new home pls PM me.
2009 Meriva

I once had a SMART repair on the wheel arch/bumper on a previous car after giving it a small series of scratches (reversing the car into the drive trying to avoid the cat lying on the tarmac on the other side, sunbathing).

You wouldn't have known it had been done and after 3 years there were no changes in the paint work. The repair involved sanding, filling, spraying and top coating, blending it out on the curve in the bumper - this will need to happen somewhere, if your scratch is on the top curving edge of the door, only the top bit may need doing rather than the whole panel.

I had a recommendation via a neighbour, one of those guys who always knows the right person when you need a professional. I was very pleased with the final result. 2016 BMW X3 30d SE in red
MY2013 SD4 XS Firenze Red, 19" 10 spoke contrast paint wheels, Signature Strips, Grand Black Lacquer trim, Cold Climate Pack - gone!
2007 TD4 S Stornoway Grey - gone!

I gouged a really deep scratch into the guard above the rear wheel when I was shoveling and hacking mud out of the wheel well in the dark. I actually got one of those magic pens that draw along the scratch and make it disappear. It's not perfect but I don't notice the scratch now unless I really look. Nobody has said to me, look at your ugly scratch and they would have before. The other trick is to have a dirty car.

Thanks guys - food for thought.

As everyone says, part of the problem is I know it;s there so I see it every time I go to the car which gets to me.

I'm going to give it a month and see if it es me off as much then as now. If it does, I'll pay to get it sorted.

For Richard - I'm between Coventry and Rugby, so Corby a bit far, but thanks very much anyway.