Hmmm, I understand, what you are thinking about, but G-Mann is not totally wrong. The paintwork is not the most important thing. And repainting can cause several problems:


- the costs (at least for something not really important). Premium paintwork-experts are expensive.


- the exact tone. This is not easy, even with a computerized colour-identification a lot can going wrong. This can destroy the whole impression of the car. And the value, too. More than the scratch.

I have problems with my K 70's paintwork. VW was not able to produce and paint good metallic-paintwork in the 70ies, so at my car it's getting worse year by year. And there is a very ugly paintwork-damage on the front hood's middle. Three years ago I let the car in a garage with a leaking roof. Rainwater, dripping through concrete is worst!
Two reasons made be hesitate for repainting (except the costs):
1. Every painting-professional has refused to make a partly repaint, because it's more than a lottery to catch the 100% original colour-tone (less that 100% looks like sh..) of a 36-year-old-metallic-paint.
2. I've recognized, that my car is one of the very last VW's of that age with a 90% original metallic colour. Repainted ones you can see masses of

O.k., yes, maybe not a perfect example, compared with your car, but perhaps you can see a little coherence. You wrote, that you want to keep your car for a long time...


- the quality of the work. Is the painterman a real crack and has a good reputation? Everyone can make a garage-cough.


- repainting really can lower the value of the car. Original is original. Repainted is repainted and will always be repainted.


- originality. Sure, this scratch happened due a bad situation, but at my cars, mainly my K 70, I am seeing it's scratches and minor damages as a kind of "live experience" and "scars of the life" (like my scars and other damages ).
When I see a little dent in the left back door I think more about my Sweden-vacations in 2000 and less about the Norwegian Saab-driver, who had opened his door careless on the ferryboat between Denmark and Sweden.
Some dirt of old tape on the right passengers door makes me think about our Scotland-tour in 2001 and that exactly at the parking-lot of the legendary Eilean Donan Castle I had to fix the window-mechanic with this tape from the first-aid-box.
O.k., this example is really not from me, it's from a friend. Really. The *ahem* dirt-spot on one seat is a souvenir from a closer *ahem* "talk" with a fantastic girl.


- at last something psychological/philosophical: do you know "Muphy's Law"?
I had this "fact" at least three times after repairing or changing windscreens...