Auto body repair & detailing: 2001 volkswagen beetle, vinyl repair kit, auto parts stores

Question
I have some deep scratches on the dash of my beetle.  There is some kind of vinly coating on it and this is what has been scratched.  Is there anyway to repair this or make the scratches less noticeable.  It is black.  Thanks, Becky

Answer
Becky, dash boards and other interior trim pieces are one of the hardest things to repair. They do make repair kits and most auto parts stores carry them, just ask for a vinyl repair kit and they should know what you're talking about. I've made several repairs using those kits and I'll warn you up front that you need to read the instructions thoroughly and follow them to the tee. Secondly, vinyl repairs are difficult to make look good so don't be too hard on yourself if you get it done and don't feel like it looks very good. It will be impossible to make the scratches disappear completely, the best you can hope for is something that's less noticeable. Sorry I don't have better news for you, but that's about as good as it gets. There are professionals out there and you  may try getting ahold of one of them and seeing what they say about price and how confident they are that they can make the repair. Thanks and good luck.