This type of leak is common regardless of the brand of car.

You will need to clean both surfaces but don't try to "file" the down. The goal is to clean out the pits, fill them with epoxy ( like JB weld ) and sand lightly to bring the epoxy to the same level as the metal.

When installing the gasket, it is a good idea to _lightly_ coat the area around the coolant passage with silicone sealer.