Is it worth it...

[Bailes1992]

My car has a little road rash (totally normal considering it's a motorway cruiser) and some arse scratched the front of the bonnet. The scratch is very deep and about 12" long.

Now a smart repair I would expect to be around £75 - £100. Although most people will not notice it and it will be very hard to spot I will know it's there.

I've had a price of £400 to respray the front bumper, bonnet (inlcuding blending into the wings) and the rear bumber (Somone has slightly caught it on a wall).

But I'm racking my brains to work out weather or not it's worth the money to get it 100%.


Bailes.

[grasmere59]

i think you probably knew the answer before you typed out the posting,if you look at the scratches/chips everytime you clean it you need to get it done,if you can clean the car and they don't bother you in the slightest then leave well alone but knowing the way you keep your cars the former applies

[Bailes1992]

The scratch is really annoying me.
I can live with the road rash as it's a mileage/age related thing.

There is a small 3" scratch on the rear wheel arch and a small scratch on the bootlid. Neither of which are noticable so I'm not bothered.

The bump on the rear bumper I'm not worried about because it was there when I bought the car but it's something I would like done.

So for £400 I would get the roadrash fixed, the scratch and the rear bumper.

Hmmm, would love to get it done but it seems like a massive amount of money.

[grasmere59]

If you were thinking of having it done i would certainly wait till the spring/ summer when all the grit/salt and crap are off the roads or you'll be back to square one.

[Bailes1992]

If you were thinking of having it done i would certainly wait till the spring/ summer when all the grit/salt and crap are off the roads or you'll be back to square one.

Yeahh that's the plan! Get it tidied up for the Summer.
Haven't washed it since October

[lozz]

Iagree,wait till the better weather is here,
alot of the pro's have a spray booth /oven , but still id wait until summer,

with all the Ming coming off the roads you wont see much benefit until then,

[Welly]

I've always had about 6 decent 'chips' in the paint and lots of tiny tiny ones on the front 'apron'? anyway when the bodyshop was next door to my work (they've gone bust now) their top man had a looky for me and then explained that they would 'flat' the chip out and spray the whole panel I thought they'd kinda 'dob it in' and have something to smooth it over.

Now they did do fantastic looking finishes but I'm yet to see a car come out of a spray booth with as good a paint finish as it left the factory and THAT is what put me off, I think I'd be forever looking at the paint finish overall rather than the tiny chip it used to have I think bodyshops have to use water-based lacquer now and it's sensitive to all kinds of things to get a really good finish, I've seen some that look rippled/wavy or shadowy (especially Silver cars).

Not trying to put you off but I'd try to locate a real specialist and even pay a bit more for a top job.

Mate of mine had a Merc ML and that went in for some warranty work (rust )..........Four Times he took it back because the finish wasn't to his satisfaction, and that was a reputable repair shop, he sold it in the end

[Bailes1992]

I agree! I will be asking to see some finished products before I go ahead with it.
There was one guy by me who was superb! Paint was spot on! But he seems to have vanished

[rwb]

Well you've witnessed the results of my approach to bodywork care, so maybe I shouldn't say anything.

However, like Welly I can't help but worry that it'll never be right. And once you start with this sort of thing you'll be forever trying to keep up to it, and how will you feel when you get a new scratch/chip?
I'd wear a few battle scars rather than cover them up with make-up.

Maybe in a couple of years pick up a replacement bonnet?

[Bailes1992]

I've decided I'm going to get it done but I'm going to ask to see a finished product first.
Won't find any replacement parts because my colour is so rare.

[Welly]

I suppose you want a bodyshop that regularly do prestige stuff like Porsche's, Mercs etc....

[DaiRees]

That's why i never fixed minor damage in the back wing of the pug, just thought they'd never get the colour match and finish right, so i left it. Took it to a body shop once and the bloke was like "you don't really want that done do you???"

[Bailes1992]

The stone chips don't bother me in the slightest! Nor the tiny scrape on the rear bumper as I bought the car like it.


But the 12" scratch in my bonnet has be pulling my hair out!

[DaiRees]

Yeah I can appreciate that mate, I'm sure you remember the wife's Fucus getting keyed, or in case you can't here's a reminder.


Obviously that had to be sprayed, found a highly recommended paint shop and had to convince him to do it (waited months until he had a slot) and I've got to say that he did a really good job. I'm sure most people would never notice, but I can tell that it's been done

[Bailes1992]

How much did that cost Dai? Might be worth me popping up there for a quote! I don't mind travelling for a good job, but it can't be too dear either

Just managed to locate the guy who used to own a little bodyshop called Spraytek in Bridgend. He was awesome! Seems he's shut up shop and gone to work for a bigger bodyshop Still, sent him a message and see what he says!