Mobile 'paint repair' limitations.....?

sevenfourate

Devotee of OCD
Paid Member
I've had two very small marks on my bonnet since i purchased. One is a very small 'scuff' approx 4mm x 4mm square and still has undercoat showing. Looks like a stone has grazed it.

The other is approx 1mm wide and 6/7mm long and has made a very slight depression in that area. Again from a stone strike i'm sure. In saying that if either were much less marked - they would hardly be visible.

I had a quote from my normal paint guy on Friday of £250 for cash to completely respray the topside. That was me bringing just the bonnet to him as he wouldn't have me leave my car there :tearsofjoy:

Its since occured to me - this might be a prime example for one of the mobile 'chaps' who would do with ease. I think.

Does this sound within the scope of one of the many mobile paint repair guys out there ? Anyone had any good experiences ?

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I used Chips Away when my wife scraped a wheel arch on the garage door frame backing her Civic in a few years back. The finish was fine at first, but 3 or 4 years later it didn't look quite right. Metallic silver paint. Hard to describe really, but just a bit "off". Most people wouldn't notice, but a car guy such as you or I would see it every time you walked over to the car.
 
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I used Chips Away when my wife scraped a wheel arch on the garage door frame backing her Civic in a few years back. The finish was fine at first, but 3 or 4 years later it didn't look quite right. Metallic silver paint. Hard to describe really, but just a bit "off". Most people wouldn't notice, but a car guy such as you or I would see it every time you walked over to the car.

Interesting; and i understand that bud. And having just spoken to my old man (As i knew he'd had a mobile repair done a few years ago).......he said the guy he used was very unsure about exactly matching the shade on his car back then.

But the alternative is the possibility of having a whole panel in the 'wrong' shade. Which may actually be right. But time, sun, UV and a little polishing :anguished: might mean that it now stands out against the rest of the car.

Not easy.......
 
Interesting; and i understand that bud. And having just spoken to my old man (As i knew he'd had a mobile repair done a few years ago).......he said the guy he used was very unsure about exactly matching the shade on his car back then.

But the alternative is the possibility of having a whole panel in the 'wrong' shade. Which may actually be right. But time, sun, UV and a little polishing :anguished: might mean that it now stands out against the rest of the car.

Not easy.......
I'm trying to think how to describe it. Kind of like the small area repaired didn't quite have the sheen of the rest of the car. No issues with colour matching or the repair standing out initially.
 
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We had a black Peugeot repaired around 8 years ago. Little bit more damage than you’re describing but it was an excellent job by a mobile independent. We sold car after a couple of years so can’t comment on long term like Johnny.
Only thing you might be hard pressed to find is any bugger who wants to do it!! One look at the shine on your motor will have most of them running for the hills lol.
Good luck anyway..
 
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Cheers for your experiences @Big Ben

I’ve Googled local folk and sent 3 emails and one text with pics and my explanation of the damage.

See what comes of that....
 
You're probably best filling it with a touch up pen and shaving the excess off with one of these.
http://www.raceglaze.co.uk/ultimate-blade/paint-run-removal-ceramic-ultimate-blade/
More details on detailing world

I see you posted there too :blush:

Cheers.

What i'm best to do is leave it alone ! I've painted plenty of bike / car parts over the years. But blending this in would be a whole 'nother level. The possibilities for fuck-ups and frustration right there are endless.....

Horses for courses and im deffo leaving this to the 'Professionals' / semi Professionals / someone else !
 
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Cheers.

What i'm best to do is leave it alone ! I've painted plenty of bike / car parts over the years. But blending this in would be a whole 'nother level. The possibilities for fuck-ups and frustration right there are endless.....

Horses for courses and im deffo leaving this to the 'Professionals' / semi Professionals / someone else !

Fair comment :good:
 
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Cheers.

What i'm best to do is leave it alone ! I've painted plenty of bike / car parts over the years. But blending this in would be a whole 'nother level. The possibilities for fuck-ups and frustration right there are endless.....

Horses for courses and im deffo leaving this to the 'Professionals' / semi Professionals / someone else !

I’m handing my car over the my cousin for a couple of weeks to finally give the Chipex kit I bought for a few stonechips! I have a nasty one on the quarter panel, and the lining of the bonnet where it meets the latch, so I’ll be sure to get a before and after (intrigued how the results will be with LY!)

Can’t really give comment on mobile repairs, what do you feel most comfortable doing? Leaving it and knowing the defect is there (but still looking amazing!) OR having the work done with a tad risk on a fuck up? It’s a difficult one!

I did see a pristine LY bonnet for sale on eBay last year which I wish I’d have had! What’s the odds on sourcing a RB one!
 
I’m handing my car over the my cousin for a couple of weeks to finally give the Chipex kit I bought for a few stonechips! I have a nasty one on the quarter panel, and the lining of the bonnet where it meets the latch, so I’ll be sure to get a before and after (intrigued how the results will be with LY!)

Can’t really give comment on mobile repairs, what do you feel most comfortable doing? Leaving it and knowing the defect is there (but still looking amazing!) OR having the work done with a tad risk on a fuck up? It’s a difficult one!

I did see a pristine LY bonnet for sale on eBay last year which I wish I’d have had! What’s the odds on sourcing a RB one!

Good luck to your cousin for that Ross. Is he 'in the game' so to speak ?

Not a single reply back to the 4 messages sent yesterday. Good start. Everyone's obviously desperate for the work :smirk:

I did have this pearl of wisdom given to me though. And in respect of this answer - it will be even more interesting to see what any replies back promise.....

"I'm an independent smart repairer, have been since 1999, and a painter in a bodyshop for 12 years before that. All a smart repairer can realistically do on a bonnet is touch the chips in. It'll be an improvement but it's not something that's going to disappear completely unless you have the whole panel re-painted in a bodyshop.

I always explain to customers that we can respray vertical panels without any problem, but I won't paint any large horizontal panels, bonnet, top part of boot, roof etc".
 
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That really is a pearl of wisdom, and you can’t argue with almost 20 years experience...

It’s off putting that you’re not getting much luck in terms of responses, you want someone that’s enthusiastic and somewhat understanding of how you feel for the car!

My cousin’s hobby is detailing and bodywork. He’s attended some courses, and his eye for detail on cars is up there! He did a cracking job on machine polishing out the scuff I acquired a year or so ago (still being left with the dent!)

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In your position currently it’s an awkward one! I’m guessing the independents feedback will put some hesitancy on having the full panel worked one? A touch up is sounding like the best approach but can you live with it how it is currently?
 
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I had the bonnet damaged years back on my pearlescent monaco blue 172.
I had a brand new bonnet supplied fitted and painted by the Renault approved bodyshop in a little village called Leadenham in Lincolnshire (Troops Bodyshop)

Most importantly on that colour, they used the proper Ixell paints used by Renault and it came out really well, barring a few holograms and light swirls from insufficient refining.

Thats when I got in to detailing, the mrs imported me a Porter Cable 7424 from Autopia in the states.
I corrected the bonnet, and the rest of the car, and have done similar to every car I've bought since. Black MINI and black Z4 being favourite turnarounds.

Looks like its going to be a bodyshop job Shuv.
Count your pennies dude. :relaxed:
 
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Mobile or bodyshop - they are only as good as the painter. My wife's car was getting a windscreen fitted and the fitter dropped the screen and chipped the roof and bonnet, not too bad but I wanted it put right. I told them the bodyshop I wanted it painted by as I had used them in the past and they were very good. Turned out the painter who worked there before had left and the paint job was seriously under par. We were selling the car soon after that so weren't really too bothered but if that had been my cash it would have been straight back in. I know like me you are very particular about your car but maybe this would be better left as it is rather than a whole panel you're not happy with.
 
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Cheers @JMR and @LOCKE

Maybe there is no shortcut to repairing what on face value are two really minor spots. Happy to go in full bore; but still not convinced I know the place for even that at this point.

I do now have one Mobile guy coming around to assess. Former bodyshop guy - so his assessment will be interesting and educational I’m sure :smile:

Leaving alone is another option Colin. It’s seriously minor and hasnt marked me beyond belief in 2 years. There’s more odd small marks of course: it’s a 7 year old used car. So not like ‘this’ alone would make it 110% perfect as such....
 
As a mobile smart repairer

If we got a call out to have a look at this, we probably would not touch it. (we would just offer a touch up as CHIPEX does in a can) but if the car was a lease or getting sold then the touch up would be recommended to save the ££

Local price from a Mobile Repair would range between £90 - £150 depending on Area location
  1. Bonnet is a big surface - Most Mobile SR only work on small to medium panels and would exclude bonnets and roofs. Doors and boots are different, depending on the colour as well.
  2. Some Mobile SR will take the challenge and will do a good job but remember it will be a repair
  3. if you want it perfect, a full respray would be recommended.
 
As a mobile smart repairer

If we got a call out to have a look at this, we probably would not touch it. (we would just offer a touch up as CHIPEX does in a can) but if the car was a lease or getting sold then the touch up would be recommended to save the ££

Local price from a Mobile Repair would range between £90 - £150 depending on Area location
  1. Bonnet is a big surface - Most Mobile SR only work on small to medium panels and would exclude bonnets and roofs. Doors and boots are different, depending on the colour as well.
  2. Some Mobile SR will take the challenge and will do a good job but remember it will be a repair
  3. if you want it perfect, a full respray would be recommended.

‘Perfect’ is one thing and for sure very achievable. But exactly matching paint on a 7 year old car ?

Most were talking of doing bonnet and blowing in the tops of wings to match in that scenario....

And then if I wasn’t happy with that....do I then get the whole car done ?

Guy who eventually did it had the most common sense attitude of all and talked of ‘repairing a few small areas’ as the paintwork was lovely and original.

I’m pleased with the job - and if anything I’ve learnt that this game is certainly an art not a science and that there are many ways to skin a cat.

#minefield - springs to mind !

Cheers for your experienced thoughts.
 
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