Paint shop/chip repair recommendations - South West, South Wales or West Midlands?

[Evo Cymru]

Evening all,

Anyone recommended for 'chip' repairs in the South West/South Wales/West Midlands areas? Have three areas on the bonnet I have made worse with tampering!! Would rather repair than having the whole bonnet/front end done if possible....

Thanks in advance!

 

[cheshiremaserati]

If you have cut through the lacquer, it cannot be repaired satisfactorily.

It will need a bonnet respray (ideally back to metal and start again) and that might need blending into other areas, such as wings.

 

[JMS]

Don’t be shy - show us the pictures

 

[Evo Cymru]

If you have cut through the lacquer, it cannot be repaired satisfactorily.

It will need a bonnet respray (ideally back to metal and start again) and that might need blending into other areas, such as wings.

Absolutely but as I intend using it on track and it has other bits to do ultimately I figured I would make it presentable in the short term while I save up to do the whole car eventually….

 

[Evo Cymru]

Don’t be shy - show us the pictures

Too painful to see!!

 

[dickygrace]

You can’t really do a local repair on a bonnet. As @cheshiremaserati says, full bonnet required, and probably wings and front bumper too.

 

[Ebenezer]

I had clear coat peeling on my bonnet (QP) and ended up doing the entire front end, the runners below the doors with fading into the front doors. Mind you had all sorts of gravel rash over the front as well. Not cheap though, unfortunately.
Eb

 

[cheshiremaserati]

Absolutely but as I intend using it on track and it has other bits to do ultimately I figured I would make it presentable in the short term while I save up to do the whole car eventually….

Making it "presentable in the short term" will be a cost. A full bonnet back to metal respray with blend into wings and possibly a full respray on the bumper will be cost-effective. You are not looking at a glass-out full respray that is likely going to be north of £5k. Rather a respray of the kind I mentioned will be less than £2k. That is if you avoid the main dealer bodyshops or whoever they subcontract to.

The biggest cost is in preparation. Good preparation takes time. So ask for labour rates and time estimates. Anyone who is unusually low on time estimate is likely to give a poor result.

 

[Davanger]

Is Chipex any good? Got some stone chips...now that I see it, I cant 'un-see' it, know what I mean?!

 

[Brendan]

Never tried it, but isn’t it just an expensive chip stick?

 

[cheshiremaserati]

It is OK, but you know tgey are there and they will stand out more when you touch them in.

Show a bodyshop. They may touch them in better than you can to almost make them unnoticeable. They may suggest allowing more chips over time and then a respray.

I would go for a vulnerable bumper respray every few years and every alternate respray, a full machine polish with ceramic coating.

Touching in stone chips often makes them stand out even more. And you'll kick yourself for that 'amateur bodge uo' where left untreated, people know they are natural.