Stone chips / re spray

[soapbox]

Whilst replacing my Chimaeras candle powered headlight bulbs for some that allow me to see the road at night, I noticed a good selection of stone chips around the front numberplate.

Some of them are quite deep.Can anyone tell me if they have used any stone chip repair kits? are they any good?

If that is a non-starter, how much would I be looking at for a front end re-spray?

Thanks
Matt

[smedlen]

My Chimaera had a front end respray a year ago for £960, very nice it is too.
I've also been pleased with the results of touch up paint mixed to code for £4.95.

[big_treacle]

I had a front end respray for about £500 IIRC

[ntel]

I've been quoted £750 inc for the front and £2300 for the whole thing. I'm going for the whole thing option as mine is the dreaded Rosso Pearl.

[PJAY5LTR]

TRY PR WOODS MOTOR BODIES IN SOUTHEND TOP JOB AND VERY REASONABLY PRICED

[colinrob]

Try Ewelme coachworks they are advertising on here front end respray for £599 + VAT

[55jnj]

I'm having mine done at the moment - about £1,000 - seen the quality of the work the bodyshop does & its very good indeed. Once done & paint has hardened off I'm then going to coat the thing in the new type of "helicopter tape" seen at Autosport. Don't know if anyone else has used this yet or had any experience but I'm sold. The stuff is self-healing & doesn't fade/colour with exposure to daylight etc. I punched a couple of holes in a sample of it with a ballpoint pen & within a minute or two, the holes were sealed. Truly.

>> Edited by 55jnj on Thursday 3rd February 00:10

[jem]

55jnj said:

I'm having mine done at the moment - about £1,000 - seen the quality of the work the bodyshop does & its very good indeed. Once done & paint has hardened off I'm then going to coat the thing in the new type of "helicopter tape" seen at Autosport. Don't know if anyone else has used this yet or had any experience but I'm sold. The stuff is self-healing & doesn't fade/colour with exposure to daylight etc. I punched a couple of holes in a sample of it with a ballpoint pen & within a minute or two, the holes were sealed. Truly. >> Edited by 55jnj on Thursday 3rd February 00:10

Eh?!

sounds curious.

Would be konw how you find its looks.

J

[MajorClanger]

Do you mean the stuff made by 3M?

comes in two grades 14 mil thick and 18 mil thick

What does Armourfend use? Taking a look at their website it shows they use a simlar 3M product

MC

[steve1c]

This looks like really interesting stuff, just the job for the front end. Has anyone actually used it?
Do you put it on yourself or is it a garage job? How much?

[K4TRV]

steve1c said:

This looks like really interesting stuff, just the job for the front end. Has anyone actually used it? Do you put it on yourself or is it a garage job? How much?

Think you need to go to Forums. Try this:www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=10865&f=13&h=0&hw=Armourfend

Key word is Armourfend. Costs 2-years ago appear to be in the same league as a front re-spray, £700+ including fitting.

Complaints are that after time the joints show up too easily and removing/repairing is expensive - doesn't sound like a DIY exercise!!

Trev McM

[soapbox]

so some of you have used touch up paint - do I need to put a primer on first?

[PJAY5LTR]

soapbox said:

so some of you have used touch up paint - do I need to put a primer on first?

I JUST CLEANED OUT THE CHIPS WITH SOAPY WATER AND TOUCHED THEM IN.THEN I GOT A ELECTRIC POLISHER T CUTTED THEM AND THEN POLISHED THEM OUT .USE A METTALLIC TCUT IF U HAVE GOT METTALIC PAINT

[55jnj]

steve1c said:

This looks like really interesting stuff, just the job for the front end. Has anyone actually used it? Do you put it on yourself or is it a garage job? How much?

I guess you could put it on yourself but I always believe professionals will do a vastly superior job to me. They have templates of the stuff ready cut for most cars. Bigger the car, more the cost. I've been quoted about £500 professionally fitted. Technically a superior product to the 3M film. I've seen it on a few top end cars (Vanquish etc) & you'd hardly know its there. If applied properly you won't get lift etc

[jem]

MajorClanger said:

Do you mean the stuff made by 3M? comes in two grades 14 mil thick and 18 mil thick What does Armourfend use? Taking a look at their website it shows they use a simlar 3M product MC

18 mil thick,

fabulous - more than half an inch, that'll stop anything...

J

[MajorClanger]

jem said:

MajorClanger said: Do you mean the stuff made by 3M? comes in two grades 14 mil thick and 18 mil thick What does Armourfend use? Taking a look at their website it shows they use a simlar 3M product MC 18 mil thick, fabulous - more than half an inch, that'll stop anything... J

For those that don't speak American (or old English).... that's 18 thousandths of an inch!!!! Don't you have imperial feeler guages (not for groping your empires!)?!

Although a half inch thick barrier might be the answer (assuming a force field is out of the question!)

MC

[havoc]

Thanks MC - I'd forgotten that, having been taught metric at school...a half-inch thick plastic coating didn't sound right to me, and I was about to ask.

[chimburt]

had chipsaway round this week. still haven't seen the result in daylight, but he did what i considered nasty scratches ( kind of 'furred up' ), and a couple of deep stone chips ( 'bout same diameter as a 5p across, and down to a white layer ). all for 140 quid.

first glance under strip lights looks pretty good, especially for the money.

www.chipsaway.co.uk