Small panel damage paint repairs done at your own home?

[Orangecurry]

Has anyone any experience of these?

Not what I would do, but my brother is thinking of it for a modern car with a ding in the wing that has broken the paint, and I'm thinking 'how can the result/quality be any good?'

Thanks for any info.

[parabolica]

Had it done once or twice a few years ago when I had my 6 series, as I took the paint and damage protection cover. They weren't huge repairs - biggest was a sizeable scuff to the front offside corner that someone had scraped their car across pulling out of a parking space.

Repair was very good; not noticeable at all unless you were a professional detailer. Guy did it in the street too; had a little pop-up shelter to cover where he was working and a couple of high-intensity heat lamps to help the paint cure off quickly.

[Orangecurry]

Thanks - anyone else?

[Scrump]

A family member had a similar repair done in a supermarket car park under a pop up gazebo.
I thought the paint match was sort of okay at best as it was noticeable if you looked for it.
Family member was happy with it though.

[paintman]

Your problem is that there are some very good experienced SMART repairers about who will only take on jobs that they are confident with and will do an excellent job.

On the other hand there are the newly trained - often franchisees - who have no experience and will take on stuff that they shouldn't purely to pay the franchisor's monthly financial demands. And it will often go horribly wrong.

I'm not one of the 'Bodyshop good, SMART repairer bad' bleaters as I've seen some truly awful bodyshop jobs!

In the words of Dirty Harry 'Do you feel lucky?'

[Lester H]

With some trade experience, I would not recommend these ‘do it at home’ minor bodywork repairs. Many are franchises, so the quality is dependent on the experience (variable) of the guy who comes round to you. Find a small independent body shop , perhaps by word of mouth, and use their services, often with a cash discount, and no paperwork: they do enough of that for the insurance claims. Incidentally, have just taken a mate who scuffed his car’s front corner on his own gatepost. When we visited the body shop, the owner instantly said ‘ this isn’t the first time’, and proceeded to peel off some masking tape and indicate some overspray, the result of an at home van man repair... no names, no pack drill.Yes, these are trivial problems, but an established body shop is best....not too big because these get the ‘Approved’ insurance work. (and are often doing up the owner’s old Saab on the side)

[Orangecurry]

paintman said:

In the words of Dirty Harry 'Do you feel lucky?'

thanks - good advice....