Any experience of 'Chips Away/'Dentmaster' type repairs?

[Redlake27]

On my S1 I have two 6" long scratches on the rear wing,that seem to have gouged about half a millemetre into the fibreglass.

I see these companies that can do minor dent/scratch/chip repairs on cars, so you don't have to have a full bodyshop job, but I wondered if anyone had any experience of them on non-metal cars?

Otherwise it is off to the main dealer...........

[21TonyK]

Problem is that they are franchises so the quality of the work is dependant on the repairers experience.

I used Chips-away a couple of years back for several cosmetic bits, both paint and plastic with very good results.

I think a lot depends on the location of the repair, ie. mid-panel probably not so good. Also the colour match. For me they were matching a very dark blue and a generic "silver" on the trim so quite easy. Don't think they'd match chrome orange quite so easily! I assume yours is going to be a 135 colour so might be a bit easier.

Worth calling your local guy and asking for references.

[hueandcry71]

Redlake27 said:

On my S1 I have two 6" long scratches on the rear wing,that seem to have gouged about half a millemetre into the fibreglass.

I see these companies that can do minor dent/scratch/chip repairs on cars, so you don't have to have a full bodyshop job, but I wondered if anyone had any experience of them on non-metal cars?

Otherwise it is off to the main dealer...........

I used a company called Dent Man on my Z4 a couple of years ago and they were absolutely superb.I couldnt believe how well they repaired the nasty dent that some plonker had given me with their van door. CCTV identified the perp as a Contractor who had visited my site to do work for me so he ended up paying for it as well.Cost about £80 if i remember correctly.

Not sure where you are based but they are in St Helens (just off M62) near Liverpool and their number is 07774 715582.

[retrorider]

cant really do paintless dent removal on a fibreglass car...if you want a s.m.a.r.t paint repair to your car go to any main dealer and ask who they use (they will always use a good guy).

[Francelise]

I had a black S1 160. Some nice person in France put a long deep scratch over the nearside wing. It was bad.

A friend advised me to get the touch up paint and put lots in the scratch, leave to dry then use some grinding compound (or Tecut), then repeat the process. Then do it again with some lacquer

I can't say it wasn't there any more but it looked 80% better.

francelise

[111KAB]

I used a guy called Mark Ebson to repair the front splitter on my 111s when I took a chunk out of it going over a speed bump in reverse (don't ask!) .... he did an excellent job however the car was Ardent Red so quite an easy colour to match. He is South Birmingham based .... 07976 351844 .... he will give you an honest response regarding his ability to 100% repair.

[Tin Hat]

chips away.once was enough to ruin my rear clam.soft paint,poorly applied!

[rodgling]

Chips Away worked for me - someone left a big foot-long scrape over a wheel arch (by driving into my car THREE TIMES while parking [as I found out later from cctv]). I can't tell it was there now, even looking right up close - the repair is perfect.

[Redlake27]

Thanks for all your advice.......

....I've used Chips Away and so far, so good. It looks invisible to me.

Filled the scratch, perfect colour match and then three coats of lacquer. As new!

[tanman]

Redlake27 said:

Thanks for all your advice.......

....I've used Chips Away and so far, so good. It looks invisible to me.

Filled the scratch, perfect colour match and then three coats of lacquer. As new!

How much was it? i got a couple of scratches on my roof that i'd like to get sorted

[cjs 28]

Hi
The chips away training centre is in kidderminster where they train and also do repairs, so not far away. ask for Carl as he is excellent and the person who trains everyone else.
He has repaired mine and friend bikes and cars and in fibreglass and the work was spot on.
My friend has got a crack in the front wing of his elise and carl has said this could be a problem but a scratch should be fine

[Anatol]

rodgling said:

Chips Away worked for me - someone left a big foot-long scrape over a wheel arch (by driving into my car THREE TIMES while parking [as I found out later from cctv]). I can't tell it was there now, even looking right up close - the repair is perfect.

Since you're from Cambridge, I'll take a bow (on behalf of my team, at least) ;o) Hi Dave, remember you, offside front arch...


CJS is quite correct, Carl is the head trainer at Kidderminster, and very highly skilled. The ChipsAway system is a localised repair system, not a full-service bodyshop, and the cost savings to the customer come from not having large, expensive workshop facilities, so any clam-off repair (which means anything with cracking in the GRP (in the paint layers is ok) is not a suitable repair for the ChipsAway network.

Not sure when you had your repair done, TinHat, but since the beginning of the year EU regs have made sale of 1k solventborne paint systems effectively illegal. All ChipsAway operations should now be using waterbased paint and 2k lacquer, which is what is used at Hethel. Durability of repairs should approximate a factory finish.

HTH

Tol

Edited by Anatol on Saturday 19th January 08:00

[Redlake27]

tanman said:

Redlake27 said:

Thanks for all your advice.......

....I've used Chips Away and so far, so good. It looks invisible to me.

Filled the scratch, perfect colour match and then three coats of lacquer. As new!

How much was it? i got a couple of scratches on my roof that i'd like to get sorted

It was £125 - not bad for three hours work