Good god ! Strike through!
Discussion
A friend was helping me with some rotary polishing and looks as though he's managed to go through the paint work!
I assume this is a respray job is it not ?
How much is this going to cost then?
Its on the passenger side panel right on the edge with it meets the bonnet !
I assume this is a respray job is it not ?
How much is this going to cost then?
Its on the passenger side panel right on the edge with it meets the bonnet !
Edited by Bravia on Thursday 9th April 18:18
Ooh yes. Bit keen... that's why the pros tend to cover up the shut gaps with blue 3M masking tape... the paint is thinner on the radiuses and the sharper angle means more pressure exerted by the polisher onto them.
Shouldn't be too much to fix at a bodyshop. Get a Chipsaway expert in - Tol's your man if you happen to be in Cambridge. They will probably just blow it in. No need for the full door or anything (at a guess).
Shouldn't be too much to fix at a bodyshop. Get a Chipsaway expert in - Tol's your man if you happen to be in Cambridge. They will probably just blow it in. No need for the full door or anything (at a guess).
Edited by domster on Thursday 9th April 22:51
get someone local through recomendation
Baron_marc said:
most smart repairers arent worth a w##k
There are several thousand in this country alone. Presumably to make an informed comment on 'most', you have experience of inspecting the work of at least half of those?
Please let us know how you got this experience, it would mean your opinion is given the right amount of weight and attention. Otherwise you might come across as a competitor threatened by other people in the industry with a different skillset to you.
Tol
Edited by Anatol on Monday 13th April 16:33
Baron_marc said:
its worth getting the whole wing done a good painter would be able to localise the repaird area and lacquer the whole wing most smart repairers arent worth a w##k either that or beat your mate to death with the polishing mop.
Are you saying that because you have evidential proof or that you just happen to be a panel sprayer by trade and know the SMART repair guys are nicking some of your trade?Ooooops, thats not good, to be fair smart repair is ok as long as the person doing it takes a bit of pride and knows its limits (i used to do Smart repair) IMO you would be better off having the wing resprayed, it wont cost too much more than a smart rep and you will get a proper job rather than a blow in with an edge that could fail latter down the line, or if polished again.
Smart reps are better suited to areas not in direct eye line IMO, ie scuffed lower splitters etc.
Smart reps are better suited to areas not in direct eye line IMO, ie scuffed lower splitters etc.
Most SMART repair operations I've had contact with would happily consider a single panel well within the "Medium" element of SMART repair.
Not every SMART repair involved a fadeout with an edge.
A SMART repairer's lower overheads may well mean that getting the entire panel resprayed by a SMART operator results in exactly the same repair and finish as a traditional bodyshop, but at significantly lower cost. If the repairer is skilled, and uses a premium paint system, the colour and finish match might well be significantly superior to the results many traditional bodyshops will turn out.
Pointing the OP towards a bodyshop simply because it would be advantageous to have the entire panel coated is misleading him as a result, IMHO.
Tol
Not every SMART repair involved a fadeout with an edge.
A SMART repairer's lower overheads may well mean that getting the entire panel resprayed by a SMART operator results in exactly the same repair and finish as a traditional bodyshop, but at significantly lower cost. If the repairer is skilled, and uses a premium paint system, the colour and finish match might well be significantly superior to the results many traditional bodyshops will turn out.
Pointing the OP towards a bodyshop simply because it would be advantageous to have the entire panel coated is misleading him as a result, IMHO.
Tol
KevF said:
Baron_marc said:
its worth getting the whole wing done a good painter would be able to localise the repaird area and lacquer the whole wing most smart repairers arent worth a w##k either that or beat your mate to death with the polishing mop.
Are you saying that because you have evidential proof or that you just happen to be a panel sprayer by trade and know the SMART repair guys are nicking some of your trade?Anatol said:
Most SMART repair operations I've had contact with would happily consider a single panel well within the "Medium" element of SMART repair.
Not every SMART repair involved a fadeout with an edge.
A SMART repairer's lower overheads may well mean that getting the entire panel resprayed by a SMART operator results in exactly the same repair and finish as a traditional bodyshop, but at significantly lower cost. If the repairer is skilled, and uses a premium paint system, the colour and finish match might well be significantly superior to the results many traditional bodyshops will turn out.
Pointing the OP towards a bodyshop simply because it would be advantageous to have the entire panel coated is misleading him as a result, IMHO.
Tol
It all comes down to what you call an acceptable finish, most proper body shops painting in a controled environment would not get it to my expectation so some one doing it out doors on my drive etc with contamination flying around is very unlikley to come any where near close to what i would call acceptable.Not every SMART repair involved a fadeout with an edge.
A SMART repairer's lower overheads may well mean that getting the entire panel resprayed by a SMART operator results in exactly the same repair and finish as a traditional bodyshop, but at significantly lower cost. If the repairer is skilled, and uses a premium paint system, the colour and finish match might well be significantly superior to the results many traditional bodyshops will turn out.
Pointing the OP towards a bodyshop simply because it would be advantageous to have the entire panel coated is misleading him as a result, IMHO.
Tol
As i said know its limitations, iv had a small smart rep on my own motor (done by some one i know s top draw) when i scuffed a lower splitter on a curb, but when i needed a wing and a door doing due to a scratch it went to a body shop (again some one i use who is top notch) its horses for courses, im not missleading any one and arguing the point the smart rep guy might have a better paint system or spray gun is not going to turn the table, you chose some one based on recommendation and reputation, you cant compair the best smart rep guy to the worst body shop, you have to compare equals and im afraid in my opinion there would be a significant benefit from using a (quality) body shop over a (quality) SMART repairer for that type of repair.
James B
I employ both top notch SMART repairers, and top notch former bodyshop techs, and my business offers both uncontrolled environment repairs and booth repairs, SMART repairs and full panel paints. We brand ourselves as a SMART repairer, because we don't offer serious crash damage repairs or certain other high-overhead full-service bodyshop facilities.
Can you tell from the fact that we are formally SMART repairers how we would approach repairing the damage the OP's car has? Clearly you cannot.
Your assumptions that SMART and bodyshop are two entirely separate disciplines is quite wrong. Multi-skilled operators and businesses are very common now.
It's a common misconception that SMART refinishing and bodyshop refinishing are completely different to people outside the industry, and that used to be the case, and a lot of bodyshops who felt very threatened when SMART techniques were introduced did a lot of groundwork to try and make it stay that way, but all but the most backward now employ the more modern techniques in what they do (although they may call it an 'express line' rather than in-house SMART repair).
The bottom line is - a 'bodyshop' may well use SMART techniques on that repair, despite being a bodyshop. A 'SMART repairer' might also paint the whole panel. Possibly even in a booth.
As a result, it remains misleading to the OP to suggest that you can deduce what sort of repair, in what sort of environment, will be offered by a business on a particular repair simply by reference to how it is marketed. Please check your facts before offering blanket advice.
You are quite correct that local recommendation is the most important factor in selecting a repairer.
Tol
Can you tell from the fact that we are formally SMART repairers how we would approach repairing the damage the OP's car has? Clearly you cannot.
Your assumptions that SMART and bodyshop are two entirely separate disciplines is quite wrong. Multi-skilled operators and businesses are very common now.
It's a common misconception that SMART refinishing and bodyshop refinishing are completely different to people outside the industry, and that used to be the case, and a lot of bodyshops who felt very threatened when SMART techniques were introduced did a lot of groundwork to try and make it stay that way, but all but the most backward now employ the more modern techniques in what they do (although they may call it an 'express line' rather than in-house SMART repair).
The bottom line is - a 'bodyshop' may well use SMART techniques on that repair, despite being a bodyshop. A 'SMART repairer' might also paint the whole panel. Possibly even in a booth.
As a result, it remains misleading to the OP to suggest that you can deduce what sort of repair, in what sort of environment, will be offered by a business on a particular repair simply by reference to how it is marketed. Please check your facts before offering blanket advice.
You are quite correct that local recommendation is the most important factor in selecting a repairer.
Tol
I only read half your post mainly as im not going to get in a button tapping war with you.
I stand by my comments, yes there are good ones out there ( i never ruled it out ) but in your trade im afraid there are more muppets then quality out fits and yes smart repair has got a bad name due to this.
What i am referring to is a common "smart repair" ie a blow in and blended edge, done out doors on site, sorry but up in eye line i would recommend a proper repair in a controled environment, i understand you can offer this but you have to admit its pretty rare for a smart repair co to offer such service.
I see lots of cars and deal with paint work at quite a detailed level on a daily bases and 80% of smart repair i see are cringe worthy, like i said its knowing its limitations and its scope.
I stand by my comments, yes there are good ones out there ( i never ruled it out ) but in your trade im afraid there are more muppets then quality out fits and yes smart repair has got a bad name due to this.
What i am referring to is a common "smart repair" ie a blow in and blended edge, done out doors on site, sorry but up in eye line i would recommend a proper repair in a controled environment, i understand you can offer this but you have to admit its pretty rare for a smart repair co to offer such service.
I see lots of cars and deal with paint work at quite a detailed level on a daily bases and 80% of smart repair i see are cringe worthy, like i said its knowing its limitations and its scope.
Auto finesse said:
...but you have to admit its pretty rare for a smart repair co to offer such service.
Not really any more. There are several companies offering specialist booths designed at specifically this market - STL, Junair and Todd spring immediately to mind. The new ChipTech franchise network is entirely booth based.It's a top-end service, but it's certainly not rare any more. Things have moved on.
Tol
i don`t think professional jealousy has anything to do with it.many smart repairers ply their trade from the back of a van painting outdoors under a gazebo in the rain.now if anyone thinks a lasting,quality finish will be achieved like that then you are deluded.if you consider in the top quality ones with premium paint systems and smart repair booths,their material bills and overheads will not result in a significent saving over any any other bodyshop.look for a recommended bodyshop and ask the right questions of the man doing the job and you will get a good result.this trade is full of holier than thou bull******rs who will tell you only they are good enough to work on your car.still,what do i know? i`ve only been doing it for 20 years!!
cartoons said:
their material bills and overheads will not result in a significent saving over any any other bodyshop.
Hmm. Somewhat true, but not completely.Even a booth-based SMART repairer with a small commercial premises could save significantly if they didn't take on vehicles with serious crash damage, that needed to be on site for several days.
No heavy lifting gear, no welding gear, no fleet of courtesy cars, no secure storage for customer vehicles, as a result MUCH lower insurance premiums, lower business rates, rent/mortgage. No recovery trucks, no Audatex (etc) training/licenses, no chassis straightening-jigs, no explosion-proof storage for airbag charges, much less dealing with insurers so less waiting for payment so lower prices possible due to smoother cashflow, and the list goes on.
A full-service bodyshop that repairs *any* damage has to have an absolute ton of kit and facilities. Opt not to repair just major crash damage, and you can do without a heck of a lot of it.
Tol
ETA - we're quite high-overhead for a SMART repair operation, being fixed-site as well as mobile, and franchised. Last time I did a price comparison (13th March) against a local bodyshop, the repair we charged £207 for, they quoted £959 for.
Edited by Anatol on Friday 17th April 06:51
Why do you ladies insist on bickering ?
Just to clear it up, there is absolute no chance I am gonna let someone working out of the back of a van doing "smart" repairs under a folding gazebo anywhere near my car.
I just took it to the local bodyshop which I trust implicitly as he has worked on my car before.
White line along it is the crap camera/sun.
Just to clear it up, there is absolute no chance I am gonna let someone working out of the back of a van doing "smart" repairs under a folding gazebo anywhere near my car.
I just took it to the local bodyshop which I trust implicitly as he has worked on my car before.
White line along it is the crap camera/sun.
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