Chips Away
Author
Discussion

steve singh

Original Poster:

3,995 posts

203 months

Monday 14th June 2010
quotequote all
Hi chaps, picked up some scuff marks to my car that I'd like to get sorted - anyone got recommendations for chips away (or similar) in the birmingham/midlands area?

Thanks

Seez

656 posts

210 months

Monday 14th June 2010
quotequote all
Did you get your alloys sorted yet?

steve singh

Original Poster:

3,995 posts

203 months

Monday 14th June 2010
quotequote all
Not yet - I want to sort this stupid scuff out first which looks like it happened last week frown


4sure

2,438 posts

241 months

Monday 14th June 2010
quotequote all
i would go to local body shop,my 3 experiences with chips-away have been less than good.

steve singh

Original Poster:

3,995 posts

203 months

Monday 14th June 2010
quotequote all
Any idea how much would scuffs covering a 30cm by 2cm area cost to correct at a bodyshop? No damage to panel, just paint - just above wheel arch area.


Seez

656 posts

210 months

Monday 14th June 2010
quotequote all
I would be expecting to pay around £80 for a good job, any less than that and it probably won't be worth their time... I got a little rust patch done a car recently and it was £120.

I would be inclined to find a good local body shop, chips away minimum charge is about £80 I think

edo

16,699 posts

295 months

Monday 14th June 2010
quotequote all
4sure said:
i would go to local body shop,my 3 experiences with chips-away have been less than good.
Not this generalisation again.

Chips away (and other similar outfits) are franchises, so every one is different. Some of these fracnhises also have bases, which are "body shops" as you describe.

Lets be clear here. Some body shops couldn't do a decent job if their life depended on it, and the same for "smart repairs". Lets not tar all with the same brush. My experience of the chips away chap that does Guildford/Woking (Louis Wan) has been excellent.

A new CA franchise selling themselves in Farnham the other day didn't even get as far as calling me back to make an appointment after taking all of my details...

4sure

2,438 posts

241 months

Monday 14th June 2010
quotequote all
edo said:
4sure said:
i would go to local body shop,my 3 experiences with chips-away have been less than good.
Not this generalisation again.

Chips away (and other similar outfits) are franchises, so every one is different. Some of these fracnhises also have bases, which are "body shops" as you describe.

Lets be clear here. Some body shops couldn't do a decent job if their life depended on it, and the same for "smart repairs". Lets not tar all with the same brush. My experience of the chips away chap that does Guildford/Woking (Louis Wan) has been excellent.

A new CA franchise selling themselves in Farnham the other day didn't even get as far as calling me back to make an appointment after taking all of my details...
i wasn,t making a generalisation matey,this is my experience and i suggest using local (as in known) and trusted body shop.
This is an open forum and that is my opinion...ok !

fluffnik

20,156 posts

257 months

Tuesday 15th June 2010
quotequote all
My local Chips Away franchisee, Richard Wallbank, is the biz.

He won't promise what he can't deliver and he does a great job on the stuff he says he can fix. He tends to do a better than OK job on stuff he says is beyond his scope but he won't claim to do miracles.

If both you and the Chips Away dude are realistic all will be good.

steve singh

Original Poster:

3,995 posts

203 months

Tuesday 15th June 2010
quotequote all
I've left a voicemail last night for a chips away person so I'll see if they get back to me.

What kind of finish could I expect? Reading the website it seems like they'll blend it in fantastically well?

bite-me

524 posts

257 months

Tuesday 15th June 2010
quotequote all
agreed I always use CA, had 2 different techs, for 3 different cars
always a good job.

a lot of body shops use CA anyway

edo said:
4sure said:
i would go to local body shop,my 3 experiences with chips-away have been less than good.
Not this generalisation again.

Chips away (and other similar outfits) are franchises, so every one is different. Some of these fracnhises also have bases, which are "body shops" as you describe.

Lets be clear here. Some body shops couldn't do a decent job if their life depended on it, and the same for "smart repairs". Lets not tar all with the same brush. My experience of the chips away chap that does Guildford/Woking (Louis Wan) has been excellent.

A new CA franchise selling themselves in Farnham the other day didn't even get as far as calling me back to make an appointment after taking all of my details...

Engineer1

10,486 posts

239 months

Tuesday 15th June 2010
quotequote all
One of the issues of a franchisee is that one can be an ex bodyshop guy who has run his franchise for years, while another can be freshly redundant and just starting out but they both trade under the same name, which one you get depends on how much research you do. Which is exactly where a thread like this can help.

steve singh

Original Poster:

3,995 posts

203 months

Tuesday 15th June 2010
quotequote all
Engineer1 said:
One of the issues of a franchisee is that one can be an ex bodyshop guy who has run his franchise for years, while another can be freshly redundant and just starting out but they both trade under the same name, which one you get depends on how much research you do. Which is exactly where a thread like this can help.
Only problem is no one seems to have a recommendation of who I should use !

Anatol

1,392 posts

264 months

Tuesday 15th June 2010
quotequote all
If you're Brum and prepared to travel, the Chipsaway Head Office is in Kidderminster - and they do repairs as well as running the training centre. Or if you could get to Wolverhampton or Telford, the branches there are staffed by former bodyshop techs, the franchisee himself runs the business rather than doing the painting.

Full disclosure - I run a business that's part of the same network, and the people in question are friends, but I have no direct connection to their businesses and don't stand to benefit from you going there.

smile

Shaw Tarse

31,890 posts

233 months

Tuesday 15th June 2010
quotequote all
Anatol said:
If you're Brum and prepared to travel, the Chipsaway Head Office is in Kidderminster - and they do repairs as well as running the training centre. Or if you could get to Wolverhampton or Telford, the branches there are staffed by former bodyshop techs, the franchisee himself runs the business rather than doing the painting.

Full disclosure - I run a business that's part of the same network, and the people in question are friends, but I have no direct connection to their businesses and don't stand to benefit from you going there.

smile
When they're not busy training.
I had a repair done by the guys in Kiddy, rear bumper & crack on mudflap, can't see where the damage was.
Need to get front bumper done, maybe I should get pics & save for future Chipsaway threads come up scratchchin
Unlike Anatol, I have no link with CA, other than a satisfied customer, however, as they are franchised results may vary between francisees.

steve singh

Original Poster:

3,995 posts

203 months

Wednesday 16th June 2010
quotequote all
Thanks Anatol / Shaw.

Over on the Porsche forum I've been given contact details for a more local chips away person (incidentally by the chips away guy who operates from Telford) so I'll give them a call first.

Appreciate your help.

jmcc42uk

110 posts

210 months

Monday 30th May 2011
quotequote all
The guy that does Guildford, Louis Wan, seems to get a good reputation. Anyone else used him?

Quick tech question - Is white an easier colour to do repairs on than other metallic colours?

Thanks

Jon