Looking for a very very good body shop...

Looking for a very very good body shop...

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Superleg48

Original Poster:

1,524 posts

133 months

Sunday 13th January 2019
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I have a 2011 SL2 in Giallo Midas. The car is stunning in every way. However, since prior to my ownership, a very small bit of paintwork next to the bonnet edge that runs along the offside wing has chipped. It is a flake area less than the size of an old half penny coin (10mm diameter max). The paint is still there and it is held in place by the PPF so hardly noticeable, save for a hair line crack around the flake but I have always known it is there and is an imperfection, however slight.

I am researching a Body Shop that might be able to undertake the respray of the bonnet area to a very high standard and given that Midas is Pearlescent, will know how many other panels need to be “blown in” to produce a showroom finish. I really don’t want it bodged.

Of course, I will then need new PPF applied to the bonnet and any other panels that formed part of the repair process.

Can anyone recommend somewhere, I am near Norwich, ideally with first hand experience. Many Thanks...

Superleg48

Original Poster:

1,524 posts

133 months

Monday 14th January 2019
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There you go! smile

Superleg48

Original Poster:

1,524 posts

133 months

Monday 14th January 2019
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Thank you all for your suggestions. Very much appreciated.

Superleg48

Original Poster:

1,524 posts

133 months

Monday 14th January 2019
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I thought I might share the offending imperfection with you...


Superleg48

Original Poster:

1,524 posts

133 months

Friday 18th January 2019
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MarkM3Evoplus said:
I has an issue on my Vanquish, so took it to the bodyshop.

They obtained the paint from 4 manufacturers and advised all were no where near a match for them to start tinting.

Boot was removed and went off to a paint specialist to be spectral analysed or some similar name! It took them over a week to match it and the car still had paintwork/blending to bonnet, wing, a-pillar to bootline, bootlid, door and rear 3/4...….ended up very expensive albeit you can't see any paint mismatch....

Make sure you're prepared for the above in order to not see any mismatch.
Yes, I am being advised that it will be bonnet, both front wings and nose cone that will need to be done to ensure a good blend. So, fully aware.

Superleg48

Original Poster:

1,524 posts

133 months

Saturday 23rd March 2019
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So, the car has been to the body shop and has been fettled. Chip gone. Little chips on the corners of the door handles gone. Annoying imperfection on the front splitter gone. (Previously painted by Main Dealer) PPF reapplied to entire front end. Full ceramic coating, including wheels and calipers. The car is now absolutely perfect.

The quality of the work done is outstanding, 4 stage paint process to the entire front end, flatted and machine polished and blended in so well, you simply cannot tell the difference with the rest of the car. Absolute dedication and the finest attention to the most minutia of detail to the whole job, including fully tailor made and exactly matched decals to both sides of the car.

Absolutely delighted with the end result. The company that performed this outstanding level of work...The Body Centre Norwich. These guys are astonishingly good at their craft and I would absolutely recommend them. Sam Elwin and the entire team there that were involved are at the top of their game. Passionate does not describe them adequately. Looking forward now to getting out and driving again!








Superleg48

Original Poster:

1,524 posts

133 months

Thursday 28th March 2019
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Driver101 said:
The wings look a deeper shade to the bonnet in those photos.
It is a pearlescent paint and the sun was out. In the flesh with eyes not an iPhone lens, the match is perfect. I am delighted with the results. It is an outstanding finish.


Superleg48

Original Poster:

1,524 posts

133 months

Thursday 28th March 2019
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EpsomJames said:
MarkM3Evoplus said:
designforlife said:
Brave man!

Keep an eye on the painted areas for the next 8 weeks or so as the weather warms up and the paint finishes gassing out, and don't have any PPF re-applied for 2 or 3 months to give everything a chance to fully cure off.

Unfortunately I have extensive experience of paint jobs developing like a horror film polaroid in the weeks and months following resprays.
This. I waited 3 months until PPF applied. Sure that was overkill, but definitely need a few weeks for all the gases to come out of the paint.
Too late, he said he’s already had PPF re-applied.
Yes, after a period of curing time. Will keep an eye on it though, but given the quality of the cars The Bodycentre deal with day to day, they do know their onions and spent a huge amount of time making sure they got this right. I am comfortable with them and the job they did. Had it for about 6 weeks in total, so not rushed and there is a video coming out shortly on You Tube, which I will post a link to.

Superleg48

Original Poster:

1,524 posts

133 months

Friday 29th March 2019
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Driver101 said:
Superleg48 said:
Driver101 said:
The wings look a deeper shade to the bonnet in those photos.
It is a pearlescent paint and the sun was out. In the flesh with eyes not an iPhone lens, the match is perfect. I am delighted with the results. It is an outstanding finish.
The camera often picks up more than some people's eyes can see. Some people miss cars that are painted a different colour.

It doesn't look that bright. The colour difference is there in most shots.




Superleg48 said:
Yes, after a period of curing time. Will keep an eye on it though, but given the quality of the cars The Bodycentre deal with day to day, they do know their onions and spent a huge amount of time making sure they got this right. I am comfortable with them and the job they did. Had it for about 6 weeks in total, so not rushed and there is a video coming out shortly on You Tube, which I will post a link to.
This is beginning to sound more like an advert.

Good bodyshops usually have long lead times. You asked the question and had the car in there quick although it wasn't even a suggestion.
The weather was sunny with light cloud coverage and about 15 degrees. There was a gentle breeze. The colour match is spot on. I look at the car every day from lots of angles. Someone always knows better on here though with stuff like this, even though they can’t see it in real life, weren’t there etc etc etc rolleyes

So, PH is only for moaning on rather than expressing positive feedback from a given service provider? Silly me, should know that by now.

I was doing my own research for some time as well as inviting opinions and other adverts, sorry, recommendations. Many of the suggestions were a long long way away. Wasn’t aware that by asking on here I am then obligated to using one of the suggested ones?

Thanks for your feedback, though. smile

Superleg48

Original Poster:

1,524 posts

133 months

Thursday 4th April 2019
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Link to the YouTube video..

https://youtu.be/FWRj37RqjQ8

Superleg48

Original Poster:

1,524 posts

133 months

Friday 5th April 2019
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DrDaveWatford said:
Apologies for the slightly off-topic post, but I noticed your horizontally-mounted front plate in the pics. Have you ever been pulled over or otherwise hassled by the police as a result of that?
Well, it is a step in the right direction, as for the first 2 years of ownership I had no front plate at all. Never had an issue with Police. Numerous times, they would come and admire the car at Petrol Stations etc, I got nicked for speeding once, again, no mention of no plate. Even attended an event at Essex Police HQ in Chelmsford for the Retried Police Dogs and swarming with Police, including the Asst Chief Constable who along with many colleagues wanted to admire the car. No mention of missing plate.

Now, though, I am showing willing at least and to date (6 months or so) no interest from a plate perspective.

Superleg48

Original Poster:

1,524 posts

133 months

Friday 5th April 2019
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EpsomJames said:
Looks a very thorough job. Paint gases mentioned in video so no worries there.

Can’t help wondering if the attention you are bringing to your car is a view to sell?
Not at all. That car is my baby. That chip on the bonnet had been there since I owned it. It must have been there for a long time, because someone had PPF’d over it even before I had it renewed. Also, where someone had removed the number plate bracket previously that hangs under the pointy bit of the nose, they had done a shocking job of filling the screw holes.

These two things always niggled at me. No matter how hard I tried, the niggling got louder and louder. So, I had to get it sorted once and for all. Since I am keeping her for the foreseeable future, I wanted to return her to perfection. That is all.

As far as I am concerned it is an absolute beauty to drive, an event every time and I love the things some people hate, especially the e-gear...so much fun. It is the analogue nature of the car that I like. So much more of an involving experience. Now she looks perfect too, so very happy.

Superleg48

Original Poster:

1,524 posts

133 months

Friday 5th April 2019
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70proof said:
Car looks stunning, thanks for sharing vid, interesting they took wings off, thorough job that
Yep. Wings, Nose Cone, Front Splitter (which was also repainted), Headlights all came off.

Looks a million dollars now. smile