Scratch repair companys

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Ghia15
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Scratch repair companys

Post by Ghia15 »

Hi all.

Does anyone know a company who is good at repairing small, but deep scratches.

Some Ba***rd Keyed a two inch scratch into the rear door of my BMW today and I would quite like to get it out.

The scratch has gone down to the primer so it was obviously deliberate.

Was thinking someone like chips away could do it and touch up a few other little bits at the same time.

Does anyone have any experience using them or can recommend someone who can around the Reading area.

Work must be flawless and blend with the current paint to make it look like there was no repair.

Thanks
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Andrew 2.8i
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Re: Scratch repair companys

Post by Andrew 2.8i »

Ghia15 wrote:Some Ba***rd Keyed a two inch scratch into the rear door of my BMW today and I would quite like to get it out.
Hi,
Sorry to hear that, there are some morons around.

A chap at work used this company:
https://www.autorestore.co.uk/mobile-car-repairs.aspx

It was for a small ish dent that required paint, and the finished repair was superb. It's incredible what these mobile repair guys can do.
Obviously there would be a different person operating in your area, but presumably they are all trained to the same standard.

Andrew.
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Ghia15
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Re: Scratch repair companys

Post by Ghia15 »

I Know, Just some people can't stand to see someone else with something they don't have.

Will look into them, I'm sure they are trained the same.

Thanks
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Re: Scratch repair companys

Post by stevemarl »

I would do a bit of research on this, feedback etc. It seems that it varies a lot within same company depending presumably on the skill of the operative (and whether they`re bothered or not.) I looked into this a year or 2 back and my overall impression was that the initial result is good but the materials may not be as durable as the stuff in a proper bodyshop, and after a year or 2 they start to fade etc. My brother has a patch on his Punto, owned from new, which is a quite obvious repair NOW; apparently dealers often use `smart repair` companies to patch up PDI faults, we guess this is what happened here. They are great for tarting up a car your selling on, but not for a keeper. As I say this is just the overall impression from reading LOTS of feedback about different companies. not my personal experience, but it did put me off. There is one which is owned by Autoglass which did sound better than Chips Away or whatever. I think there`s a link from Autoglass website?

There is: https://www.autoglass.co.uk/about-us/autorestore/ these seemed to have better feedback overall
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Re: Scratch repair companys

Post by Ghia15 »

I have read the feedback on the Auto Restore Company.

While most is positive I am not really willing to let them near my BMW. The rest of the paint work is pretty much mint and I want this repair to be invisible for the life of the car.

Does anyone know a good Bodyshop around the Reading area?

Might get a few chips done as well and possibly a full machine polish to get the paint work really gleaming like it was the day it rolled off the production line.

Thanks
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Re: Scratch repair companys

Post by pbar »

You may wish to give it a little while Jonathon before you rush into having it repaired. Whoever did it may simply keep doing it. A neighbour of mine got their car scratched, had it repaired. Happened again. Repaired again, happened again. They had it repaired yet again and coincidentally changed jobs and also where it is parked at night, been ok since.
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Re: Scratch repair companys

Post by Ghia15 »

I believe it happened somewhere where I don't go all the time and where the people change every couple of hours, AKA a supermarket car park.

Between it not being there and noticing it I had just been to the shops and my local motor factors. When It was at the motor factors it was parked in front of their main window so doubt it was there.

I would be surprised if it was anyone around where I live as I have never had any issues with any of the cars, Capri's included, before. We also have sensor activated security lights, will check they are working, to deter these things.

I just want to get the scratch sorted as I am fairly sure it was an isolated incident.

Good thought though, I think if I had it repaired and it happened again I would be filming it to catch the person in the act.
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Re: Scratch repair companys

Post by andyd »

Could have been a shopping trolley mark or bicycle handlebars (although probably not in a Supermarket carpark)

I don't take my cars to those places as it asking for trouble IMO.....That's what we have the Ford Focus for :)
Although it's not nice for it to happen to any car.
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Re: Scratch repair companys

Post by Fordoholic Nick »

Hi. Sorry to hear of your trouble with your BMW mate.

My Dad bought a lovely Ford Fiesta 2010 shape and a few months back and recently he found a large letter "R" scratched into the door. For fucks sake these people don't give a shit the stress they cause people not to mention the expense to get it repaired. This really makes my blood boil. Hope you find a good repair guy.

I have had a stone chip on the leading edge of the bonnet bulge on the Capri for ages now as I am too terrified to trust anyone to repair it. I have a few scratches on bonnet too so I was maybe thinking just to get the whole bonnet resprayed by a decent bodyshop. One of the gardeners in pur flats has a mate who resprays high end motors and he said he would do the bonnet for me some time if I wanted. Onlt thing about this is I would be worried that the respray would look a slightly different shade due to age ? I might chance my luck after the new year with a scratch repair company like Chips Away or similar Funny thing is I have got quite attached to my stone chip now and most people don't even notice it to be honest, but I can see it half a mile away :lol:

Good Luck with your repair and please let us know how you get on. As already said if you get a good repair guy its amazing the results they can achieve...but as Paul has also said you just hope to God it aint a "serial attacker" on your BMW. Jeepers that would make my blood beyond boiling point.....

All the best

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Re: Scratch repair companys

Post by pbar »

A few weeks back kids in an Aldi car park were ramming shopping trolleys into cars. The staff may come out or watch but the kids know they can't do anything so just don't care. No one around can do anything either or you will be in more trouble than they ever will be. And of course if you do try anything and they see you again your life could be a nightmare. And if they find out where you live, it could be hell. The police may turn up at some point but they just scarper then or hide around a corner til they've gone. A few nights later they were emptying Aldi bags of compost out into the street.

It just reiterates some of the comments above.
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Re: Scratch repair companys

Post by AndyPandy56 »

I used 'Chips Away' just once many years ago. In a word they were crap !. The paint colour didn't match, and the finish was poor.
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Re: Scratch repair companys

Post by stevemarl »

Fordoholic Nick wrote:s I would be worried that the respray would look a slightly different shade due to age
I`d guess he would do bonnet, scuttle and wing tops so that any fading will be invisible.
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Re: Scratch repair companys

Post by andyd »

Fordoholic Nick wrote:



I have had a stone chip on the leading edge of the bonnet bulge on the Capri for ages now as I am too terrified to trust anyone to repair it. I have a few scratches on bonnet too so I was maybe thinking just to get the whole bonnet resprayed by a decent bodyshop. Nick
I'd leave it .......It's called Patina :)
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Re: Scratch repair companys

Post by Andrew 2.8i »

Hi,
From what I've seen of Nick's car, he doesn't need to worry about the paint having faded. It's more a case of getting the new paint as lustrous as the existing stuff!

Andrew.
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Re: Scratch repair companys

Post by MS Injection »

I suppose you never know for sure how a resprayed panel will look until it's done but I wouldn't worry overly about a mismatch. That only tends to be more of an issue when respraying part of a panel. I put a replacement door, wing and tailgate on mine and it blends imperceptibly with the original paintwork. My bodyshop coded the paint and measured/sampled the nearest adjoining panels and mixed the colour to match ie they took original factory colour and blended it to look more like what was already on the car so it looked the same.

Not that I am saying repaint the bonnet Nick!

Mike
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Re: Scratch repair companys

Post by stevemarl »

Sorry Andrew, I recommended the same company you already had without realising, the name just didn`t register. I seem to remember that they do also have proper bodyshops and if the job is too complex they`ll book it in there, which seemed a responsible approach? I think if I`d pursued that path I`d have used them.
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Re: Scratch repair companys

Post by Andrew 2.8i »

stevemarl wrote: I recommended the same company you already had without realising
Hi Steve,
No worries, I'm sure forum members appreciate opinions from as many people as possible.

In saying that, I'm not recommending them as such, as I've never used them, I'm merely suggesting a possible company that will be able to repair the damage to the car.
For what it's worth, I'm more inclined to use an established traditional bodyshop for paint repairs. Even if it does mean the car will be out of action for a week or so.

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Re: Scratch repair companys

Post by Fordoholic Nick »

MS Injection wrote: My bodyshop coded the paint and measured/sampled the nearest adjoining panels and mixed the colour to match ie they took original factory colour and blended it to look more like what was already on the car so it looked the same.
Hi Mike.

Thanks for that infornation mate. Its amazing what results good paint shops can do these days with the right equipment. Suppose they can pretty much mix any colour now and by the sound of your experience they can actually "age" it too. Wow !
MS Injection wrote:Not that I am saying repaint the bonnet Nick!
Yep still dont know what I gonna do though Mike. Will get some "more important" jobs done first to the Capri then maybe I will think of a complete bonnet respray next year....maybe....ermm..I think....:?

All the best

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Re: Scratch repair companys

Post by Ghia15 »

Thanks guys. All the responses are appreciated.

I washed and polished her yesterday and she comes up an absolute treat.

Still want to get the scratch repaired but will take my time to find a good bodyshop to do it as there are a few other little bits I would like to get done if I am honest.

Also need to sort some surface rust out on the chassis in the engine bay, just going to treat with Krust, Brush paint anti rust primer and then some hamerite Red metal paint. This should blend reasonably well for the area and protect the metal from more rust.

Now, onto the capri. Finding a good bodyshop is also needed here as have a few marks that need doing and some areas where the rust has bubbled through so will get that done before HE goes back on the road.

Thanks again guys.
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Re: Scratch repair companys

Post by Andrew 2.8i »

Hi,
Just curious. Does he have a name, or am I just being silly?
It's interesting that most people refer to their Capri as a "she", including me, but I suppose it's quite a masculine car really.

Andrew.
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