Repairing Scratches

[Topcat]

Can I have some opinions please on having scratches repaired. If I decide to get my car repaired should I go to a honda dealer to ensure the paint is a good match etc or do you think it is ok to use an independant person to do the job? I would like to try and save some money but I don't want to end up with a two tone car

[Korkut Varol]

I don't think that there is a full guarantee that the paint will match if the body is painted at different parts. It is a matter of tolerances; like everything, paint also has its colour tolerances. Even two different batches of the same colour code may differ.
It happened to a friend with his Focus. The bonnet had to be painted after a hit, and it was painted in an official Ford service with computer-prepared paints. The result was a lighter shade... They re-painted and got closer in the next time.
What I want to point out is, you can only be sure of a full match in body panels if you paint the whole thing...
If I remember right, you were complaining of too many scratches, which, I presume, should be distributed to almost every panel on the body. So it may be close to painting the whole body.
Best of luck...

[pcr]

http://www.chipsaway.co.uk/
I have no experience of this company, but this is where I would start. I believe they have a good reputation, and will be far cheaper than using the dealer.
Good luck.

[Topcat]

Originally Posted by Korkut Varol

I don't think that there is a full guarantee that the paint will match if the body is painted at different parts. It is a matter of tolerances; like everything, paint also has its colour tolerances. Even two different batches of the same colour code may differ.
It happened to a friend with his Focus. The bonnet had to be painted after a hit, and it was painted in an official Ford service with computer-prepared paints. The result was a lighter shade... They re-painted and got closer in the next time.
What I want to point out is, you can only be sure of a full match in body panels if you paint the whole thing...
If I remember right, you were complaining of too many scratches, which, I presume, should be distributed to almost every panel on the body. So it may be close to painting the whole body.
Best of luck...

Hmmm, well surely if Honda painted the car the wrong colour they would have to rectify it, but if an independant company did it wrong, would they have to rectify it?

PCR - Thank you, im sure I have heard of them before I will look in to it

[Korkut Varol]

Originally Posted by Topcat

Hmmm, well surely if Honda painted the car the wrong colour they would have to rectify it, but if an independant company did it wrong, would they have to rectify it?

Not probably, if you did not sign a contract about matching the colour...

[elfa7]

Originally Posted by Topcat

Can I have some opinions please on having scratches repaired. If I decide to get my car repaired should I go to a honda dealer to ensure the paint is a good match etc or do you think it is ok to use an independent person to do the job? I would like to try and save some money but I don't want to end up with a two tone car

Neither of the Honda dealers near me have their own body shop. The dealer in Stockport uses body shops in either Manchester or Altrincham. Whether they are Honda or Independent I'm not sure.

If you know a good independent, they will do just as good a job.

[allan40alt]

Originally Posted by pcr

http://www.chipsaway.co.uk/
I have no experience of this company, but this is where I would start. I believe they have a good reputation, and will be far cheaper than using the dealer.
Good luck.

Friend of mine used these people and had a very good result on his old beema. Couldn't see the repair at all.

[gray52]

it has to be an honda approved body shop or you will void your paint warrenty if you get any problems in the future.

[elfa7]

Originally Posted by gray52

it has to be an honda approved body shop or you will void your paint warrenty if you get any problems in the future.

There doesn't appear the be a warranty re. the paintwork anyway.

I was told by my Dealer, that if I wanted a paint check, and the paint was O.K ,then I would have to pay £150.

[Tony Fendall]

It seems to me that the biggest cause of scratches to recent Honda's is cleaning them.
I think the paintwork on my Accord Sport (Milano Red) and my Civic 1.8 (Vivid Blue Pearl) is very soft. My theory is that paints are now water based, for environmental reasons and not solvent based.
I have put two scratches on my Civic with a leather; down to base white.
What I do now is to locally apply blue Turtle Wax paint repair polish. The scratches are still there, but you can hardly see them.
I re-apply about every three washes.
It's just another environmental compromise, in my view.
Regards
Tony

[johnd]

Originally Posted by pcr

http://www.chipsaway.co.uk/
I have no experience of this company, but this is where I would start. I believe they have a good reputation, and will be far cheaper than using the dealer.
Good luck.

This sort of company is fine if you just want to tidy up the car before selling, but if your keeping it for more than a year take it to an approved bodyshop. At least it will be painted in a controlled environment.
There is also a large skill range between the various franchise's.

[pcr]

johnd,

You may be right, but let me explain my thoughts based on having bought many second-hand cars in my time.

If it's resprayed, don't consider it, walk away. There's plenty others that aren't resprayed.

A few honest scratches would not concern me, maybe haggle about them.

I've seen some very poor main-dealer resprays.

If a touch-up job isn't up to scratch, it will be easier to try again than a bad respray.

Regards, pcr.

[johnd]

Originally Posted by pcr

johnd,

You may be right, but let me explain my thoughts based on having bought many second-hand cars in my time.

If it's resprayed, don't consider it, walk away. There's plenty others that aren't resprayed.

A few honest scratches would not concern me, maybe haggle about them.

I've seen some very poor main-dealer resprays.

If a touch-up job isn't up to scratch, it will be easier to try again than a bad respray.

Regards, pcr.

Why walk away from a quality part re-painted car, if it's done right the only way you should be able to tell is the thickness of the paint.
How many people have there own Elcometer ? I would rather have one with a painted panel than a clocked mileometer. You would be suprised how many cars have had panels repainted or smart repairs, most main dealers have the smart repair/ dent master type of people around every couple of weeks to tidy up the stock.
Must agree with you about some poor re-sprays that stick out a mile.

[gray52]

if a repair could be as good as a factory finish, then yes pay the money, but im yet to see a car with that standard of paint, without rubbing marks, bits in the paint/lacer, and then 6 months down the road fading and then the orange peel look.

the only way would be to have 100% respray, from the same batch of paint and have all the trim and glass etc removed so there would be no trace of over spray.

[Topcat]

This is not giving me much confidence in a repair I can't afford a complete re-spray

[johnd]

Originally Posted by gray52

if a repair could be as good as a factory finish, then yes pay the money, but im yet to see a car with that standard of paint, without rubbing marks, bits in the paint/lacer, and then 6 months down the road fading and then the orange peel look.

the only way would be to have 100% respray, from the same batch of paint and have all the trim and glass etc removed so there would be no trace of over spray.

There are many quality body shops around and the faults you are listing are usally down to poor prep, poor work conditions and orange peel's main cause is down to excess clearcoat, which is visable straight away. And is something that can be corrected by the bodyshop without much effort.

My Civic has orange peel and bits in the clearcoat from the factory, which the re-sprayed wing has not, and i assure you that you would not know which part has been re-sprayed. There is no colour difference either.
As said before there are some substandard bodyshops around but there are some good ones who can do quailty fault free repairs.
Topcat as discussed before you may be able to repair some or most of your faults, without much cost.
How did you get on with Mr Dalton's help with Honda cs?

[karlak]

Originally Posted by Topcat

Can I have some opinions please on having scratches repaired. If I decide to get my car repaired should I go to a honda dealer to ensure the paint is a good match etc or do you think it is ok to use an independant person to do the job? I would like to try and save some money but I don't want to end up with a two tone car

A few years back I caught 2 little 'darlings' using my car as a practice target for their re-enactment of the Star Wars light sabre fight scene between Darth Vader and Luke Sky Walker. Unfortunatley they put 3 scratches in my bonnet down to the metal

Ofcourse approaching the parents was fruitless, so I went about a self repair.



After a few hours, I managed to make a completely invisible repair. I simply purchased some 'touch up' paint and patiently filled the scratches using the tip of a cocktail stick, Do this one layer at a time, and eventualy you get a line of paint repair that is standing proud of the original paint. Then use something like a T-Cut (for metalic paint), and again slowly work on reducing the repair down to the original paint level. It really does work, and even if it does not, you have not lost much anyway. Worst case is that you have to have it done by a pro, best case is that it will be a complete success and the scratch will be gone.

There are many good websites that give advice on this type of repair.

[generationgav]

Originally Posted by elfa7

Neither of the Honda dealers near me have their own body shop. The dealer in Stockport uses body shops in either Manchester or Altrincham. Whether they are Honda or Independent I'm not sure.

If you know a good independent, they will do just as good a job.

The one in Stockport uses their own spray facilities in Manchester. It's the same company...I think it's Honda too but I think it's shared between the Honda and another garage next door.

I however used an independent for 1/2 the price and the job was perfect.

[Stef]

For your info; in the Belgium Civic brochure there is mentioned black on white:

Due to the application of innovative coating technology, the scratch resistance could be increased, resulting in a 3 year paint warranty without mileage restriction.

Any Dutch speaking user can verify this! Please check the English brochure

[Topcat]

Originally Posted by karlak

A few years back I caught 2 little 'darlings' using my car as a practice target for their re-enactment of the Star Wars light sabre fight scene between Darth Vader and Luke Sky Walker. Unfortunatley they put 3 scratches in my bonnet down to the metal

Ofcourse approaching the parents was fruitless, so I went about a self repair.



After a few hours, I managed to make a completely invisible repair. I simply purchased some 'touch up' paint and patiently filled the scratches using the tip of a cocktail stick, Do this one layer at a time, and eventualy you get a line of paint repair that is standing proud of the original paint. Then use something like a T-Cut (for metalic paint), and again slowly work on reducing the repair down to the original paint level. It really does work, and even if it does not, you have not lost much anyway. Worst case is that you have to have it done by a pro, best case is that it will be a complete success and the scratch will be gone.

There are many good websites that give advice on this type of repair.

Thanks, the car is going in tomorrow I am going to ask them if they can do that for me instead of quoting for a respray, I am a bit worried to do it myself I am not the best when it comes to any form of painting