Bonnet Disaster

[SMOKYSILVER]

Some advice please people,

I have a C-Class on a 98 plate in Smoked Silver that is generally pretty tidy. However in a bid to save some time over the weekend I took it along to a car wash where the kind man aimed his jet wash fractions of an inch from the bonnet and promptly removed a credit-card sized area of lacquer. I guess the high pressure water found a stone chip and the rest is history - along with the lacquer. Having just spent a lot of money on a service, 4 new tyres and road tax I'm not really in pocket to get the entire bonnet re-sprayed right now.
My question is; is it possible or am I wasting my time in attempting to 'blow' the area in with a can of Halford's clear lacquer, followed by a good polish once it's hardened? Or should I just accept the inevitable, let the weather do its worst and get a re-spray when funds allow.
Also, can anyone recommend a good paint shop in the Dartford/Bexley area of Kent, and would a competent bodyshop be able to match the new paint colour with the ~7year old existing colour?

Cheers

 

[PINBALL]

Don't use anything but the proper touch up.

Pop along to MB dealer & order proper paint aerosol & laquer which come complete together.

Don't try to save pennies & waste pounds in the end.

Just recently bought the 2 x can kit from my dealer & cost only £15-16 all in.

Keith.

 

[jberks]

I really wouldn't attempt to fix the laquer with an aerosol. Unless you flat the edges of the existing laquer perfectly, you are going to see the joins and it will look a whole lot worse. Getting the finish to match your existing paintwork will be impossible.

I do wonder whether the 'chips away' chaps could do something for you? They seem pretty good at invisible repairs and are way cheaper than the bodyshop.

Like most things, body and paintwork are specialist skills and best not attempted by the aerosol armed amateur.

 

[SLIGOGOLFER]

I AGREE with jberks, leave it to the professionals, you might get away with
doing little bits around the sills ect. (down low out of "eyeline"). But on the
BONNET, forget it.

 

[tom7035]

Hi SMOKYSILVER.
I'm in the same position as you regarding financial contributions to my Merc, but I totally agree with jberks - don't put an aerosol near your car unless you are highly skilled in refinishing work or you will make matters ten times worse.
In my area a total bonnet repaint/lacquer can be had professionally for around £150 - not a lot more than a plug change at a stealership! (I have just had an entire roof section, bonnet and petrol flap quote of £250 all inc.)
Shop around some of the established smaller guys in the refinishing business, there are some very competent people out there.
It is IMPOSSIBLE get a PERFECT match with a factory finish, old paint with new, but a VERY ACCEPTABLE one.
Cheers, Tom.

 

[SMOKYSILVER]

Thanks for the advive guys, sorry for the delay in replying,

I went to my MB dealer they had a look at the bonnet and reckoned a re-spray of the bonnet blended into the wings was the only real solution and estimated about £500+vat. A smaller, well recommended body shop also took a look and worryingly informed me that the wings and bonnet had already had a re-spray and not a very good-one at that, which probably explained why the lacquer came off so readily. They wanted approx £350+vat to do the job properly. Meantime I went back to MB and bought the paint and lacquer aerosol combo for £12. I figured that as I am gonna get the bonnet/wing re-spray done i didn't have a whole lot to lose. As it happens it turned out not too shabby and at the very least will prevent the lacquer from further deterioration over the winter until I get the re-spray.

Thanks again.