Bonnet Paint Chips

[AAPete]

Hi all,

I am an infrequent poster on here but I am after some advice.
I have a CLK Komp Cab 52 navy blue (cant remember the colur name)the bonnet has numerous paint chips I have touched them in but I am seeing slight raising of the paint that looks like rust, any ideas how to get rid of it?
I have seen a company called chip away anyone used or heard of them?
How much a new bonnet?

Cheers

Pete

 

[SLinKyjoe]

If you do a search for chips away in the forum search it will bring up some threads with references to them for you!

all I know is they are franchised owner operators. So you may get a good, pride in his work person, or a shyster making a quick buck.

am sure someone will have a good word for them tho.

 

[tom7035]

Hi AAPete.
Seems to me a bit extreme to consider a new bonnet for a few paint chips or blisters. If 'Chipsaway' can't help any decent bodyshop should be able to refinish it for probably less than a 'stealership' plug-change cost. (I'm a wee bit more of an optimist concerning British workmanship than maybe 'SLinKyjoe is!)
Cheers, Tom.

 

[peterchurch]

Hi Pete,
The easiest solution is to get the font of the bonnet rubbed down and repainted. Any rust you are seeing will be surface rust the only reason I can think of is that you got some salt in the chips over the winter months...
I got my bonnet sprayed when I first got my car, and it will go back in to be redone soon its expensive to do it but I hate having stone chips

Best regards,

Peter

PS Chipsaway are very much down to the guy you use I would not bother with them personally as they will "touch in" or over spray damaged surfaces but this might be better being done properly

 

[AAPete]

So how much to respray a bonnet?

 

[SLinKyjoe]

Hi AAPete.
Seems to me a bit extreme to consider a new bonnet for a few paint chips or blisters. If 'Chipsaway' can't help any decent bodyshop should be able to refinish it for probably less than a 'stealership' plug-change cost. (I'm a wee bit more of an optimist concerning British workmanship than maybe 'SLinKyjoe is!)
Cheers, Tom.

Sorry if I came across as not thinking british workmanship is good. I had a silver SLK touched up by a chips away man. I had managed to get the hedge trimmer 2 close to the fuel flap and put a lovely straight line down it. The guy told me all about how they work and it really is down to the guy you get. I dont live anyhwere near Kent and so wont be able to recommend him. Altho for a bonnet I would use a spray shop as you suggested.

If someone recommends chips away we need to know the name of the guy who came. Chips away have also got competition in Sprint Finish which was set up by and ex chips away man.

 

[peterchurch]

So how much to respray a bonnet?

depends on who and where you are I had a nice man down here do a job for £400 with loads of other stuff as well..

This was a picture taken when it was done

 

[tom7035]

AAPete, I'd have a 'shop around' for a few quotes, and don't be afraid to try the 'little guy' working for himself. He's more likely to take a pride in his work and there are some very competent guys out there working on their own. Won't be afraid to let you see a sample of his work either or, if he is, then just walk away! The bonnet is one of the easier panels on your car to refinish, even though it's big.
I had both front wings, and both rear quarter panels, which required a fair bit of work around the wheel arches in preparation, and two door panels (above the plastic mouldings) refinished in a near-perfect paint match (never get PERFECT, new paint with old!) for £380 all inclusive. I'm maybe lucky though up here 'in the sticks'!
Good luck, Tom.

 

[TonyJones]

Try and find a local small independant bodywork/paint shop that does some insurance work.

Its important that whoever does the job blends the paint in with the wings, especially if its metallic. I always ask them how they manage this ..should be slight overspray of wings.

The paintshop I use BodyWorks/ MK ( so no good for you) would charge £70 for the paint + about £175-225 for labour + vat on top. They are VERY good.

As for Chips Away, being franchised its a bit hit and miss...apparently very good for car park door dents though

 

[Lambfoot]

My local MB dealer quoted "about £250" for a bonnet respray, I would expect an independant to be a good bit less.

 

[peterchurch]

My local MB dealer quoted "about £250" for a bonnet respray, I would expect an independant to be a good bit less.

Bent sods might have told you they were re-spraying it, but for that sort of money I would suggest they were blowing over the chips and then polishing the whole bonnet

 

[tom7035]

Obviously it depends where you live. The further north it seems the cheaper it gets. If I had to pay more than £150 - £180 tops just for a bonnet job (prep/basecolour/lacquer) I'd consider I'd been ripped off.

 

[philharve]

Hi AAPete

I have just received a provisional quotation for a bonnet job of GBP300.00. This includes materials. I was informed that all rust spots would be removed, treated with rust inhibitor before any undercoats and top coats were applied. A job this thorough must surely be worth 300 smackers!

I can imagine that some less fussy backstreet bodyshops might touch in the paint chips, after treating them, and before giving the bonnet a rubdown and a final topcoat. I don't consider this to be a lasting repair. Far better to remove the rust by bead plasting and covering with rust inhibitor before considering any coats of paint.

The previous (original purchaser) owner of my car had a minor corrosion repair job done but the rust broke through again within 18 months. Lack of response by M-B concerning the corrosion warranty eventually drove the original owner to sell his car, which in every other respect was perfect. M-B lost one loyal customer to Volvo through their inaction. I bought the car not knowing of the rust problem and 10 months later the repair had been completed a second time, hopefully for good.

I would not want to spend my own money on a repair that was not guarantied to be permanent. I have had repairs done that were permanent. I guess if a quote is too cheap then a repair is unlikely to be permanent although there will always be exceptions. If I received a low quote I would want a written description of precisely what work would be done. It'll give some peace of mind should things go wrong.

REGARDS Phil