Mobile paint repairs

[Robbo]

I have some scratches that need repair. I don't think they warrant a trip to the panel shop at this stage but, I may have no option. I would like to pose the question as to anyones experience with the paint /scratch repairers that come to your home/work. As anyone had a good repairer? or are they basically crap. If you live in Melbourne and have had a good experience I would like to know who you would recommend. There are about 5 in the yellow pages.

[Alf]

One of them came out to look at a workmate's car. I asked him about fixing the stone chips on my Evo Gold (mica) paint. Said it was too hard and he wouldn't attempt it (probably because the obvious condition of the rest of the card indicated that I might be a fussy customer).

Cheers,
Alf

[Robbo]

That says alot. I don't want a crap job either, and I would be a fussy customer. Looks like panel shop here I come. Lucky I know a good spray painter.

[Mr Morlock]

Paint repairs come down to what are you trying to repair- larger surface area will require traditional approaches and the cost often leaves people thinking that it is best put off for another day.I would imagine that any repairer will tell you if it is do able and what cost. The small dent repairers can work wonders and save lots.

[Benny]

Mica paints and others like pearlised finishes are very difficult to match, as it is not only the paint colour, or just the amount of mica or fish scales or whatever, the hard trick is to get them to lay in the same orientation as the rest of the car.
Even spray painters who have to do a complete panel can never guarantee that they will match it exactly.

Many years ago, my father had a Eunos 800M.
Before he bought it he was deciding what colour to choose, and I told him anything except the pearlised white.
So what colour did he buy?
The pearlised white, of course.
Being an elderly man, he often had minor bingles, and by the time it was 3 years old, it had 6 different pearl white colours on it.
Now the panel beater we use is absolutely fantastic at matching paint and finishes, but even they couldn't ever get a 100% match.

If you have a solid colour, or even a metallic colour, a mobile painter should be able to do a decent job although if you look closely, you will be able to see it.

[Robbo]

Thanks Speed racer. The colour on my car is a solid colour and not a pearl fx. I know they rotten colours to match and would never buy a car with that paint work. Some metalics are a pain too. You have given me some hope. Now to ring some of these mobile services and ask some questions.