Chips Away !

[Suffolk944]

Tried a forum search with little luck so apologies if this has been asked a squillion times in the past. I know we have a representative of said organisation amongst us - I am just trying to get an idea of how much this sort of thing costs as I have a few chippettes to patch up on the old girl - Is it charged by the chip or by the hour ?

 

[Diver944]

Bonnet stonechip repairs are merely a touch in to protect the underlying metalwork and are always very visible no matter what the colour is. Most operators like myself will throw them in free of charge if already spraying a scuffed bumper or dented wheel arch as you already have the paint mixed up and a touch in takes a few minutes.

Cost wise it all depends whether you have one stonechip on a brand new car or several hundred like the front of a 20 year old black 944 []. It takes about an hour to mix up the paint, then a minute to do one chip, factor in travelling time and a rough hourly rate of £40 and you're looking at £60 minimum just to touch in one stonechip and they will still be visible. Not any of us would pay that - I wouldn't

If you don't want to see them at all (and most of us fussy Porsche owners don't want to see them []) then you really are better off getting the whole panel resprayed at a bodyshop. Touching them in yourself is easy with a very fine artists brush and a pot of solvent paint mixed up by a local factor. Touch the smallest amount into each chip that is possible then allow to dry overnight before adding a second or third coat. Never put too much in at one go.

 

[Mark_Bennett]

www.langka.com

Used it with great success on my car.

 

[James_G]

With this very much in mind I went to my local (and very helpful) OPC* to order some Panther Black touch up paint. It would appear however that it's no longer available, which means sourcing elsewhere.

Is it just a case of finding a friendly bodyshop and getting them to mix some up?? Or given that my damage is around the top of the windscreen where somebody in a "bodyshop" has not masked properly and sprayed up onto the rubber seal, only to then need to remove said seal causing the paint to flake off, would I be better getting a more permanent repair? All before my ownership I hasten to add.........




* Mid-Sussex. Just moved and not used Guildford yet.

 

[graham.webb]

James: My first 944 was Azurite Blue (quite unusual) and I got paint from Auto-Paint in St Helens. They do touch up and spray cans, and all they needed was the paint code.

Must get some for my current car....it's Alpine White, but in some lights the bonnet looks a slightly different shade. Wonder if Alpine and Grand Prix are the same.......?

 

[Fen]

Not even close to the same. GP is white and Alpine is actually very light cream if you see them together.

 

[Alexw]

ORIGINAL: graham.webb

Must get some for my current car....it's Alpine White, but in some lights the bonnet looks a slightly different shade. Wonder if Alpine and Grand Prix are the same.......?

They are not! Mine is the same colour as yours and has had a top end respray at some point in its life - the bonnet, light covers and roof have all been resprayed, you can see its slightly different in colour. Ive paint mixed by 4 different places now and have 4 slightly different shades of white, its hard to tell just looking at it but as soon it dries on the car you can tell its slightly off. I put them all on a bit of paper that i can hold up to the paint to see how well it matches each section, not sure if its worked though The colours are very different when seen side by side, Grand Prix white is much whiter, whereas Alpine is "dirtier" or tinged yellowish.

 

[graham.webb]

Thanks for that.....I'll need to watch it when I get the rust (rear of n/s cill) sorted later this year, especially as it's the bonnet that looks off white.......maybe it's had a bottom respray in the wrong shade!