Woe is me
11-01-2012, 10:10 AM
#32
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
Would all of you who are bringing politics into my thread about a scratch please be quiet. I have had to "unfriend" and block a dozen or so of my Facebook acquaintances the past month over their incessant political diatribes.
Facebook is a SOCIAL network, not a political one. And Rennlist is a CAR FORUM, please take your politics elsewhere. Thanks.
Facebook is a SOCIAL network, not a political one. And Rennlist is a CAR FORUM, please take your politics elsewhere. Thanks.
11-01-2012, 02:53 PM
#33
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
Happy is me!
The scratch has been fixed! A guy recommended to me by a friend who wrenches at an independent exoticar garage came by my office this morning and in less than 2 hours made it look like new again.
Before he started, he explained his process. Only about three inches of the scratch was through the clearcoat and he would fill that in with clear paint before starting. I thought he would spray it on but he actually just dabbed it in with a wooden implement. While that dried (45 minutes to an hour he said) he lightly wetsanded the entire length of the scratch. You couldn't see it in my picture but although much fainter, it actually ran the entire length of the door. Once the clearcoat was dry, he sanded that, then machine buffed the entire area. The scratch is gone, car looks brand new again, cost $165.
He pulls a small box trailer and says if necessary, he can blend factory colored paints on the spot too. He has a generator, etc. so fully self-contained.
I am very, very pleased and would wholeheartedly recommend him to anyone needing minor damage fixed. His work is the antithesis of the bodyshop business, where even the most minor ding becomes a $500+ four day ordeal.
Before he started, he explained his process. Only about three inches of the scratch was through the clearcoat and he would fill that in with clear paint before starting. I thought he would spray it on but he actually just dabbed it in with a wooden implement. While that dried (45 minutes to an hour he said) he lightly wetsanded the entire length of the scratch. You couldn't see it in my picture but although much fainter, it actually ran the entire length of the door. Once the clearcoat was dry, he sanded that, then machine buffed the entire area. The scratch is gone, car looks brand new again, cost $165.
He pulls a small box trailer and says if necessary, he can blend factory colored paints on the spot too. He has a generator, etc. so fully self-contained.
I am very, very pleased and would wholeheartedly recommend him to anyone needing minor damage fixed. His work is the antithesis of the bodyshop business, where even the most minor ding becomes a $500+ four day ordeal.
11-01-2012, 04:16 PM
#36
Congrats on getting your pride and joy back.
A happy conclusion to a pointless and needless situation.
$165 ?? Does he have any idea how valuable his skills are to the likes of us.
Is he a franchise of some sort, or completely independent with some type of patented process?
Perhaps you should consider a Clearbra that baby...
A happy conclusion to a pointless and needless situation.
$165 ?? Does he have any idea how valuable his skills are to the likes of us.
Is he a franchise of some sort, or completely independent with some type of patented process?
Perhaps you should consider a Clearbra that baby...
11-01-2012, 10:05 PM
#39
Can you pm me his contact info in case I ever need him? Glad it worked out for you.
11-01-2012, 11:40 PM
#41
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
I took another picture trying to mimic the same angle as the first one and as you can see it's virtually gone. If you knew where the scratch was and look at just the right angle, at just the right light, you can still kind of see the worst couple inches of it, looks almost like a shadow in the paint.
I would still consider it near factory again, and much better to me than having the body shop repaint the entire panel. I don't know what the rules are about posting the contact info here, so unless a moderator tells me it's okay, I will just PM it to the folks who asked tomorrow from work where I left his card and the receipt.
I would still consider it near factory again, and much better to me than having the body shop repaint the entire panel. I don't know what the rules are about posting the contact info here, so unless a moderator tells me it's okay, I will just PM it to the folks who asked tomorrow from work where I left his card and the receipt.
11-01-2012, 11:57 PM
#42
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
If your door ding doesn't have paint damage, you need a PDR (paintless dent repair) guy. I know several good ones in my city, ask your dealer who they use. PDR works by the technician using variously shaped tools behind the sheet metal to massage the dent out. It's more art than science I think and the good ones can make even complex curved areas right again, doors are usually pretty easy. If there is paint damage, you might need PDR followed by touchup.
11-02-2012, 03:59 PM
#43
Instructor
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: N.E. Ohio
Posts: 144
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If your door ding doesn't have paint damage, you need a PDR (paintless dent repair) guy. I know several good ones in my city, ask your dealer who they use. PDR works by the technician using variously shaped tools behind the sheet metal to massage the dent out. It's more art than science I think and the good ones can make even complex curved areas right again, doors are usually pretty easy. If there is paint damage, you might need PDR followed by touchup.
11-02-2012, 04:27 PM
#44
Burning Brakes
Thread Starter
I took it to a guy who sets up shop in a local Mercedes dealer. He had to remove the headliner to get to the top ones so charged almost $500 for his labor (which the bike shop paid for), but got them all out. I could hardly believe the one which was just a couple inches from the windshield on a curved section of sheetmetal. When they're good, they're good!