8 replies to this topic

[TJenkos]

I need a bit of work doing to my Mini and I can do the welding OK, but with my car being a random metallic blue it gets tricky..

Things I need welding are my passenger door step and lower half of a-panel, and my bonnet corners..

These would then need to be sprayed to the correct colour, along with some sportspack arches and sideskirts and want the roof doing black.

Ive had a quote from a friends workplace and they quoted me £750 with all the welding done (I supply panels).. all the front end being sprayed and across the passenger door..

Does that sound expensive to you? It was £650 if I did the welding myself..

Im not sure how to go about doing things. I do have a smallish compressor in the garage, so would it be difficult for me to do the roof myself?

Any advice?

[jack_marshall]

If your friends work place is me...

I quoted you for;

Repairing the wing and a panel.

Welding the door step.

Welding the corners of the bonnet.

Painting the whole front

Blending down both sides (colour match issues!)

Painting 4 wheel arches

And the roof black!


And seriously mate, I would not start replacing panels for the little damage there is. It would definately complicate matters!

[panelbeaterpeter]

£750 sounds about right for a professional job. However hard you try, it's very difficult to obtain a spot on finish in your garage at home with no spray booth, plus you have the safety issues surrounding 2K paint. If you can afford it, I'd go for it.

[Senile Old Git]

I have to concur with PBP & Jack.

I have done similar jobs in my unit, & that will accomodate seven cars, but a proper booth has the correct lighting and temperature to spray in. Without all these facilities the finished job will be poor unless you are really time served. You will spend ages cutting the laquer back at best, if you get runs in the basecoat it will never match.

You are better off paying a professional, they have spent £20,000 + on booths, materials, and safety equipment. Trust me, leave them to it!

The paint alone + laquer is not cheap, least if you leave it to the professionals you will enhance the value of your car, rather than wasting good money on materials that you are not trained or probably experienced in using.

Edited by webweavers, 07 December 2007 - 08:47 PM.

[TJenkos]

If your friends work place is me...

No mate, this was another place..

I just dont want to spend another £700 odd quid more on it...

[jack_marshall]

Ah right, thought it was me cause I quoted you about that I think.

[TJenkos]

Yeah both quotes were similar..

Just trying to fiddle my way out of spending so much more on it, and dont know the best way of doing so!

How much would a cheap garage charge for a full respray in a flat colour?

[panelbeaterpeter]

It all depends on what needs doing before applying the paint. It's best to go around garages in your area or ring em up and ask. Will give you much more of an idea, prices vary greatly. And if you go to a cheap garage, you can probably expect a cheap finish!

[jack_marshall]

Dont do it Tom!

Dont mean to annoy you, but seriously, just have the damage repaired and door step.. And leave the arches and roof till later.

At least then you will have a sound mini again that hasn't cost you an arm and leg.

A full repaint and colour change will ruin the car IMO, as it looks pretty decent as it is.