Respray vs second hand panels

[MK21800]

I have severe clearcoat failure on my bonnet now, about a third of it has peeled off. Looks like absolute shite.

I've been quoted around the £300 mark from my local bodyshop for a respray.

Just seen this on ebay

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vw-Scirocco- ... 0675.m4236

It's the same colour as mine, LC6V is I remember right. This colour doesn't seem to come up very often on ebay.

It seems to have white paint flecked on it (emulsion)? The seller claims it comes off with a fingernail, which makes me think a good claying will sort it out.

And there's a little rust scab on the front.

Apart from that, it looks in great condition. I'm still waiting for photos of the underside though.

If I either travelled to Dorset or got a courier, it would cost me around the £50 mark, and the bonnet already has one bid on it, so I'm guessing this would be around £110 - £120 total for the bonnet plus courier/my own petrol.

Vs £300 for a respray.

What option do you think I should go for?

[moser]

I got a second hand door in the same colour once and ended up respraying it because i wasnt happy with the condition when i saw it in the metal. Pictures can be deceving. It was a good colour match though

[BlackGTX]

For the price 2nd hand and then tcut and wax the whole car to even the colour out

[MK21800]

Thanks for the replies. I gave it a miss in the end, not least because I've had some important family business recently and didn't have time to really go for it. Hence why I'm late replying to this thread.

Apart from that, the seller failed to describe the underside of the bonnet etc. although he seemed like a nice chap, so I decided not to take the risk in the end. Guess I'll save up for a respray to ensure a good match.

[BlackGTX]

Apart from that, the seller failed to describe the underside of the bonnet etc. although he seemed like a nice chap, so I decided not to take the risk in the end.

I do that too. could be genuine but if i cant get a direct answer i walk away, especially it the pictures, description and then seller dont provide the info i need

[essextom]

I’d respray yours. Even if it’s the same paint code it may not match, there’s usually slight variations in the code. Was £300 for blending into the wings also? If so that’s pretty much a front end spray which is a pretty good price.

[C 20 CCO]

I've also contacted this seller enquiring about the passenger door. This was weeks ago... Apparently the Rocco is boxed in with no easy access, I'm still waiting for pictures, but I think i'll give up.
I did find a thread from this great club on how to remove the lower rubber moulding with diesel. I think I'll take this route because the rust is all along the lower door skin seal. The moulding will cover any repairs to paint.

Must admit £300 for re-spraying a bonnet sounds pretty steep though!

[VWChris101]

I dont know what condition the bonnet is in apart from the clearcoat dropping, but a couple of things to think about ref value/price

- We know the clear coat has failed, so it maybe wasn't a premium product to start with.
- Do you want a high, medium or low level product. High quality product will hold up to heat from both engine and sunlight radiation for many years.
- That old product has to all come off now - or else whatever goes on the car will be compromised.
- The same applies to the base coat.
- That process may reveal why the clear dropped in the first place- it could have been drawn in (sunk) or de-laminated because of issues in the substrate. In English that means someone could have applied poor quality filler/primer badly, that has compromised the clear.
- A decent bodyshop would/should be able to make a value judgement based on viewing. It will be 90/95 right. An estimate will be based on that.
Sorry to go on. There's more....

- The colour as someone has said will almost certainly have some field variants, 2,3,4,5 is not uncommon.
- I would recommend (any decent body shop would) to any customer that they blend the wings.
- Even if there is just one field colour and the colour is spot on - it rarely is I'd do at least one spray out card first -applying new clear coat will alter the way the light refracts on that panel and give the perception the colour is different. That is simple science.
- To avoid that, I would always explain that situation and give the customer the option.
- All of the above ignores any small repairs, stone chips that may need attention etc. Once new clear is on any old imperfections will now shine like a shilling up a sweeps ar8e

Then......the final decision is the customers. I can buy my shopping from Aldi or I can go to Waitrose. I quite like Aldi! But the point is; different products different price. Do you want to keep the car long term or short term?

No-one should pay too much or be ripped off, I'd tell you if were being conned. But if you want a quality job....
I wouldn't recommend trying to save a little bit of cash in the very short term. Another 100 quid spent now if you keep the car for three years works out 30 quid a year!

Someone "could" do it for 300 quid. I wouldn't say its a bargain, but its not steep either. If someone said 100 quid I'd say dont go for it.

There's a massive reputation issue on every shop's mind as well, good ones anyway. If you go to a decent professional shop and he does a job "on price" and it fails, everyone and their wife sees that job. Reputation is everything when it comes to paint. So a professional shop will be thinking all this and thinking - "if I lash this for 150 quid to get the job/keep the customer happy.....and six months later he's mate sees it and it looks crap, I've lost two customers, the original and his mate and everyone his mate tells".....Poor ones (sadly, very sadly, there are some) will lash it and not give a damn.

I hope that very over-long reply gives you a glimpse into how professional shops make decisions on price.

C

[C 20 CCO]

Very well explained and prompts me to rethink my ideas..... Cheers.