Anyone out there had any experiences with Chipsaway for minor stonechip repairs ? I've had a quote and am still undecided as to how the final finnish will look - is it still visible after the repair ? Also, how good is the colour match and does the repair last with age ?
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I used Chipsaway to repair a small scrape (maybe 10cm x 5cm) on a plastic bumper. Colour match was excellent although the finish was not as good as the original. Having said that, I had to get on my hands and knees and get really close up before I was able to find the repaired area. It looked as good 2 years later. I think it cost me about £75, but I don't know if that's good value as I didn't actually compare the cost with a regular bodyshop. Really convenient too as they did it in a couple of hours in my office car park. I'd use them again if the need arose.
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I had a long vandal scratch, a wheel-arch scrape and a bumper scrape done by them (St Albans branch) more than a year ago. I can't see where the repairs are.
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I used Chipsaway to repair a small scrape (maybe 10cm x 5cm) on a plastic bumper.
Glad you got a fix you were happy with, but surely something has gone a bit awry with cars with bumpers don't like bumps, and require expensive repairs after even a minor bump.
The first plastic bumpers were brilliant things: the original Renault 5 had remarkably robust grey plastic bumpers which happily survived bashes which would have wrecked the chrome bumpers on other 70s cars. Then other makers started to use plastic too, and for a few years we had cars with bumpers which didnt mind being bumped.
Then it all started to go wrong with the Maestro, which introduced painted bumpers. Eventually, the other manufacturers followed, and the only way of getting bumpable bumpers is to pay extra for something like the Rover 25 Steetwise rather than the standard R25. I'm sure somebody will try to persuade me that this is progress ...
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I used them for SWMBO MX-5, he re-sprayed the nose-cone and touched in a few other stone-chips and large scratches.
This cost £90 which considering he spent 3 1/2 hours on the job was good value - car looked superb too.
Colour match on the nose-cone was not quite perfect, but no-one else noticed so not a problem.
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I used them to repair three deep key scratches on my car. Paint is metallic red.
You can still see the scratches without getting too close and the finish is dull - I could have achieved similar with a can from Halfords and saved £145.
AVOID!
Chris M
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Remember that Chipsaway is a franchise operation and will vary from operater to operator. The only way to reassure yourself of the quality of your local outfit is ask them for recent customer testimonials that can be verified.
No different to any other garage or bodyshop in that respect.
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AS ND says it depends upon the particular franchisee..
I had a scrape on my metalic red wing mirroe and it looks as good as new.... £50
I'm sure if you contact your local operative and ask for references he'll be happy to let you have some and if he's not then that answers the question for you :)
JaB
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My local Chipsaway did an absolutely brilliant proper job on my neighbours car and so I got him to repair the scrapes ( not mine !) on my Civic bumper.As others have said , its a franchise so ask the guy to show you some of his previous work before committing.
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I used them about 3 years ago on a silver Mazda.
They repaired a 6" scratch on my bonnet, which I did while carrying some concrete-reinforcing mesh to put under the tyres when I was stuck in mud. The result was horris, could of done better with a touch up stick. They didn't charge me.
They also did a bit of the front wing where it had rusted from behind the rubbing strip, I had removed the rust for them, and removed the strip, the reult was a good finisj, but a poor colour match in certain lights, also, the finish dulled with time, and after 6 mothsm I bought the spraygun/compressor equipment and repainted this area and the front bumper with two-pack paint and the reult was amazing.
they did my Dad's alloys where there were chips where weights had been removed, and you couldn't tell at all, and can't to this day, so you win some you lose some!
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I did get recommendations. A friend who is VERY particular had two repairs done and you couldn't spot the difference. Both were on flat colours though.
Next time I'll use my local small bodyshop that I have used in the past. Might cost a little bit more but he's a known quantity.
Chris M
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We have experience of the the Chipsaway franchises in St Albans & South Bucks.
Both are excellent. Good as new.
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Since chips away are a franchise you will get good and bad dealers.
I've heard both good and bad stories of them just make sure you use one with a good repuatation.
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