I Need Chip Repair Advice

[mike529]

Found this board last month and it motivated me to give my car a good detailing inside and out. For the outside, I used Mothers Clay Bar and their 3-Step System. I was very happy with the results! Looked great!
Three days later someone at work backed into me:( Not too bad really...only left a thumbnail sized chip on the rear bumper...but still...
I own a 2000 Olds Intrigue. It`s in excellent condition. I take great care of it. After the accident at work I decided to take it a few body shops to see how much it would cost to fix that chip, along with a few others chips and scuffs on the car. First 2 shops would only give estimates for "whole area`s" of the car. Front and rear bumpers $250 each to take off and paint, and $100 for scuffed molding on pass. door. Around $600. Way more than I want to spend. I was just looking for "pro" touch up.
Third shop offered to "blend" the chip on the rear bumper and "touch up" front bumper and side molding for $100. More of what i was looking for pricewise. But now I`m worried about "you get what you pay for".
I`ve never done touch up work myself and the car is in nice enough shape that I dont really want to mess with it myself.
I guess what I`m asking is...do you think its worth the $100 or so for a "pro touch up" job? Am I just asking for trouble trying to "cheap" it out with the low body shop price, as opposed to doing it correctly?(painting whole area`s)
I don`t expect perfection but would like something close...thats why I`d rather have someone experienced do it, but given a choice between $600 and doing it myself...I`d try it myself first. I`m hoping the "cheap shop" would be a nice middle ground solution. Any thoughts and opinions appreciated. Sorry for the long post.

Mike

[ohsoclean]

Chips are difficult for detailers. I mean touch up to a point. but still i wish body shops in my area would frigen charge 250 for bumper painting. if there that bad and it will improve the overall apearance maybe the body shop idea isnt so bad. Otherwise touch up is the only other thing i know of and it keeps most ppl satisfied. Mybe someone else knows of other things im un aware of. good luck

[JaredPointer]

http://www.bettercarcare.com/articles.php?articleId=27 <------- Excellent article.

Also, you could try the Mother`s paint chip repair liquid. It`s not professional, but it is an easy "fix" for chips.

[EZ Boy]

Originally posted by mike529
Third shop offered to "blend" the chip on the rear bumper and "touch up" front bumper and side molding for $100. More of what i was looking for pricewise. But now I`m worried about "you get what you pay for".
I`ve never done touch up work myself and the car is in nice enough shape that I dont really want to mess with it myself.
I guess what I`m asking is...do you think its worth the $100 or so for a "pro touch up" job? Am I just asking for trouble trying to "cheap" it out with the low body shop price, as opposed to doing it correctly?(painting whole area`s)
I don`t expect perfection but would like something close...thats why I`d rather have someone experienced do it, but given a choice between $600 and doing it myself...I`d try it myself first. I`m hoping the "cheap shop" would be a nice middle ground solution. Any thoughts and opinions appreciated. Sorry for the long post.

Mike

I have a paint repair guy working out of my shop as well as a paintless dent removalist. The paint guy touches up deep scratches and chips then blends them in with wet sanding and polish to finish (in a perfect world) Mostly you will get a near respray finish if the paint well matched and the surface hasn`t been too deformed during the collision. Some shaving of plastic on bumpers is done too. Most clients are stoked with the results. If nothing else you will certainly take the eye off the marring, the worst case scenario is you get it resprayed so $100 or so starts sounding very reasonable, yeah?

Post some pics and tell us how you go.

[rollman]

Yeah I don`t think $100 sounds to bad. Remember they aren`t taking the bumper off the car so that`s probably why the price sounds so cheap to you .

[mike529]

Sorry I haven`t replied sooner. I did go with the body shop and they did a great job! I`ll definitely do it again in the future when/if it ever needs "touch up" work again.
Where the car was hit and on the side molding...you`d never know work was done...like new! A chip on the front bumper was a "throw in" on their part...didn`t do such a good job, but it is covered and dosen`t show up like it used to, and for what I paid...wasn`t going to complain.

Mike