Respray question

[Er31204]

Hi Everyone,



Great website, been reading for a while (actually ages, I`ve wasted so many nights reading and reading threads on here, it`s awesome!)...just bought an orbital Makita, but went to the hardware store with just the recommended rpm/opm settings and not the amp settings, so will have to return this one as it is rated at 1.1A on our 240V supply. From all you guys have said this isn`t powerful enough. Hitachi`s is 2.5A, and I can`t find the 240V amp reading for Dewalt`s DW443 or any of the Ryobi or Bosch orbitals.



Anyway, point of the post is, I`m going to have to repaint a few panels on my 2000 Peugeot 306 GTi6. The first owner was in an accident, and I didn`t notice the atrocious paint job until I washed it...bit of a lesson learnt there! The bonnet is covered with small pits, and also seems really thin as it is chipping, and I discovered a bubble of paint on the last wash. On top of that the bonnet has alot of scratches on it, as if someone took to it with sandpaper. I have also had my front guard/fender keyed, with the paint cut through to the metal, and there`s also some dribbles here and there on that fender and the front bumper. A bit of a mess really. The Meguiars guys have had a look at it (I live right near them) and said there was nothing I could do to the bonnet, but respray and the scratch would require a touch up, or a respray as well.



I`ve had previous cars which have come back from repair work with a rough finish. I`ve always sent the car back and my feeling is they`ve just cut back the paint and polished it back up. Is this normal? I`ve bought the e-book and there are some great tips there, but I`m a bit confused as to how a respray works. Once the panel is prepped correctly, and is then painted, what else happens to that paint before they`re "done"? What happens in an "ideal" situation?



Also, if anyone can recommend a top painter in Sydney, that would be great.



:xyxthumbs - Lincoln

[Lowejackson]

If you have some pics post them. Without seeing the paint it is hard to say to much, but I guess you have 2 options



1. Polish out the scratches and review the results



2. Go for a respray.



The problem with a respray is that a first class job is expensive compared to a cheap job. But you have seen what a cheap respray looks like. Ask around for any recommendations of any good local places ie local car groups, family, friends etc.



Steven

[Er31204]

Well I have got a guy I used many years ago, whose quality was so good that the Meguiars guys that detailed my car a few years later did not know the panel had been painted until he took the rotary to it. Apparently respray feels different to factory paint under the roatary...the respray moves around a bit more when hot. I`ll porbably be using him again, but just want to know what is supposed to happen with a respray, in a perfect scenario what happens after the painter paints?



As for some pics, I`ll borrow my mates digital and take some shots and upload them. I don`t have any really good ones which show the poor job. There`s nothing I can do to save this bonnet though, the pits are like small pin marks in the paint. The meguiars guy said it was silicone bubbles that had burst after painting, showing that the panel hadn`t been prepped correctly.



Can a levelling buff take out a paint dribble?

[Marty]

Can you recommend any good detailers in Sydney?



I may need some scratches in the clear coat buffed out with a rotary buffer.

[Er31204]

Give Meguiars a call, they used to do their own paint correction service, but stopped that a few years ago. I had the privelege of that service a few times before they stopped. Was awesome.



Anyway, they have a bunch of detailers they recommend and have gone through the Meguiar`s "course". They can fax u a listing of who they recommend.



Also Zymol have this service too, I`m pretty sure, you can give them a buzz. Otherwise, I haven`t used anyone since I had my previous cars "meguiarised". The local Zaino guy also appears to do detailing, but I think he`s in Melbourne.



The paint shop I`m using is Finelines in Moorebank, by the way, but any other recommendations would be great, so I can talk to a few others before seeing Frank down there.



Anyway, took back the Makita this morning, and picked up the DeWalt DW443 for $322 at Bunnings. Had them price match Grahams Hardware on the web (do a search for DeWalt and Australia if you want to take the print out in). They only price matched and didn`t take another 10% off as the item needs to be in stock. There ain`t much choice with the random orbitals here, this is the best one I could find. The PC costs US$62 to deliver to Oz, so I got myself the DeWalt. Hitachi have a 2.2A DA, Bosch don`t have anything about the 2.2A in a 6", and Makita only had the 1.1A that I bought and returned.



Have you tried a random orbital to get the scratches out? I see value in doing this myself, over a detailer.



- Lincoln

[Marty]

I actually bought a Porter Cable 7424 Random Orbital Polisher from Costal Tool http://www.coastaltool.com/



The cost all together was $320 AUD (including shipping)



Shipping is expensive but you know that you will get your stuff as it is shipped via UPS



UPS also take care of customs which is one less hassle.



The major problem, more of a financial problem, is the actual transformer to run it on Australian electricity



DickSmithElectronics has transformers but they are not cheap!



The one that I need is $275 AUD



http://www.dse.com.au/cgi-bin/dse.storefront/3e10432b091d38d2273fc0a87f9c068b/Product/View/M1153



But I am getting one for free as my father is in the electrical business



I will also order some pads from CMA http://www.properautocare.com/



They will ship to Australia



You can get 8 inch foam pads and backing plate for the rotary buffer from Meguiars Australia

http://www.meguiars.com.au/Products_Professional.htm

[Lowejackson]

In the UK, on building sites, work tools are powered by 110v transformers. I do not know if this is the same where you are, but it might be worth a look. The normal consumer transformers were about 120 Pounds whereas a commercial (ie ugly + yellow) is about 50 Pounds.



Steven

[Er31204]

Well I had Bunnings price match these guys:

http://www.grahams.com.au/Grahams/index.cfm?ID=87&ProductView=144



From what I`ve read on autopia there isn`t a huge difference between the PC and the DeWalt 443. There were some comments that there isn`t variable speed on the Dewalt, but I am able to vary the speed whilst the unit is on without any problems. So I ended up paying $322 and it runs on 240V and is a 2.8A, I think...



LoweJackson, from what I`ve seen so far all the professional tools, in the Bosch range at least, are running on 240V, I haven`t seen any 110V tools here. Intersting that most of the random orbitals I`ve looked at are made in the US, explains the high cost in Oz with our great exchange rate. :rolleyes: