1998 Avalon - what would you do?

**Liquid2009** · 01-17-2002, 08:45 PM

Since I posted last, I found out that we have a local ChipsAway dealer here, I went and talked to him about fixing my key`ing incident, and he offered me 350$ to take care of the key`ing, fix my whole front bumper ( good amount of stone chips ) and 2-3 other minor stone chips on my dark blue paint...

I just wanted to ask you guys if you have any experience or know of anyone that has with the ChipsAway system?

Cheers! :up

**Lemonxxs** · 01-17-2002, 09:03 PM

DO they have a website??

**Chuckmotor** · 01-17-2002, 10:16 PM

Is there a ChipsAway or something similiar in the US?

**sing-toledo** · 01-18-2002, 12:56 AM

There is a ChipsAway shop in Singapore. Not sure if they use the same system.

I`ve never tried it but general impression I get from the local forum is that they are not very good.

You may want to check out the forum yourself (link below) but don`t take it as gospel truth since (a) it may not even be using the same equipment/technology; and (b) skill level of the staff may differ. Just use the information as a guide as to what to watch out for when you go to your local dealer.

http://forums.delphiforums.com/cartorque/start

**Liquid2009** · 01-18-2002, 08:33 AM

Well, It`s an USA based company, and there are numerous shops based in the USA I belive...

They are supposed to work good on dark cars, but i`ve heard stories about gray/white light color cars that are not as good...

Well, i`ll just check em out...

thanks guys!

-r-

**jackluminous** · 09-29-2010, 12:35 PM

Hi all, noob here. (I mean serious noob, like until I found this forum I considered washing a car to be running it through an automatic car wash.) You can imagine that this forum has been, shall we say, englightening.

Wifey and I just bought a new(er) car. We want to learn how to properly care for it. But that`s not the subject of this thread.

What IS the subject, is this: we want to see if it is even remotely feasible to clean up the old car. It`s bad. Like, severely awful bad. We call the car the "ghettomobile". I am seriously ashamed to show this car in a public forum for automotive detailers. I don`t think I can use words to prepare you for how bad the paint is on this car, so I`ll just show you (apologies in advance if this causes eye damage or a brain aneurysm):

http://s921.photobucket.com/albums/a...yota%20Avalon/

The car actually drives like a dream with almost 200k, and has been very dependable. We spent our money and energy on maintaining the car mechanically, so if anything broke that could compromise safety or driveability, we had our mechanic fix it. If it was cosmetic, we didn`t. The paint started failing about six years ago. It fell into the "cosmetic" category, and we didn`t know how to fix/maintain it anyway (nor did our mechanic), so we just let it go, and now here it is. :banghead: Well, now nobody ever accuses us of being rich!

The inside will be challenging to detail but not too bad. No major stains, no tears, a few plastic parts are broken but nothing that can`t be cleaned up, repaired, or replaced.

So here`s my question for you (really, two questions): 1) what does this car need to look decent again on the exterior? and 2) what would you do with it?

**bmw5541** · 09-29-2010, 12:45 PM

Originally Posted by jackluminous

Hi all, noob here. (I mean serious noob, like until I found this forum I considered washing a car to be running it through an automatic car wash.) You can imagine that this forum has been, shall we say, englightening.

Wifey and I just bought a new(er) car. We want to learn how to properly care for it. But that`s not the subject of this thread.

What IS the subject, is this: we want to see if it is even remotely feasible to clean up the old car. It`s bad. Like, severely awful bad. We call the car the "ghettomobile". I am seriously ashamed to show this car in a public forum for automotive detailers. I don`t think I can use words to prepare you for how bad the paint is on this car, so I`ll just show you (apologies in advance if this causes eye damage or a brain aneurysm):

http://s921.photobucket.com/albums/a...yota%20Avalon/

The car actually drives like a dream with almost 200k, and has been very dependable. We spent our money and energy on maintaining the car mechanically, so if anything broke that could compromise safety or driveability, we had our mechanic fix it. If it was cosmetic, we didn`t. The paint started failing about six years ago. It fell into the "cosmetic" category, and we didn`t know how to fix/maintain it anyway (nor did our mechanic), so we just let it go, and now here it is. :banghead: Well, now nobody ever accuses us of being rich!

The inside will be challenging to detail but not too bad. No major stains, no tears, a few plastic parts are broken but nothing that can`t be cleaned up, repaired, or replaced.

So here`s my question for you (really, two questions): 1) what does this car need to look decent again on the exterior? and 2) what would you do with it?

Welcome to TID.
I took a look at your pictures, and from what I can tell, it looks like clear coat failure. I am pretty certain that a detailer couldn`t help with that. I hope others here will chime in. I am thinking that you need a new paint job.

**imported_glfahlc** · 09-29-2010, 01:13 PM

without even going through the pics individually when i clicked on the link and the pics came up. my first thought was new paint.. take a thou and go get it done...

**jackluminous** · 09-29-2010, 04:24 PM

Thanks so much for the response. I was afraid a new paint job was the only solution. I did some research on "clear coat failure" and now understand that there is no decent method to repair it or buff it out. My neighbor had been insistent that it was oxidation and not CCF, and that I could buff it out, but what I am seeing here and elsewhere makes me quite certain he is mistaken.

So I think the ghettomobile is going to be my practice car prior to a new paint job, and I will be much more diligent in caring for our new car. The sun is especially hard on vehicles (well, on everything) around here.