# Why me!



## A1luke (Jan 4, 2015)

Rushed reversing into my drive and caught my gate.. entirely my fault !

Whats the best way to get this sorted, safely!


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## bradleymarky (Nov 29, 2013)

Looks deep mate so i`d say a garage job unfortunately.


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## squiggs (Oct 19, 2009)

A personally time established in the trade Smart repairer could do that easily.


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## Kimo (Jun 7, 2013)

Second thread on this ...

Honestly no idea why people automatically think smart repair

Full bumper respray will cost the same and be a much better job


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## robdcfc (Sep 17, 2012)

Kimo73 said:


> Second thread on this ...
> 
> Honestly no idea why people automatically think smart repair
> 
> Full bumper respray will cost the same and be a much better job


No it wont unless you go to a back street place, I do both and I would charge £110+vat SMART and £230+vat for a bumper paint.

Smart all the way on that one if you have a decent guy.


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## Andyb0127 (Jan 16, 2011)

Kimo73 said:


> Second thread on this ...
> 
> Honestly no idea why people automatically think smart repair
> 
> Full bumper respray will cost the same and be a much better job


Why wouldn't they think smart repair. 
If you think both prices will be the same, your just giving the op false information with regards to pricing. Not exactly a constructive answer helping the op. Leave it to people that have more of an idea of estimating how much it would be.


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## Kimo (Jun 7, 2013)

I've been quoted off the best 3 places in the area £150 for a full bumper spray

A smart repair will cost basically the same and look ten times worse 

Oh and one of them places is a VERY well known body shop


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## Andyb0127 (Jan 16, 2011)

I'm a smart repairer by trade, and no a smart would not look ten times worse if done correctly you wouldn't know it had been done.
Your quotes aren't even realistic for a full bumper respray only thing they've done VERY well is under estimate it. So no matter how well known you think they are at those prices they wont make anything out of it because remove bumper, strip bumper, prep bumper, paint bumper, refit trims spotlights grilles etc, refit bumper to car, polish bumper, valet car, all for £150 not a chance. Considering we repaired and painted a front bumper doing the above and it was £280 for that, smart repair price we charge are according to damage and how long it will take. For instance Peugeot rear bumper corner same damage as the op we charged £100 for that and back to customer same day, so you've obviously never seen a good smart repair and just stereotyping all smart repairs to be the same, well guess what were not. There's good and bad in every trade as there is with yours aswell.


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## squiggs (Oct 19, 2009)

Kimo73 said:


> Second thread on this ...
> 
> Honestly no idea why people automatically think smart repair
> 
> Full bumper respray will cost the same and be a much better job


Why would a full bumper respray be a much better job ?????? Please explain your reasoning behind that statement.

And good reasons to go for a Smart repair could be that in most cases a bodyshop would want your car for two/three days - which could mean days off work, loss of earnings, maybe having to hire a car or relying on others for lifts ..... 
....... verses two or three hours for seamless smart repair done at your home, or possibly your place of work or in a sprayshop - all done while you wait.


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## AllenF (Aug 20, 2012)

Halfords.
Touch up pen and wetsand it back then repolish the bugger.
£15 tops


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## asasprey (Feb 26, 2008)

I'm also a smart repairer and my work comes out a lot better than a few bodyshops local to me. I agree, some smart repairers do a shocking job, but usually their prices reflect that. I have a friend in London who does smart repairs and regularly uploads photos of a bumper scuff on a Lamborghini, Porsche or Ferrari. So clearly he must do a decent job to be able to have those kind of customers. 
I always prefer quality, not quantity. So if I was having trouble with a repair I would gladly spend all day doing it and charge the same price. Other places have so much work they have to spend an hour doing a bumper scuff and move onto the next which can of course lead to a poor job. 
It really does wind me up when I hear people slating smart repairs. Also wet sanding this and a touch up pen is going to look terrible. At the very least it needs some plastic filler.


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## Kimo (Jun 7, 2013)

Andyb0127 said:


> I'm a smart repairer by trade, and no a smart would not look ten times worse if done correctly you wouldn't know it had been done.
> Your quotes aren't even realistic for a full bumper respray only thing they've done VERY well is under estimate it. So no matter how well known you think they are at those prices they wont make anything out of it because remove bumper, strip bumper, prep bumper, paint bumper, refit trims spotlights grilles etc, refit bumper to car, polish bumper, valet car, all for £150 not a chance. Considering we repaired and painted a front bumper doing the above and it was £280 for that, smart repair price we charge are according to damage and how long it will take. For instance Peugeot rear bumper corner same damage as the op we charged £100 for that and back to customer same day, so you've obviously never seen a good smart repair and just stereotyping all smart repairs to be the same, well guess what were not. There's good and bad in every trade as there is with yours aswell.


Reflex auto design, colourkraft and iKustoms are all the best bodyshops in the area and all quoted the same price or there abouts

I had a quote from a couple smart repair guy for a quarter as much damage as the op and all quoted 120-130, I know for a fact that with that decision, most people would choose a full spray and get rid properly of the mark and may aswell cover stone chips too seeing as the whole bumpers getting done, rather than covering up a small area for that kinda price...


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## k9vnd (Apr 11, 2011)

Just had my front done for £280 inc vat, the front grill alone was an extra £80 on top so at £360 id say that was a fair price concidering alternative was over £470 and main dealer was £740 plus vat.

Has a smart repair done on an alloy recently,well known in fife/Edinburgh area and tobh because am fussy I notice it and at £30 am not complaining as there coming off in a week or so for full refurb.


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## squiggs (Oct 19, 2009)

Kimo73 said:


> Reflex auto design, colourkraft and iKustoms are all the best bodyshops in the area and all quoted the same price or there abouts
> 
> I had a quote from a couple smart repair guy for a quarter as much damage as the op and all quoted 120-130, *I know for a fact* that with that decision, most people would choose a full spray and get rid properly of the mark and may aswell cover stone chips too seeing as the whole bumpers getting done, rather than covering up a small area for that kinda price...


If this 'fact' of yours is true and most people choose a full re-spray how come some of us have been successfully working in or running a Smart Repair business for years???? 
And why is it that more recently a lot of main dealer and approved bodyshops are offering Smart Repairs? Quite obviously they don't know the 'facts' like you do.

Also I'd like to point out that if the job were carried out by a competent Smart Repairer they could 'get rid properly of the mark'. 
Bodyshops don't use any special techniques that a Smart Repairer wouldn't use on this type of repair. 
It's just that a bodyshop then sprays the whole thing (and in a lot of cases that's simply because they're not at ease when it comes to blending new lacquer into old).


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## Andyb0127 (Jan 16, 2011)

I'm sure there was a thread on here if I recall correctly that involved ikustoms. They'd had the front of there car repsprayed and it was full of runs, not covered properly, and car was covered in overspray. Maybe wrong but I'm sure that was the name.


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## Kimo (Jun 7, 2013)

Andyb0127 said:


> I'm sure there was a thread on here if I recall correctly that involved ikustoms. They'd had the front of there car repsprayed and it was full of runs, not covered properly, and car was covered in overspray. Maybe wrong but I'm sure that was the name.


Definitely not iKustoms

His standard of work is ridiculously high


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## Alfieharley1 (Jun 8, 2014)

Kimo73 said:


> Definitely not iKustoms
> 
> His standard of work is ridiculously high


http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=286907&highlight=Ikustoms


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## rottenapple (Jun 12, 2014)

Ouch not so high after all


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## Kimo (Jun 7, 2013)

If that was the same iKustoms and that was Iain's work, he would have corrected it tbh

He does very high end show cars and wins a lot of awards for it


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## Kimo (Jun 7, 2013)

But even still

Reflex auto design, one of the most 'scene' branded bodyshops are still not far off the price of a smart repair

So either smart repairs are way over priced or everyone in the area is well priced ...


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## Scoobycarl (Aug 13, 2011)

Yes i remember that too a yellow car iirc ?
Lets just get one thing sorted here i work in a small bodyshop in the midlands and there is no way we would spray the whole bumper for that type of dammage unless there were scuffs on the other side that needed doing ! Secondly a smart repairer would do the exact same thing as we would,slice any strands of sticking out plastic with a blade sand the area with a mini 3 inch da fill with plastic filler sand prime and paint no voodoo or witchcraft sh1t just smart repair on a bumper ! The only difference would be that a large bodyshop would rob you of £300 to £400 to strip bumper off remove all the grilles when there is no need to !
The " repair " aspect would be the same for a smart repairer or bodydhop !


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## Andyb0127 (Jan 16, 2011)

Kimo73 said:


> Definitely not iKustoms
> 
> His standard of work is ridiculously high


http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=269019

Obviously not that high.


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## Geordieexile (May 21, 2013)

I used to subscribe to the 'full bumper' opinion but it was a very experienced bodyshop guy who pointed me in the direction of smart repairs. His main reason on some cars was that a blended repair within a panel is often less noticeable than a whole panel that may have a very slight difference to the next panel. Obviously this depends on the colour and type of paint but he showed me an example on as silver merc that had come to him and I saw his point.
If you can spot a high quality smart repair you'll likely spot a whole panel/bumper too.


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## Kimo (Jun 7, 2013)

Andyb0127 said:


> http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=269019
> 
> Obviously not that high.


Read the full thread

Even Dooka uses them, he must have a very poor standard of work too

And you're talking about one job years ago here out of the hundreds he's done


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## Andyb0127 (Jan 16, 2011)

Kimo73 said:


> Read the full thread
> 
> Even Dooka uses them, he must have a very poor standard of work too
> 
> And you're talking about one job years ago here out of the hundreds he's done


Only takes one bad job. Regardless of dooka using them or trying to help the op in the thread, you obviously didn't read all the topic PROPERLY.

To the op yes it can be smart repaired, with out any problems or issues, if you choose to listen to the haters of smart repairs or take the advice of people that are actually in the trade and do the job on a daily basis. That's upto you.

Don't need to say anything else said all I need to say with advice to the op.


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## rottenapple (Jun 12, 2014)

Your only as good as your last piece of work. And someone using somebody is not always a recommendation it could be a mate or good deal.


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## S63 (Jan 5, 2007)

AllenF said:


> Halfords.
> Touch up pen and wetsand it back then repolish the bugger.
> £15 tops


That contradicts just about everything you preach on here. Attention to detail, perfection?


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## AllenF (Aug 20, 2012)

Point taken s63 many thanks.
Because of the size of the pic I was only seeing the light scratch between finger and thumb on left of pound coin.. I didnt scroll over and see the gouge 
My bad ignore the touch up pen comment ( it will work on the little scratch nicely though )


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## Tintin (Sep 3, 2006)

I think it is not always useful to compare prices between smart repairs and body shops as there are so many variables involved. Where I live, I doubt a body shop could be as cheap as a smart repair as the cost of renting premises is very high, wages are higher etc. In other parts of the country, or out in the sticks, those overheads don't apply. Additionally, a lot of independant body shops in one area or a slow period could keep prices low.

I noticed that Westgate Classics, owned by Fuzz from Classic Car Rescue and where they seem to do the cars in the show, were offering bodywork at £30 an hour plus vat recently. You wouldn't get prices like that round here for any garage work.


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## squiggs (Oct 19, 2009)

At £30 an hour they can't be making much. Even if their rent and rates are low by the time you take into account utility bills, vat, NI, tax and then materials there can only be a bit of beer money left.


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## Scoobycarl (Aug 13, 2011)

If it was one guy at £30 an hour plus vat then thats about right,insurance work we get around £28 an hour so maybe a mark up on materials would/could generate a few extra £s
I think £250 a day labour isnt too bad really ?


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## Sicskate (Oct 3, 2012)

Kimo73 said:


> Read the full thread
> 
> Even Dooka uses them, he must have a very poor standard of work too
> 
> And you're talking about one job years ago here out of the hundreds he's done


Ha, just read the whole thread, didn't even have an ending... Anticlimax!


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## Scoobycarl (Aug 13, 2011)

Did it ever get re done ?


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## Kimo (Jun 7, 2013)

Sicskate said:


> Ha, just read the whole thread, didn't even have an ending... Anticlimax!


Yeah but I meant see both sides of the story

Iain wanted to put it right, op was being funny about it so no one can win

But as I say, one bad job 3 years ago doesn't put me off as I've seen so many of his jobs in the flesh to give me confidence


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## Andyb0127 (Jan 16, 2011)

Ours used to be £30 an hour, but recently we've adjusted our pricing and its now £40 an hour. Bearing in mind there's three of us all doing smart repairs. Then four guys doing wheel refurbs all day.
Our main body shop charges £30 to £70 per bour depending on type of job. I mean if its aluminum panel hourly rate goes up because it's specialist and due to a chance of cross contamination we have specialist aluminum repair booths. 
People wonder why we charge the prices we do well, here's an insight to costs of setting it up. The company i work for at the moment has acquired premises which work shop space 18,500 square feet which will be combined body shop stroke smart centre. 
Spies hecker install £18k
Diamond cut lathe £80k
Powder coat system £30k
3 Todd engineering spray booths £183k 
Price is still rising with other things there looking at getting installed, final price is expected to be around £700k mark.


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## Sicskate (Oct 3, 2012)

I just expected to see the car redone and looking good.


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## Scoobycarl (Aug 13, 2011)

Andyb0127 said:


> Ours used to be £30 an hour, but recently we've adjusted our pricing and its now £40 an hour. Bearing in mind there's three of us all doing smart repairs. Then four guys doing wheel refurbs all day.
> Our main body shop charges £30 to £70 per bour depending on type of job. I mean if its aluminum panel hourly rate goes up because it's specialist and due to a chance of cross contamination we have specialist aluminum repair booths.
> People wonder why we charge the prices we do well, here's an insight to costs of setting it up. The company i work for at the moment has acquired premises which work shop space 18,500 square feet which will be combined body shop stroke smart centre.
> Spies hecker install £18k
> ...


Wow thats a pretty good set up mate any vacancies lol


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## toddy23 (Jun 16, 2012)

Scoobycarl said:


> Yes i remember that too a yellow car iirc ?
> Lets just get one thing sorted here i work in a small bodyshop in the midlands and there is no way we would spray the whole bumper for that type of dammage unless there were scuffs on the other side that needed doing ! Secondly a smart repairer would do the exact same thing as we would,slice any strands of sticking out plastic with a blade sand the area with a mini 3 inch da fill with plastic filler sand prime and paint no voodoo or witchcraft sh1t just smart repair on a bumper ! The only difference would be that a large bodyshop would rob you of £300 to £400 to strip bumper off remove all the grilles when there is no need to !
> The " repair " aspect would be the same for a smart repairer or bodydhop !


I totally agree most bodyshops would just do the damaged area rather then the full bumper and me personally think it would be a massive rip off to do the full bumber coz like said it's time to remove,strip bumper of trim,prep,paint and refit it back together and that will cost from £250-£500,,,likely be £500 from my last place of work but the bodyshop I work at now would be about £150 cash,also I would just do a local repair rather than a full bumper because you will be going edge to edge on the wings but if smart repaired the colour won't be going any where near where the bumper meets the wings


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## toddy23 (Jun 16, 2012)

Also it's a 2 hour job max and that's being generous


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## VdoubleU (Oct 15, 2012)

Smart repair it. Don't respray the full bumper. Main dealers wouldn't even get the bumper fully resprayed on a brand new car now a days.

I used to be sceptical about smart repairs but they do amazing work! Wouldn't even notice there's been a repair.


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## Andyb0127 (Jan 16, 2011)

Scoobycarl said:


> Wow thats a pretty good set up mate any vacancies lol


There probably will be mate, I know there looking for work shop staff. If your serious mate pm me your number I'll pass it on to our boss for you. :thumb:


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## Scoobycarl (Aug 13, 2011)

I would love to andy but it would a bit of a commute mate 
Thanks anyways bud


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## lsg60 (Jan 22, 2012)

Where are people going for these bumper repairs? Lmao I had mine stripped, repaired, painted and refitted the same day for 120 quid From a guy who makes a living repairing and selling some expensive cars, but im a northerner so everything is cheap lol


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