# Smart Repairs



## ClioToby (Oct 22, 2009)

Just how bad do they stand out?

My mate has recently had a scuff repaird on his rear bumper, the cars black and I honestly cant tell without looking at it closely. 

Ive got 3 areas i need spraying and Ill be selling the car before too long so want to keep costs down.

Ill be going to the same body shop place and getting 1 of the three sections sprayed, then if its ok ill have the other two done.

I know they wont be perfect, but if they keep the peel to a minimum and blend it in OK so no normal person can see it then Ill be happy. 

Should I avoid this type of repair - like I said if its 98% better then OK.


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## WRX_Paul (Apr 27, 2010)

I have had smart repairs done twice from 2 different companies, both looked good for about 6 months, one started bubbling up from beneath the paint and the other started to flake off, both were redone by the companies but as i dont keep my cars that long I dont know if the problems came back. I would not get one done again unless I was not keeping the car long, if i was going to keep the car I would get it done properly in a body shop.


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## ClioToby (Oct 22, 2009)

Fair enough mate thanks. 6 months should be OK.


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## squiggs (Oct 19, 2009)

It all depends on the expertise of the repairer.
In theory there is no reason why a good smart repair shouldn't be of the same standard as a good body/spray shop repair as a smart repairer will quite often be using the same products.
A lot of the sides of cars nowadays are one piece (so far as the wing and quarter are pressed from one piece) So if you had damage on the wing and got repaired at a shop it's got be blended somewhere or it becomes a half car respray.
Smart just takes things smaller, it's a different skill from the usual spray shop techniques, often not even doing the whole wing.

I do some small repairs for arguably one of the top detailing companys on this forum, with no complaints (so far - touch wood!). And although I leave my work with a good finish I leave it for them to work their magic on my work. Once they know it's hardened right off they will then detail it, they're pros and know what their job is better than I do!

But I've seen some shocking repairs from both smart and body/spray shops ...... it's all down to the repairer.

Your approach of getting one piece done first seems good idea, although I would say getting all 3 bits of work done at the same time may work out to be more cost effective for you.


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## gally (May 25, 2008)

squiggs said:


> It all depends on the expertise of the repairer.
> In theory *there is no reason why a good smart repair shouldn't be of the same standard as a good body/spray shop repair as a smart repairer will* quite often be using the same products.


Why would my bodyshop spend circa 50k on a booth if they could achieve as good a result in a tent.

Don't get me started on "smart repairers" that's from someone who is friends with a very good smart repair guy.

The thing people forget is the "customer" doesn't actually know what a repaint should look like, they assume it's not going to be as good as factory so they are chuffed to bits.

We had a top smart repair guy do a job before it came to us (dealer work) and the front bumper was 3 different colours.

We have a colour library that would rival any in the country, there is no way a smart repairer can replicate the product of a bodyshop.

I'll put it another way. In all my years of seeing these repairs i've yet to see one that I would deem acceptable.


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## squiggs (Oct 19, 2009)

gally said:


> Why would my bodyshop spend circa 50k on a booth if they could achieve as good a result in a tent.
> 
> Don't get me started on "smart repairers" that's from someone who is friends with a very good smart repair guy.
> 
> ...


I don't exactly use dulux as my colour library and I don't need a booth cos I don't need to bake a whole car. The only difference would be airborne dust etc, which can be a problem at times but as the area I work on is small it's quick to clean and quick to paint/lacquer - thus eliminating the risk of contamination. 
Tell my pal at the detailing company that a factory finish can't be achieved and I think he might beg to differ.

Dealer work is a different kettle of fish IMHO. Dealers often want to pay peanuts and keep changing their repairers for the cheapest they can find - and we all know what happens when you buy cheap!


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## gally (May 25, 2008)

That's fine, I knew there was a reason I shouldn't get involved in smart repair conversations.

The famous comment they are only as good as the guy doing them.. i'm sorry that just doesn't work for me i've seen them with my own eyes. 

For a customer that wants a cheap repair great but don't start comparing smart repair work to decent quality bodyshop work.

It can't be achieved, if it could we would be doing it.


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## ClioToby (Oct 22, 2009)

But from your average Joe's point of view, or the stealership valuing my car.........

Long as it doesnt stand out like a sore thumb, which Im confident it will lol, Im happy. Im that ****ed off with my car right now I just want it gone. ****ing disgrace its the last renault I ever own.


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## squiggs (Oct 19, 2009)

gally said:


> That's fine, I knew there was a reason I shouldn't get involved in smart repair conversations.
> 
> The famous comment they are only as good as the guy doing them.. i'm sorry that just doesn't work for me i've seen them with my own eyes.
> 
> ...


I've seen bad bodyshop jobs with my own eyes, but it doesn't mean all bodyshops are rubbish - I'd put it down to the poor skill level in the bad shops.
There are some top bodyshops that also do smart repairs, both methods to the same high standard.
But I can tell I'm not going to sway you so I'll end on this ... 
Good smart repairs can be achieved - but they'll be the ones you can't see.


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## Andyb0127 (Jan 16, 2011)

gally said:


> That's fine, I knew there was a reason I shouldn't get involved in smart repair conversations.
> 
> The famous comment they are only as good as the guy doing them.. i'm sorry that just doesn't work for me i've seen them with my own eyes.
> 
> ...


So why is it then I work in a body shop repairing prestige cars, at which I'm a sprayer along with three other sprayers and were all capable of any thing from a full respray to a smart repair.

Seems like you think you have the best paint system in the world that will envy any, what a load of tosh, let's face it you don't like smart repairers, when all there doing is trying to earn a living like anyone else.

You just make your self sound pig headed and arrogant, open your eyes to the bigger picture, doesn't matter what job it is there will always be people that are good at there job and people that are bad, if you had a smart repair done to a high standard you wouldn't be able to see it so you would not know it was there.


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## gally (May 25, 2008)

Of course both points are fair and rellevant, but i'm trained and intelligent enough to notice when a panel has been painted, smart repair or bodyshop. 

I know how bad bodysop repairs can be. I also know how many customers are happy with these repairs until the peroblems are pointed out. 
The simple fact is 100% of the smart repairs I have 'seen' have been poor by my standards. Now i'm not saying the repairs weren't good from a smart repair pov but imo they weren't good enough to present to a customer. 

I once seen a "chip doctor" painting in a tent in 3inches of snow and minus 5. To me... that's never going to end well. 

I would love to be shown a good smart repair and how it's done. I love to learn. 

Explain to me how you in your bodyshop do a smart repair.


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## squiggs (Oct 19, 2009)

Re the painting at minus 5 (it is a bit extreme admittedly) but you've only got to make sure your paint, lacquer and area to be worked on are warmed prior to application .........which isn't really that difficult when you carry equipment that's capable of baking lacquer.


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## Andyb0127 (Jan 16, 2011)

If you love to learn then you need to do a smart repair course to fully understand it. I think you have answered your own question you don't really know that much about them, your just judging by what you have seen, and stereotyping all smart repairers to be the same.

The body shop I'm in we were all sent on a smart repair courses by bmw, also we pride ourselves on the quality of work we do, and if it's not right we know that it will not be excepted by our quality control guy.

I shouldn't have to explain how to do a smart repair, If you can spot that panels have been painted and so on, you say your intelligent enough so you must be in the trade your either on the work shop floor or you work in the offfice, and the way it's coming across is that you have never been on the work shop floor and done the job first hand because if you had you would have a better understanding of it.

Just winds me up when people slate smart repairers without first having an understanding of what goes into it.


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