# Bodyshop recommended a full roof respray - is it needed?



## ThePsychoToad (Jul 12, 2019)

Hi everyone,

The previous owner of my car left some bird poo on the roof which has eaten through the paintwork and now a few bits have chipped off. I contacted a couple of different bodyshops and both said the whole roof needs a respray for £450 + VAT...

The car is only a 7 year old Mazda 2 so £550 work doesn't seem worth it. Is the respray necessary or can I get away with a Chipex kit or some Halfords colour matched paint and patch it up?

Any hints, tips and links are much appreciated! I am a complete novice so not sure where to start.

https://i.imgur.com/cy7rB2c.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/3PdlVsP.jpg


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## steveo3002 (Jan 30, 2006)

yes id say needs a repaint 

older low value car...touch it in best you can and try and ignore it


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## Barbel330 (May 3, 2016)

It’s 100% dependent on your level of concern at about how it looks. Yes it needs a respray if you want it to look like new, or if it doesn’t bother you, just touch it in. Only you can decide but if it was mine I would have it painted.


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## ThePsychoToad (Jul 12, 2019)

Hmm okay cheers. Are there any good guides around which will show me how difficult touching it in properly would be? I’ve seen some about stone chips but not acid damage from bird poo.


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## BradleyW (May 4, 2015)

Have you thought about a smart repair?


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## steveo3002 (Jan 30, 2006)

ThePsychoToad said:


> Hmm okay cheers. Are there any good guides around which will show me how difficult touching it in properly would be? I've seen some about stone chips but not acid damage from bird poo.


you wont ever touch it in properly as such ...its not going to vanish , just a case of carefully dabbing in any bits where the colour is gone


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## squiggs (Oct 19, 2009)

BradleyW said:


> Have you thought about a smart repair?


Any Smart repairer with a decent reputation to uphold would say it needs the whole of the roof resprayed - and then they would say it's a job that should be done inside :thumb:


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## steveo3002 (Jan 30, 2006)

squiggs said:


> Any Smart repairer with a decent reputation to uphold would say it needs the whole of the roof resprayed - and then they would say it's a job that should be done inside :thumb:


agree...not suited at all to smart repair

doesnt help one bit those that dont know recommending them


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## Barbel330 (May 3, 2016)

As above. It’s not a smart repair. I’d never paint a bonnet, roof or bootlid outside.


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## ThePsychoToad (Jul 12, 2019)

Yeah ChipsAway said they wouldn’t do it. 

I know I’m not going to get it to disappear but best method for touching it in? I’ve read mixed things about the chipex kits and seen other recommendations to use a spray from Halfords.


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## Harry_p (Mar 18, 2015)

Honestly, just touch it in where the paint has flaked like you would a stone chip.

Start going at it with a spray can and it'll look a horrible patchy mess.

No one would smart repair it because there's nowhere to hide a blend line, which is why everywhere you have asked has either said they won't do it or it will need the whole roof doing.


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## SamD (Oct 24, 2015)

Harry_p said:


> Honestly, just touch it in where the paint has flaked like you would a stone chip.
> 
> Start going at it with a spray can and it'll look a horrible patchy mess.
> 
> No one would smart repair it because there's nowhere to hide a blend line, which is why everywhere you have asked has either said they won't do it or it will need the whole roof doing.


Harry if they have to hide a blend like they are doing it wrong.

You could mask a decent size around the damage, paint, clear and fade out around it 
A good bake and a nice polish but that would take some skill, I've done this before only on certain colours but it's not a life long fix it may need a further polish in the future if the blends start to become noticeablel.


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## Harry_p (Mar 18, 2015)

Blends on a large flat panel always seem to come back, and if you're going to have to try and plead several patches over a roof you may aswell clear coat the whole lot, at which point you're 75% of the way to totally respraying it anyway which is far less likely to be noticeable or need remedial work in the future.

If it was a single spot of damage then I'm sure it's possible to blend out a fresh colour, but several different spots on a single large panel I'm not so sure.


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## SamD (Oct 24, 2015)

I assumed it was only one area, if it’s multiple then yeah...,screwed


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## robby71 (Jun 4, 2006)

How about flatting it down as much as possible so it's smooth then having it wrapped? a thick wrap should help hide the remaining imperfections?


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## Carlos Fandango (Dec 24, 2016)

These YouTube links may be useful for achieving the best results by touching in paint chips.


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## ThePsychoToad (Jul 12, 2019)

Thanks for the advice everyone. Since its a relatively low value car I’ll touch in the existing chips where its flaked off so at least there is colour there.


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