# Clearcoat failure - Options and cost?



## kh904

Hi everyone,

My year 2000 Peugoet 406 Coupe is now suffering clearcoat failure on the rear quarter panel (near the fuel flap) to the point it starting to lift off and blister (must be the super hot weather) and I can notice slight hazing of the clearcoat on the drivers side door (signs of clearcoat failing).

My car isn't worth that much and chances are that i'm likely to sell it in the next 1/2 years so I don't really want to spend lots on a proper respray, but I do want it dealt with.

What are my options? 
Will the whole rear quarter panel and driver side door need respraying or can the effected areas be repaired (clearcoat sanded down, blend some base coat and clear coat? It's a metallic finish fyi.

Many thanks

Thanks

Could anyone estimate what I should expect to pay?


----------



## President Swirl

I guess any bodyshop worth their salt would want to spray the entire panels to get the best match, especially being metallic. I'm no expert, but 5-600 quid would be a starting point. They're nice cars mate, and if you're keeping it a bit longer it's worth doing if it will bother you.


----------



## kh904

Ouch! I really can't justify spending £5-600 on a respray to be honest.
I would have if I know I was going to keep it for many more years, but with the expansion of the ULEZ to wider london, i'll be forced to pay over £10 a day to drive it.

Won't a smart repair work? I know smart repairs aren't a good a finish compared to a proper respray, but if it means I save some money, it maybe a compromise i'm willing to take.


----------



## Kerr

Your 406 is red iirc? 

Bodyshops struggle matching and blending red. I don't imagine a smart repairer will do much better. 

ULEZ is going to hit the collectable car market.


----------



## kh904

Kerr said:


> Your 406 is red iirc?
> 
> Bodyshops struggle matching and blending red. I don't imagine a smart repairer will do much better.
> 
> ULEZ is going to hit the collectable car market.


Hi Kerr,

No my coupe is metallic Cosmos Grey (dark grey).
I'm gutted that i'm forced to part ways with her!


----------



## Kerr

kh904 said:


> Hi Kerr,
> 
> No my coupe is metallic Cosmos Grey (dark grey).
> I'm gutted that i'm forced to part ways with her!


Also a tough colour.


----------



## HEADPHONES

If body shop is not an option economically, then this is always worth a shot.


----------



## kh904

HEADPHONES said:


> If body shop is not an option economically, then this is always worth a shot.


Unfortunately doing it as shown in the video won't have a good result as my car is metallic. 
A bodyshop maybe an option economically if they can do a sport repairs instead of respraying whole of the rear quarter and driver side door.

The damage seems to be below the windows where the panels curve down to just above the door handle (difficult to explain). I'm guessing this part could be sanded down, lay some base coat on the failed area and lay some clear over it and blend it further out of the panel?

I guess i'll have to take the car down to a bodyshop and get them to assess it.


----------



## suds

kh904 said:


> No my coupe is metallic Cosmos Grey (dark grey).
> I'm gutted that i'm forced to part ways with her!


Have you checked your reg against the ULEZ site - my 2001 2.4 petrol is fine?


----------



## kh904

suds said:


> Have you checked your reg against the ULEZ site - my 2001 2.4 petrol is fine?


How the hell does your car meet the requirements?!!!!  I'm pretty sure your car wouldn't meet the standards to be exempt.

Petrol cars that meet Euro 4 and diesels must meet Euro 6 standards are exempt - mine unfortunately doesn't!


----------



## President Swirl

Sorry to be ants at a picnic mate. Maybe get a quote from chips away or some such? It may not add as much value as you spend on it. A trader may offer you enough to get out of Dodge. Plenty of nice cars will be worth tuppence ha penny once the zone widens. It'll be here in Brum soon enough as well. I may finally have to flog my Celica. Watch the price of euro 4 petrol cars go through the roof. I love how they call it a" ban." If it was there would be giants in Jack boots sending you back the way you came. It's a tax, and how much will go back towards environmental issues? Something needs to be done of course, but they could at least be honest with the wording. Anyway my tin foil hat Is starting to slip, I tend to ramble. It's the mind-control airwaves you know!


----------



## kh904

Don't get me started President! It has very little to do with polution/congestion, it's just another revenue raising idea that wil only hurt the poorer.

No doubt they will only move the goal posts once people ditch their older cars to maintian the revenue and pay for the system infrastructure!

Regarding the respray, I hear chipsway are very hit and miss. I'm going to go to a couple bodyshops and get their opinion.


----------



## kh904

Just a minor update!

E-mailed a couple of local bodyshops, and they have both said that a they don't think that a SMART repair is suitable and would only do a full panel respray (@ approx £200 per panel). So i'm currently looking at around £400 which I really can't justify if i'm going to sell the coupe in a year or 2, but then again, I don't want to leave it as it is (and chances are th problem will get worse)!

I'm going to take the coupe so they can access the issue in person, as they may have over-estimated the problem when turning down a SMART repair.


----------



## kh904

Ok, an update!

Got a couple of quotes!

2 garages quoted £400 (£200 per panel) based upon my pics and description.

Took the couple to show the garages in person and one of them said they will only respray the effected areas and blend out to the rest of the panel.

The other garage basically said it's more work than expected and will only paint full panels and it will cost approx £1,000 to do it properly - Not an option for me!

I've got a mobile paint repair company to view the coupe this Thursday and based on the pics and description have quoted me £145+VAT to deal with the area and blend it out.


I'll let you know the outcome!


----------



## kh904

My final update!

I got a quote from 'the mobile paint repair company' for £174 (inc VAT). 
Their reviews seemed good and so I thought i'd give it a go.

I was a bit worried about painting in the open air but luckly the weather was pretty good, dry, warm and not windy.
He did a pretty good job of matching the colour.
He came and went within 1.5 hours and did a pretty good job.
I was surprised to be honest as there are so many mixed reviews on the mobile paint repair companies.
Is the finish up to the purist's standards? 
I would say probably not as there are some very minor imperfections with contaminates due to painting in the open air. But for the convenience of getting it done at home and driving away within a few hours and the cost saving, I would recommend especially for a lower value car like mine where you can't justify the cost of a 'proper' respray.


----------

