# Smart Repair ..... From Bad to Worse!!



## Brummie_Nige (Sep 5, 2011)

Thought I'd share my the experience of my first smart repair (apologies if this is a bit long!)......

Somewhere, somehow I became the grateful owner of a parking dent. Very small just below the driver's side mirror on the front door. It hadn't broken the paint - just a typical dent from what looked like the corner of somone's back door opening on it.

When I bought the car I took out gap insurance which came with smart repair insurance too. So, for a £25 excess the insurer would arrange for small dents and scrapes to be repaired. The insurer agreed to pay for the work and put me in touch with a smart repairer - what sounds like a big business with national coverage. They aren't a franchise.

The technician arrived at the appointed time and advises that the dent should be filled and resprayed. All goes OK apart from a couple of things. I notice that as it's a windy day the lacquer gets dust in it while wet so he needs to sand and polish these out (thinning the precious clear coat!), and when I look down the panel I can see rippling as he hasn't sanded the filler flat.

He accepts it's not right - in fact, he's annoyed with himself and arranges for a senior technician to do the repair again. This happend on Tuesday this week. It's blowing a gale and pouring down but he decides to go ahead. Up goes the tent-thing and he starts. Problem is that the water gets on to the paint and it looks bad. He accepts it's a reject and advises me to take it to a BMW dealer and they'll pay the bill.

Went to the local BMW dealer today to get the quote ....... over £800! This includes strip and retrim, de nib, and respray of door AND front wing!!

I'd be surprised if the smart repairer is willing to pay that. It's all going from bad to worse! I wish I hadn't bothered.


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## Turkleton (Apr 18, 2010)

Good luck with getting them to foot the bill, I've seen some pretty bad jobs get passed off from the same smart repairer, they last about a week then look worse than before but he won't admit it's his fault


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## Rundie (Oct 2, 2007)

I'd never have a smart repair done, how can you do a decent repair outdoors in the sort of weather conditions they work in? Also don't assume that a BMW repair will be decent, better to ask around for any good independent paint shop, if they do good work then the reputation will spread.


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## Reflectology (Jul 29, 2009)

shouldnt even be attempted in poor conditions and the smart repair chaps should have acknowledged this on arrival....poor IMO....


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## Ninja59 (Feb 17, 2009)

did not do it with reasonable care and skill...simples. get a few quotes some of the approved ones are good heck i even used one which is jag approved from my own dealership network not a problem and the job was very good pointless taring them all with the same brush they are not ALL bad. 

All there is to go on is their previous work which i would look over first not your problem the quote so much tbh they screwed up.


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## -Simon- (Oct 29, 2010)

Oh dear, really no place for smart repairs on our cars, yet to see one which would stand up to scrutiny.

The only thing I do advocate is PDR if you can find a competent technician it's magical!

Hope you get it sorted buddy!


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## Brummie_Nige (Sep 5, 2011)

It's certainly made me think twice before I have another smart repair.

The bloke at the BMW dealer said that they'd not advise a "blown-in" repair in such a visible place on the car and that they'd never paint in the open air. I tend to agree with him.

I'm sure there are fantastic smart repairers out there but I'm not sure I want to give it another go.


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## Reflectology (Jul 29, 2009)

this was a blend on the rear wheel arch from last weekends job....poor previous was left with a very poor blend....this was blended just along the arch line and to the fuel filler cap....










will post up more when i post the write up in the studio....


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