Little keyed paint job repair question...

Little keyed paint job repair question...

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ToMeToYou

Original Poster:

506 posts

198 months

Monday 29th May 2023
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I've done a few little patch/repair jobs in the past that came out ok. Im no pro but, I give it a go. Both my cars are keyed up.

Car 1
I have a pearl white vauxhall, 800J paint code. I've never worked on pearl white vehicles and my understanding is, it is very difficult to match. I've got a keyed up couple doors that some idiot had done previously. The keyed marks have not gone through to the metal, its still white(im guessing lithium white undercoat). Im thinking of trying to get away with some clear coat in the keyed marks, then wet and dry 1500 to 2500 grit, and then compound/polish it off.
I just want to improve the marks more than anything so that they're tricky to see rather than standing out like a sore thumb. Someone told me the clear coat is not regular clear coat but a special one. This is where im stuck.

Car 2
Renault Zoe paint code 369, Glacier white. This is keyed right to the metal, about 6 inches in a V shape. One of my neighbours did this to me, I can only assume as I parked near their house and they didn't like it. Anyway, paint shops i've called cannot give me a definite answer. But I plan to brush on some paint and, sand it and compound polish. Do I go for 1k touch up pot + laquer it or do I go for 2k paint pot and just sand and polish? again, I know it wont be perfect but, It will make it look much better.

Edited by ToMeToYou on Tuesday 30th May 13:48

Wacky Racer

38,972 posts

254 months

Monday 29th May 2023
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Pictures would help if possible.

RS_MAN_CHILD

290 posts

276 months

Tuesday 30th May 2023
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My understanding is that for modern pearl finishes they use 1 or 2 stage coloured clearcoats so you need to mix some of that then it should be a closer match but realistically its very tough to 1:1 match due to the robot sprayer finish being so precise.

Best to think about how to conceal rather than achieve the previous factory finish as even the best sprayers struggle to get a decent pearl match unless they do the whole panel.

This company are pretty good for a complete kit though but you will still not get a 100% match from it!
https://www.paintgear.co.uk/

ToMeToYou

Original Poster:

506 posts

198 months

Tuesday 30th May 2023
quotequote all
Wacky Racer said:
Pictures would help if possible.
Here's the pearl white
https://ibb.co/8mfwbRR
https://ibb.co/TBjvkdN

RS_MAN_CHILD

290 posts

276 months

Tuesday 30th May 2023
quotequote all
That's a pretty nasty thing to do as its both doors so if you want a decent finish it means doing them both which is going to cost a lot!

How much is the car actually worth ?? as not sure spending how much a decent finish will cost is actually worth it.

Try to use a machine polisher to buff some of that out or get a mobile repair specialist to come they can conceal some of that for sure.

Try this dudes website he has some great tips how to DIY something like that (put some paint over it by hand let it dry wet fine sandpaper a few times then some clear coat etc etc is the usually cheap way to try to conceal it). Proper respray for 2 doors done right is probably closer to £1K as they might want to blend the sills to match....!
https://www.youtube.com/@cvrpov

RS_MAN_CHILD

290 posts

276 months

Tuesday 30th May 2023
quotequote all
Specifically try this method here!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wX7VQgw6Xr0

ToMeToYou

Original Poster:

506 posts

198 months

Tuesday 30th May 2023
quotequote all
RS_MAN_CHILD said:
That's a pretty nasty thing to do as its both doors so if you want a decent finish it means doing them both which is going to cost a lot!

How much is the car actually worth ?? as not sure spending how much a decent finish will cost is actually worth it.

Try to use a machine polisher to buff some of that out or get a mobile repair specialist to come they can conceal some of that for sure.

Try this dudes website he has some great tips how to DIY something like that (put some paint over it by hand let it dry wet fine sandpaper a few times then some clear coat etc etc is the usually cheap way to try to conceal it). Proper respray for 2 doors done right is probably closer to £1K as they might want to blend the sills to match....!
https://www.youtube.com/@cvrpov
The price is out of the question, as I say, I want to sell the car and I don't want to spend thousands on resprays. The bodyshops all said the same thing... it needs other panels sprayed to make sure its all blended as it cannot be matched 100%. Which means majority of the side of the car needs a respray. So, as i say, its completely and utterly out the question.

I have watched a fair few guys do the..

Paint... Sand.... Compound method and it came out MUCH better. So thats my plan, £40 budget on materials. Already have the sandpaper, polisher machine. Just need the paint (but what type?) Thats my question. Im going ahead with it myself smile

P. ONeill

1,455 posts

59 months

Tuesday 30th May 2023
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Fair play for giving it a go, you won’t make it any worse. Following with interest.

I’d bring back hanging for anyone caught keying a car. Utter twunts mad

ToMeToYou

Original Poster:

506 posts

198 months

Tuesday 30th May 2023
quotequote all
P. ONeill said:
Fair play for giving it a go, you won’t make it any worse. Following with interest.

I’d bring back hanging for anyone caught keying a car. Utter twunts mad
In my experience, I've lived on council estates and in, whats considered 'Posh areas'. The council estates you might get the odd part stolen from your car, if its a popular car and top model. But in posh areas, people are EXTREMELY territorial, i'd say, 10 metres up the road and 10 metres down. Any new activity, new cars, cars from people that don't live immediately where the car is and you'll get either...
1. A vile note on your window saying "DONT PARK HERE"
2. Keyed up car or damaged.
3. A face to face mouthful (rare as most people don't have the balls).

One thing I love in life is cars. I sometimes have 3 at once. I love them, thats my hobby, thats my thing. I have 1 space where i currently live. So If i have more than 1 car, i park in an available legal (and courteous) spot on my road. So far.. 1 nasty note and 1 keyed up and kicked car. The richer your area the more aggressive they are. I live on a road in a flat, the only 4 flats on this road, the rest are houses where some are rented for £2500 a month. My friend lives in a 1.2m house and has many issues with neighbours. Honestly, council estates are more friendly.

Bobupndown

2,146 posts

50 months

Thursday 1st June 2023
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3 cars and 1 space and you wonder why neighbours get angry? Doesn't excuse vandalism though.

ToMeToYou

Original Poster:

506 posts

198 months

Monday 5th June 2023
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Bobupndown said:
3 cars and 1 space and you wonder why neighbours get angry? Doesn't excuse vandalism though.
The other 2 are parked in available spaces on the same street. Not in front of houses, not blocking anyone. Not harming anyone but, you know what us (not me) but British people in general, majority tend to get angry when you park a car and walk off, they act like you've parked on their driveway.

T1berious

2,381 posts

162 months

Wednesday 14th June 2023
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ToMeToYou said:
Bobupndown said:
3 cars and 1 space and you wonder why neighbours get angry? Doesn't excuse vandalism though.
The other 2 are parked in available spaces on the same street. Not in front of houses, not blocking anyone. Not harming anyone but, you know what us (not me) but British people in general, majority tend to get angry when you park a car and walk off, they act like you've parked on their driveway.
Unfortunately OP (and I'm no expert by any stretch) with the damage you've shown that's beyond a DA polisher with a medium cutting polish to get out.

I get you don't want to spend money on it as you're getting ready to sell but I think starting it yourself and then it not being a great repair will see you in the spray booth anyway.

Getting your property damaged is never fun and unfortunately when there's multiple beliefs of entitlement it tends to always go this sort of way.

I'd seriously consider getting a lockup where you can keep your cars. Like you said, its your hobby, might be worth the expense of leasing garage space.