Stone Chips

[MINIALEX]

I got a nasty stone chip on my MINI today and am well annoyed, has anyone had any experience of these mobile stone chip repairers especially Chipsaway, do they look okay or is it blindingly obvious that they've repaired it.

Alex West

[birdinhand]

Depends on the depth of the stone chip. New paint can fill a shallow mark but if the impact is mega, then I reckon you're always going to see the repair.

I've had stone chips repaired by ChipsAway twice. The first job was great - stone scuff mark bang in the middle of the bonnet of a Peugeot 305. Result? Gone completely.

The second was not so successful. Deep key scratch on the driver's door just below the handle. Still visible after the repair and in a very visible place too.

Depends where the chip is but there is not going to be a huge difference in the cost of using ChipsAway, or similar, and the cost of having the job done by a professional bodyshop. Maybe £50 if it's just one ding. I'd go get a few quotes locally.

[Minty]

I got a couple of chips on my bonnet. I called out Chipsaway. They came out, looked at it, and said all they would do is touch it up, the same as i would.

I asked them for a few tips:

*They said to dab the paint in using a cocktail stick
*Build the paint up, so it is slightly raised above the normal level of paint, then let it dry.
*T-Cut the affected area back to a level surface
*Repeat as required

After following these tips, i ended up with a pretty reasonable repair job, all for the price of the BMW Touch up pens (£7). Chipsaway said they would chrage £45.

[MINIALEX]

I've spoke to chips away, there coming on friday and he says that if he can spray it it will not show, but if he can't and has to fill it it will show but protect it, said it would be £45, ill let u know how good a job he does.

[MINIALEX]

The bloke from chipsaway came today to do the repair, he had to spray it, hes done a pretty good job and you have to get really close to see that it is a repair, the only fault with it is that there is a faint line where the masking tape sat but it is smooth to touch, i'll wait a few days and perhaps T-cut it or polish it and see if that has any effect, overall i'd say 8 1/2 out of 10! Oh yeah it cost £50+ vat and took 1 hr.