Off Topic A little 'thump' today on the pearlescent...

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Off Topic A little 'thump' today on the pearlescent...

Thank you for all the positive inputs.
TBH I'm priming the car to sell it. If the 'right' buyer comes along I'll let it go. I have been offered good money for it already but didn't 'do the deal'. Remembering Chrisilda's input on the emotional involvement with the Beetle I've kept a little 'distance' with this one the sad git that I am. Have a woman who is interested in the car coming on Saturday (she may not turn up) who is looking for a 500 of a particular spec and appears to be happy to pay more than the going rate just as I did when I bought it. Sometimes it not just all about book value.
I'm also curious to know if they can match the colour because it will affect my choice of colour if I buy another 500 but it will probably be in A500 form. This could all change with the budget on 6th of Dec where the govenment are 'doing a get tough approach' and we are bracing ourselves on the 'fall out'. I did have a good gander at a funk white 500c 1.2 and might have bought it for the missus if she wanted one. There is a guy around here who drives one but he does look a bit gay in it.:D
So essentially I'm being my own 'guinea pig'.
 
You're going just for another 500, Abarth, but still a 500! I'm trying to exlain that there would be a strange feeling when you sell it but when you're gonna get the new it will be gone. You should do the deal if it worths it. :)
 
You're going just for another 500, Abarth, but still a 500! I'm trying to exlain that there would be a strange feeling when you sell it but when you're gonna get the new it will be gone. You should do the deal if it worths it. :)

When I sold the old 1.4 Sport in Feb this year I was in 'mourning' for about 4 weeks until the 'new' replacment arrived. I think the OH was more pleased than I was.:)
 
When I sold the old 1.4 Sport in Feb this year I was in 'mourning' for about 4 weeks until the 'new' replacment arrived. I think the OH was more pleased than I was.:)
I was in mourning as you said just for a few days even though i had already placed the order for the 500. As i have already mentioned i was so in love with the Beetle but all these problems and mistakes by the dealer lead me to selling it without making any second thoughts.
 
Finding a paintshop with the necessary skill and experience is everything...

Paid a little visit to the repair shop today. It's been 3 days now. Pictures below were were taken late in the day before going into the spray booth. They spoke about 'baking' it afterwards. Hopefully all the prep and leg work will produce a good finish. To think that a little bump has involved so much work.

'Winter wheels' got used in the workshop so that the car could be moved around while the alloys were being refurbished. They're looking like new again. With the caps off they look like a set from Halfords.

Just got confirmation that the woman who's interested is coming tomorrow afternoon. Running tight for time.
 

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Paid a little visit to the repair shop today. It's been 3 days now. Pictures below were were taken late in the day before going into the spray booth. They spoke about 'baking' it afterwards. Hopefully all the prep and leg work will produce a good finish. To think that a little bump has involved so much work.

'Winter wheels' got used in the workshop so that the car could be moved around while the alloys were being refurbished. They're looking like new again. With the caps off they look like a set from Halfords.

Just got confirmation that the woman who's interested is coming tomorrow afternoon. Running tight for time.

The centre caps on 500 wheels really do finish them off.
 
Paid a little visit to the repair shop today. It's been 3 days now. Pictures below were were taken late in the day before going into the spray booth. They spoke about 'baking' it afterwards. Hopefully all the prep and leg work will produce a good finish. To think that a little bump has involved so much work.

[insert your favourite expletive] what a lot of masking off :eek:. Just how much of the car have they resprayed?

Shows how much work is needed to rectify even minor dings when you're working with fancy paint.
 
[insert your favourite expletive] what a lot of masking off :eek:. Just how much of the car have they resprayed?

Shows how much work is needed to rectify even minor dings when you're working with fancy paint.

He mentioned that he would have to 'blow' the side of the car (he's not doing the front wing) in to get a match on the paint. The back bumper has a scratch and 'good and all that he is' he thought it would be quicker to blow that in as well.

As you've rightly pointed out it is not possible to 'touch up' pearlescent paint. This is not a paint finish for Learners.

Er... are you guys going to work that one into your fancy spreadsheets?

Thinking back on the 'insurance classifications' for the 500 I reckon the Gucci model will be loaded since it comes standard with the glitzy paint effect. It may not be a million miles away from this finish. The 695 is heavily loaded compared with the A500 model because of the attraction of the model. I'm surprised that the Pearlescent paint isn't loaded. The only up side to the repair work is that I have no stripes and no protection rubbing strips to deal with.

I knew buying the car that it was important not to ding in. It also explains why I say a few sad looking Funk whites in Nice a few weeks ago. If I had to pay for this repair job I wouldn't be doing it.
 
...
because the final paint & lacquer layers were semitransparent & if these weren't exactly the right thickness the repair stood out like a sore thumb...

Got the car back at midday today. Bodshop repair guy said that it spent quite a lot of time getting the paint on the car with all the various coats. First being the base coat of which he said was the most important bit since this is what gives it its colour. 2nd stage with some pearlescent mixed in with lacquer and then a clear lacquer coat.

Comparing this with what I got of the web somewhere...
Funk white is a three layer pearlescent which means a large area of the car will have to be resprayed even if the initial damage appears minor to allow the colour to be blended in seemlessly on other panels.
The three layer process is very labour intensive so repairs will be costly as there is a base coat application which is then flatted and a second coat of colour is applied. The laquer is then flatted and a second coat of colour applied in a different direction, flatted then a second coat of lacquer is applied and flatted.
A final top coat is then applied in a third direction, flatted and a final top coat of laquer applied. This process gives the paint it's depth and pearlescent effect.

I've posted the pictures below. To the normal punter it looks just as good but on the last photo the flatness of the colour seemed to 'show up'. When I compared it with 'older' pictures it too looked flat in direct sunlight (these are on the Abarth section under cheap Abarth). I want it to look exactly the same as the original (the mind can play tricks) but I can't be sure.

Wheels were done (picture of 'old' wheel here) as well but he had to out source them since he wasn't getting much success with spraying them because the 'spokes' were too close together. They got powercoated so the price jumped to €380 :eek:. The finish seems a little different with a sparkle through the paint. This is from the 'action' of power coating. They look like new but I not too sure if I like the 'sparkle effect'.

Invoice price for the 'repair' work on the Pearlescent paint was €847 :eek: as opposed to the assessment price of €812.

Would I do it again ? Not too sure. I'll have to 'sit on it for a week or 2'.

P.S. 2pm caller arrived and she seemed very impressed with the car saying that it felt more planted than the 1.2s she had driven. She was gone for an hour with a 'guy who knew about cars'. Agreed on a provisional figure of €9.5K but no deposit given and wants me to wait for 2 weeks.
 

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