A: It is a common misconception that certain car manufacturers use special paint, they dont. Car Manufacturers make cars and buy the paint from a paint manufacturer such as ICI, Standox etc. We use a PPG Nexa based system which many cars use as an OEM finish. It is a premium quality paint.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you match the colour?
On the majority of cars, there is paint code from which we can retrieve a paint formula accessed on a database on a computer. The paint is then mixed and weighed on scales that measure to 0.01 of a gram! The paint is custom made to order depending on your particular vehicle.
How much do you charge?
A question we get asked a lot. It depends on the size and type of damage and the type of repair that we do to rectify them. Our repairs start from as little as £60+VAT. A typical bumper scuff, painted and polished to perfection will start from around £120+VAT. There is sometimes more than one way to repair something depending on your budget and the standard that you require. So it is sometimes easier for us to enquire what is your budget. Don’t worry it’s not a trick question and we don’t use that to see how much money we can get! For example, there is no point us quoting for a concourse finish, when all you want is something to take your eye off the repair. You will not be happy as you will not want to pay that (and walk away) and we will not be happy as we do not have the job. Conversely if the car is your pride and joy, if we just make it look better you may not be happy and you will want us to make it perfect.
What payment methods do you accept?
Our preferred payment method is either cash or by bank transfer on the day that the car is picked up. As we are committed to total customer satisfaction we are happy to either send photos of the completed repair, or allow viewing of the repair before payment, if you have mobile banking. If you need to set up CPR Guildford as a new payee we are happy to send our banking details by text before hand. We can now accept card payments including American Express, however there is a 2% processing charge for all card payments including debit cards.
What is a SMART repair and how is it different to a full bodyshop repair?
SMART stands for Small to Medium Area Repair Technique. Where bodyshops tend to paint large areas of your car, smart repairs are normally much smaller and more localised. The repaired areas are blended seamlessly with your original paintwork. We do not paint large flat surfaces such as bonnets or roof or bootlids. You save money as we use less time and less materials.
What is the advantage of keeping the repair small?
The original manufacturers’ paint is far superior to any aftermarket refinish paint (including bodyshop paint) both in terms of durability and chemical resistance, therefore it is wise to keep as much of it as possible. The repairs are also much less likely to be detected (both by lay persons and professionals).
As an example, Louis repaired several cars in a rental company which were being returned to the manufacturer. They have to be returned in an as new condition according to the terms of the agreement. They are inspected by professionals armed with paint thickness meters. Of the five cars three that were painted by a bodyshop were rejected, none of Louis’s repairs (on the same cars) were even detected (or if they were, they were to manufacturers specification).
Opening Hours
We are typically open Monday to Friday (Saturdays by special arrangement) 10.30am till whenever we are happy with the job. As the quality of finish and ultimately your satisfaction is our paramount concern, our finish times are flexible.
Closed on Sundays
Bank Holidays by appointment