Recommended body shop - Dorset and surrounding areas (willing to travel)

[Big02]

Hi All

I asked this over on the ‘General Chat’ page but didn’t get much uptake.

I’m looking at getting my MCoupe resprayed and is like to get a recommendation.

The car is looking very sorry for itself now and is in desperate need of some love. The bonnet must have been resprayed in the past and the paint is coming away near the badge (the shame of it, lol)

The problem I’m finding is that prices have gone bonkers. From experience, what do people think is a reasonable price to get a bumpers off/ glass out respray for?

If there are any Z3 paint specialist on the forum I’d be keen to hear your thoughts. Actually, I’d be more than happy to travel for the right paint job. It’s not everyday we do these sorts of things right?

Cheers all

Chris

 

[Grumps]

I paid £2600 for a full respray, screen out, bumpers off etc. It turned out to be a poor job aswell but after some help from a couple of very kind forum members @billz and @MidlifeZ it looks great now but I still need to get the rear bumper replaced and sprayed as it appears they used the incorrect paint on the plastic and it's cracked. @Sean d may be able to guide you on price. Mine was 4 years ago now so i'd exact to pay circ of £3000 for a decent job.

 

[billz]

I paid £1600 for a front respray job by a reputable company in Derby and it was shockingly bad. Went back 3 times. When i had the Z3 i paid 2k for a full respray which again was shocking so it does not matter on what you are paying its a case of if they are any fooking good at doing it. I will probably try maybe a one man band job as you dont know if bigger places let the Trainees do some of the work.

 

[Big02]

Thanks for the replies. Agree, I thought that 3k, maybe a little bit more would get a good job.

I’ve had a couple of quotes at what I would call ‘taking the mick’ prices. I think the problem is that people assume you don’t mind spending given the prices of Mcoupe’s nowadays. The dreaded ‘M’ tax strikes again.

Totally agree with a smaller/one man bad operation, if my name was over the door I’d be wanting to turn out a decent job.

Chris

 

[Grumps]

Mine was done at an accident repair centre as I'd known the owner for years. How wrong was I! He did a crap job, I so wish I'd gone to a small independent. Lesson learnt.

 

[Big02]

I had the side of my old e36 convertible done at one of these big places on the insurance. Such a shocking job.

I think it would be good to get a list of recommended body shops who know their way around a Z3.

 

[ktnez99]

I've very recently had my Z3 go through a massive restoration project. Being passionate about my car and loving her to bits, I interviewed about a dozen companies before I decided which one I trusted with my car. I went with a small company which only handles specialist cars upon recommendation and yes, this company was recommended to me. I had both front wings, both cills and both rear quarters removed and replaced with new, the whole car was prepped in every conceivable crevice, both visible and hidden from the eye, so as to protect the car for many, many years to come before the whole car was painted.

Why did I choose this particular company? Because when I went in, there were two classic minis, a VW Camper Van along with an MG sprite which he'd completely rebuilt and each was absolutely stunning with the level of skill and expertise shown to each.

My car was treated as if it were the owner's very own car - with care, attention to detail and, I'd go so far as to say, with love of the car.

I was without my Beautiful Beamer for a month and she was very much worth the wait. I also have a guarantee on the work.

I'd had my car back less than an hour and was photographing her when a guy on a bicycle stopped to ask me how much I'd sell my car for! I told him that it was for NOT* sale.

*Courtesy of Proofreader @Grumps !!!

 

[Grumps]

I've very recently had my Z3 go through a massive restoration project. Being passionate about my car and loving her to bits, I interviewed about a dozen companies before I decided which one I trusted with my car. I went with a small company which only handles specialist cars upon recommendation and yes, this company was recommended to me. I had both front wings, both cills and both rear quarters removed and replaced with new, the whole car was prepped in every conceivable crevice, both visible and hidden from the eye, so as to protect the car for many, many years to come before the whole car was painted.

Why did I choose this particular company? Because when I went in, there were two classic minis, a VW Camper Van along with an MG sprite which he'd completely rebuilt and each was absolutely stunning with the level of skill and expertise shown to each.

My car was treated as if it were the owner's very own car - with care, attention to detail and, I'd go so far as to say, with love of the car.

I was without my Beautiful Beamer for a month and she was very much worth the wait. I also have a guarantee on the work.

I'd had my car back less than an hour and was photographing her when a guy on a bicycle stopped to ask me how much I'd sell my car for! I told him that it was for sale.

You told him "it was for sale"

 

[ktnez99]

You told him "it was for sale"

As IF!!! NEVER, EVER!!! IT's a LIFE-LONG LOVE AFFAIR!!!

 

[Big02]

I've very recently had my Z3 go through a massive restoration project. Being passionate about my car and loving her to bits, I interviewed about a dozen companies before I decided which one I trusted with my car. I went with a small company which only handles specialist cars upon recommendation and yes, this company was recommended to me. I had both front wings, both cills and both rear quarters removed and replaced with new, the whole car was prepped in every conceivable crevice, both visible and hidden from the eye, so as to protect the car for many, many years to come before the whole car was painted.

Why did I choose this particular company? Because when I went in, there were two classic minis, a VW Camper Van along with an MG sprite which he'd completely rebuilt and each was absolutely stunning with the level of skill and expertise shown to each.

My car was treated as if it were the owner's very own car - with care, attention to detail and, I'd go so far as to say, with love of the car.

Tell me more please. Where is this company you speak of??? Also, could you give me a guide on cost, not asking you to spill the beans but a ballpark cost would be good.

Feel free to PM if you prefer.

The way my car drives and the exterior looks just don’t match.

 

[ktnez99]

PM sent.

 

[Sean d]

Be preapared tp pay £3-£4 K for the right job, It all depends on the level of damage to the car, here's 2 that I have done
My old 2l

My current 2.8

 

[Big02]

Be preapared tp pay £3-£4 K for the right job, It all depends on the level of damage to the car, here's 2 that I have done
My old 2l
View attachment 99600
My current 2.8

View attachment 99601

Flippin’ heck Sean, they’re absolutely banging!!! Great work.

Where are you based/work?

 

[Sean d]

Flippin’ heck Sean, they’re absolutely banging!!! Great work.

Where are you based/work?

Thankyou, I work in Grimsby, the bodyshop is well established and been there for over 30 years, in fact I set helped set it up when I was a mere 17 year old, its my 53rd today

 

[Big02]

Thankyou, I work in Grimsby, the bodyshop is well established and been there for over 30 years, in fact I set helped set it up when I was a mere 17 year old, its my 53rd today

Wow, quite literally man and boy then lol

Happy Birthday too

 

[Dennisthemenace]

Mine is going to need a respray at some point, and haven’t a clue where to take it (I’m also in Dorset) recently used a VW Caddy from SMV in Yeovil, and when checking it over on the body the lady was saying “there is a mark here and one here” and I pointed out that the whole offside of the van has been blown over by Ray Charles, “ooo we never noticed that!”

It was bloody awful overspray on window rubbers etc.

It seems to be an industry where abilities are falling somewhat short of the mark.

 

[Dino D]

Flatbed transport is cheap these days so don’t be afraid to travel...
You could save some cost by chopping off that roof and making it a roadster, at least £750 worth of paint just for that ‘bread box cover’

 

[ktnez99]

Mine is going to need a respray at some point, and haven’t a clue where to take it (I’m also in Dorset) recently used a VW Caddy from SMV in Yeovil, and when checking it over on the body the lady was saying “there is a mark here and one here” and I pointed out that the whole offside of the van has been blown over by Ray Charles, “ooo we never noticed that!”

It was bloody awful overspray on window rubbers etc.

It seems to be an industry where abilities are falling somewhat short of the mark.

I actually interviewed a dozen companies - I kid you not and none gave me confidence that they'd be able to do a good job, let alone an exceptional one - before deciding I had met the company that would look after my car as if it were the owner's own car.

I highly recommend Dragon Resprays and Keith. Keith has been doing specialist vehicle bodywork since he left school and he's going to be 60 this year. He has run his own business for the past 35+ years and has worked on former Prime Ministers' cars as well as cars for members of the Royal Family. He's a genuinely nice guy and very approachable, going the extra mile because he prides himself on doing an exceptional job. It's a family run business with his son working alongside him and he has a very dedicated manager - Steve - with the business ethos of being genuine, professional and friendly; they take an immense amount of pride in their work and care for the cars as if they were their very own. In this day and age, this is rare.

I have very recently had my Z3 Roadster 2.8L 1999 completely restored and Keith has made her look the beauty she was the day she was delivered to me on the back of a flatbed truck, over twenty years ago.

Keith and Dragon are at Jacob's Hall Lane, Great Wyrley, Walsall, West Midlands WS6 6AD and it's worth the travel too because you'll get an extraordinarily excellent job delivered with great, friendly and knowledgable service as well as the being work guaranteed.

 

[ktnez99]

Mine is going to need a respray at some point, and haven’t a clue where to take it (I’m also in Dorset) recently used a VW Caddy from SMV in Yeovil, and when checking it over on the body the lady was saying “there is a mark here and one here” and I pointed out that the whole offside of the van has been blown over by Ray Charles, “ooo we never noticed that!”

It was bloody awful overspray on window rubbers etc.

It seems to be an industry where abilities are falling somewhat short of the mark.

Keith at Dragon says it's difficult to find people who are excellent at doing this work and has personally trained his team up so they are able to deliver an exceptionally excellent job.