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| Frequently Asked Questions |
What is a SMART Repair?
A SMART repair uses Small to Medium Area Repair (or Refinish) Technology. This is a system which uses High Volume Low Pressure spray guns, which work at much lower pressures than conventional spray guns, and deliver the paint far more efficiently to the surface being painted. Special fast activators are used in the paint, and short-wave infra-red drying lamps to reduce drying times. Additionally, special chemicals are introduced into various stages of the repair process which enable invisible mid-panel blends to be carried out. Generally a panel shop will paint every panel it repairs completely from edge to edge, and often the colour will be blended into the adjacent panel as well to minimise any apparent differences in the colour or metallic effects. SMART repairs ensure that only the damaged area is painted, thus reducing the amount of paint and solvents used, as well as minimising repair times and costs.
How are the repairs carried out?
Each of our vans is effectively a mobile panel shop. To a large extent we repair the damage the same way a panel shop will. The damaged area is cleaned and repaired, major dents being reduced as much as possible by panel beating. Minor dents, deep scratches and gouges are repaired with body filler. The damaged area once smoothed and restored to its original contours is then primed and colour-matched, before top-coating with a fast-drying clear coat that is dust dry in two minutes. The finish is identical to the factory finish and may be treated in exactly the same way once fully cured. The major difference between our repairs and those carried out by a panel shop is that we only paint the damaged area, rather than painting the full panel "edge-to-edge"; thus our colour matching is more accurate, as we will achieve an undetectable patch which is blended into the original paint finish within the panel. Click here to see the article in Autospeed where one of ChipsAdelaide's talented technicians carries out a repair to the reporter's car.
How much does it cost?
As each bit of paint or panel damage is unique, the cost to repair it will depend primarily on the time required to effect the repair. An additional cost driver is the type and colour of the paint. Silver and gold metallics and pearl (mica) paints can be the most difficult to match. Dark colours are easier to colour match, but more difficult to lose the edge of the blend zone so that the repaired area cannot be detected. Generally we will be able to carry out a repair for significantly less than a crash shop would charge, and additionally you get the significant benefit and convenience of on-site service - no time lost to deliver the car to a workshop and pick it up again after a few days.
How do you match the color?
Almost every car has a paint code applied by the manufacturer somewhere on the vehicle. This code is entered into a computer database covering virtually every vehicle manufactured in the world over the last 20 years. Using this database we can formulate and produce an exact colour match with the full International tinting system carried in each van. Some eye matching may subsequently be required if the vehicle has been previously repaired.
Will I be able to see the difference?
No! The paint system and processes we use ensure that the appearance of the repaired area will be equal to the original factory finish, and after an appropriate curing time, you can treat the new paint exactly the same as you would the original finish. Because we only paint part panels, by definition our colour matching will be equal to or better than that achieved by most panel shops. We offer a Lifetime Warranty on the repairs, guaranteeing that the repaired area will not fade, delaminate or lose its original finish. We cannot guarantee rust repairs.
How long does it take to dry?
In most instances the repainted area will be dust dry in 2 minutes after application. Within 20 minutes to an hour after application of the top coat, the finish will be sufficiently hard to allow us to polish and complete the repair process. Depending on weather conditions, the car can generally be driven immediately. If it is raining and cold at least two hours should be allowed before the repaired area is exposed to the elements. You may wash the car 24 hours after the repair, but it is recommended that no sealing waxes or polishes be used on the new paint for a further one month after that time.
Where do I take the car?
WE COME TO YOU! All work can be conveniently performed at your home or office. All we need is a safe working area off the street, and access to a power point (up to 25 metres away) and water. Shelter is obviously required if the weather is inclement, but generally the best results can be achieved in full daylight conditions, out in the open. We do have a depot in Hindmarsh where we can take the car, if there is no other suitable place to carry out the repairs.
Why is ChipsAdelaide Different to Other Mobile Services?
Most mobile paint repair services are operated by sole traders - either franchisees (many of whom have limited or no previous spray painting experience and limited technical skills due to inadequate training) or spray painters who have escaped from the booth to start their own business because they have seen how much in demand mobile painters are. They have no effective back-up if they get overloaded, and no way of improving their skills other than by PRACTICING on YOUR car! Many will sell their services cheap just to get work; then they find they can't make enough money to survive.
As fully qualified spray painters and/or panel beaters, ChipsAdelaide technicians start out with high skill levels which are then FURTHER honed by our rigorous training and up-skilling program, before they are allowed to undertake retail repairs. We pride ourselves on the quality of work we produce, and can state with confidence that there are many panel shops out there that cannot produce such quality - and we do it in your driveway! The majority of our work, however, is carried out in support of the new and used car trade (see Testimonials page), so all of ChipsAdelaide's technicians have to meet exacting standards in order to satisfy some of the hardest taskmasters in town - and it is you, the customer, who benefits from having access to these highly skilled tradespeople when requesting a ChipsAdelaide SMART repair.
ChipsAdelaide can't guarantee you the cheapest prices in town, but we can guarantee you the best value for money - the best possible level of repair for a fair price.
We employ the most highly skilled tradesmen we can find - we have lured them away from their previous employers with attractive pay and bonuses. To attract them and keep them and reward them appropriately for their skills and quality of work they carry out, we need to pay them well. To pay them well, we need to charge reasonable prices! (If we charged peanuts, we'd only get monkeys to work for us ....)
Finally, with so many vans on the road, we can offer quick, reliable service, being able to respond to most enquiries within the day, and guaranteeing service to the trade within 24 hours.
See our Testimonials to read comments written by some of the people who have enjoyed having ChipsAdelaide repair their vehicle.
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