Due to the fact the the bonnet of my Black Magic Octy vRS has literally hundreds of stone chips (and several chunks out of it) I'm considering a respray.

I phoned a bodyshop today recommended by my local dealer and was quoted approx

It only cost me

Just remember you pays yer money and takes your choice. In my experience with bodyshops I'd always pay that little bit extra to try and get a better quality end result. Don't forget a bad paint job will knock hundreds off the value of the car....

The thing is my

I've just been quoted

I'd make a point of calling into any body shop first and asking if they can point you at any examples of their work as they usually have a car or two nearing completion.

Of course you can't guarantee that they will be 100% honest about which bits they have repaired , but if they get very evasive and don't want to know then you can run away quickly.

I've just been quoted

I had my paint job done perfectly on my car for a lot less than Skoda dealers were offering. Stay away from big chains, and go for small independants IMHO

Where did you get yours done Colin ? What did you get and how much was it ? I'd prefer to use somewhere that's personally recommended !

PS: Just looked at your car photos. I presume the last one was taken up the Glennifer Braes ?

I got mine done in a place in Paisley near the Kwik Fit centre and near the Fiat garage. It's difficult to find if you weren't looking for it so I suspect word of mouth is how he makes his living. I had him recommended too, and he was substantially cheaper than the other bodyshops in the area but job quality is just as good IMHO. If you want the details I'll happily provide them.

In the gallery, the photos are a bit old but one on Mar 22 is take up the Glenniffer Braes, where I go for a play and one taken on Mar 26 was at a viewpoint near Torrence in the Campsies. I don't like photographing at the Braes, as despite it's great view, it always has too many neds up there with their 14 year old girlfriends esp. at lunchtime and late at night. I like to go out and play on the minor B roads though, and I love the Glennifer Braes roads as they are fast, well built, slightly twisty, bit bouncy in places, and quiet, however the A77 construction and the 40mph limit means lots of folk from Kilmarnock are using it as a diversion. Might go for a play there someday as they were built for traffic thats just not there anymore. The roads around Torrance and into Killearn are fantastic too.

We bottomed the gf's new company Vectra several times up the Gleniffer Braes road a few years ago ..... when I lived in Paisley .... happy days I'll PM you sometime about the details of that bodyshop. In terms of location, are you talking about the Kwik Fit centre in Incle St near the pawnbrokers ?

Yes it's up the top of the street beside that Kwik Fit in a railway arch.

Oh and it's quite hard to bottom a car out on the braes so well done you must have been flying. I know of an Alfa that scraped it's engine tray but thats it!