Well, as predicted in the "Shoutbox" on Friday the council's resurfacing work has resulted in a couple of nasty stone chips on the bonnet of my (now 10 days old) black VRS. Has anyone used one of the stone chip repair kits that are on the market - which would you recommend ?

Get the official Skoda one - its a two-pot brush pack.

Then buy a fairly fine artists brush from an art shop to dab the paint in but not around the chip 'hole'

That way the colour match is accurate and you have no proud lumpy bits !

Had one on the bonnet of my Superb when it was a week old. I filled the chip with the Skoda paint, then let it harden a little. Then using a credit card I scraped back the excess until it was level with the original, then left it to harden more then waxed it up. You cannot see where it was done.

This way you get a flat finish, without damaging the surrounding paintwork.

One last thing tho is that I dont use the supplied laquer that comes with the paint, I only use the paint.

Cheers

Thanks

I've got a nasty looking chip on a rear passanger door from a mates ill-advised meeting with a lamp post, and a cheeky brats key scratch to match it.

I've got the odd 'Granite' metallic colour, but if i understand this thread correctly, the dealer will sell me a paint pack?

Yes he will - at a cost of a magnificent

Have to be honest, the paint match is perfect without laquer, on the Superb and before with the Octy.

The laquer just ruins a perfect finish, and seems to liquify your good work as well.

Cheers

I had my vRS only 2 days also and had a run in with a milk lorry, resulting in 3 chips on the bonnet and one on the front bumper. After speaking with some bodshop guys and not willing to pay for a respray I ended up touching up the chips myself and doing a really good job. Like 'Fabpreza' said above, the trick is to use a really fine artists brush, and not the one that comes in the pot as that will make a mess. I find a toothpick works a treat, as you can simply let gravity do the job for you by gently pushing the point of the toothpick after dipping it in paint into the chip, after which the capilliary action of the paint flowing off the toothpick fills the chip perfectly. If it's quite deep, you may need to fill it a few times as the paint will sink down into the chip. I usually leave 2-3 hours between touchups. You should be left with a slight blob over the touchup area. What I usually do then is take some really fine sandpaper (at least 1200grit) and leave it soak in water overnight. This stuff is really soft, and gentle rubbing against the touchup area will remove the excess paint and blend you touchup in really well. After that it is just a matter of using a decent polish to get out any hairline scratches and bring the shine back up. Incidentally if you don't like using sandpaper there is a product called Langka which disolves touchup paint only and works quite well (www.langka.com).

:eek: I would be very scared to use sandpaper on my car... Good tip about the langka stuff though

Someone's already used it on mine...... GRRR!

Just below the boot lip. Swines! You get one private plate and some fancy wheel trims, and suddenly, a Skoda becomes a object for initense mindless jealousy.

it's just not right (shakes head in sorrow)

You can always mix the paint and laquer on a tin lid before applying with a fine brush. I've been known to sharpen a matchstick to the required size of the chip and put the paint on with that.

a lot of good points made here especially by fabpreza . wish i,d have used a fine brush when dealing with stone chips. i bought some touch-up paint from a local skoda dealer & after it had dried it was nothing like the rally red it was supposed to be .i used the brush that came with the pot & it made a hell of a mess.

btw flanno mensioned some stuff called lanka (i think) is it worth trying it out & is it widely available as i hav,ent heard of it.

regds ect:)

You should still be able to buy langka online. It works pretty well, providing you fill the chip properly in the first place and let it dry for a few hours.

hi all

Greg if you can prove that its the councils fault they will pay for a repair to your car, i live in lincoln and the roads here are terrible but any time they are resurfaced (ie spread a bit of wafer thin tar on the road then dump on a ton of chippings) people are always claiming and a lot of times with results, for example ifyou use the road every day to get to work etc..

got to be worth a try.

Cheers Fram

I suspect the fact they had signs up warning "stone chips" and "20mph" gets them off the hook .... :(

Actually, under the highways act, the council have a duty to maintain the roads in a manner that does not damage your car.

What inevitably happens is that the Council contract out road maintainance to private firms like Kennedys and the like.

They will put the signs up giving a warning, but they only have so many signs......(cue own experience)

I had an incident on a patch of road being resurfaced where the lighting was very bad, the signs where laying flat on the floor, behind parked lorries which obstructed the road and manhole covers over 5 inches high.....took a chunk out of the front subframe.....but the car was still totally driveable.

The council usually try and pass the blame onto the contractor, who then wrangles over any damages with you, pointing out that they gave fair warning and that you as a driver should have excercised due care.

But the simple facts are inarguable - damage is sustained as a result of their actions, and,the signs are babdly placed or in blindspots (lets face it, who puts a sign on the midpoint of a hairpin bend and expect drivers to have see-through A pillars!) and you can provide photo's showing your point, you might get something back..........

Yeah, well I agree with you on the above, except that on this occasion the council seemed to be playing it by the book, correct signage etc. Still annoying though.

Got me touch up kit today (at last), the buggers have put the price up to

One of the most annoying problems with loose chippings is that the warning signs are left long after the chippings stop being loose...

Halfords also do a touch up kit. The metallic version comes with three little tubes (primer- which can be built up in layers for deep scratches, paint, lacquer) with a very fine brush and an even finer nib on each. I seem to remember it costs an outrageous

Originally posted by greg2302 in this post

Yeah, well I agree with you on the above, except that on this occasion the council seemed to be playing it by the book, correct signage etc. Still annoying though.

A street near me was odone by Glasgoe City Council in this rather silly way, and complaints by the residents and a petition about car damage got them to properly tarmac it. It was quite a feat to beat the council!