Total respray?

[Roy Laming]

I am about to purchase my first P5B. The car I am considering purchasing has some 'microblistering' along on rear wing, and some onvious attention needed to one door bottom and wheel arch. All relatively minor (on the surface!). Otherwise the car looks good, not concours but Condition 1 ish.

I can take the car as is for a discount, get the seller to attend to the problem areas within the price, or the seller is offering a total respray which he says will cost around £1200 (excluding bonnet and boot which look 'as new') which I would contribute to.

Is the total respray value for money? Is this likely to be total strip down or just mask only? My inclination is to get some money off, take as is and deal with paint/rust issues when they become more serious.

All advice welcome!

[PeterMadden]

Roy,

If you're happy with the discount being offered I would be tempted to go for that and deal with any respray yourself, that way you will know exactly what has been done and to what standard. If the vendor arranges it you will have no control over the respray. Is the car a Coupe which was on Ebay?

[Roy Laming]

Peter,

Thanks for confirming my thoughts. I do not know if the car was advertised on ebay. I am buying it from dealer area. Don't want to be too specific as the deal is not fully concluded

Roy

[richard eglinton]

I really hope your first p5b is a good one but be cautious about rust on our cars. :'
Blistering on the rear wing top usually means no inner wings
I hope you have looked at the restoration pages and general advice before you take the plunge.
Richard

[Smallfry]

Microblistering is generally caused by having water or oil vapour mixed with the paint on a previous paint job.
The only way to get rid of it satisfactorily (to me) is to take the whole lot off and start again.

If you can see rust on a wing, you will have the makings of a serious problem underneath, and bearing in mind the car has obviously been poorly painted before........hence the microblistering........you need to look at in very carefully.

Of course, all this depends on what the asking price is !

No professional is going to repaint a P5 for £1200 unless its completely stripped and the are no body repairs to be done. All you are going to get is a blow over.

Sorry if I sound a bit cynical, but I worked in a bodyshop when I was younger, so I do have some idea what I am talking about.

Your best bet would be to make a much lower offer and do the work yourself........or get someone else to do it........or look elsewhere.

[Phil Nottingham]

The PO paid £2000 for the total respray of mine in 1998 - its not bad (or that good) and its starting to go again and as its 2 pack its like cement render its that thick. £1200 is nowhere near enough for a good job

[andrew]

talking about the car on ebay, it looks a good restoration prospect

[dorsetflyer]

Which one Andrew as there are several on there at the moment?