Scratched brand new motorhome

hitchglitch
hitchglitch Forum Participant Posts: 3,007
1000 Comments
edited March 2016 in Motorhomes #1

collected our new Autosleepers Broadway on Tuesday and on Wednesday decided to park it as close to our high front garden brick wall as possible. Yes, you guessed! Van now has deep scratches (but no dents) at about head height on the rounded rear edge. Really
stupid I know but trying to forget about it for now. In fact I may decide not to repair for now in case we get other damage during our overseas trip!

My question is whether bodywork repairs use the same techniques as car repairs. It is an integral body which I assume is GRP? No separate panels so any spray paint will have to be "blended". Would a mobile car bodywork repairer be able to handle this just
like a car or are there special techniques? 

Comments

  • johnathome
    johnathome Forum Participant Posts: 101
    edited March 2016 #2

    Think you will find that any decent car refinishers can repair it, just need to colour match and add flexible additive to the paint for fibre glass or plastic.

  • ADP1963
    ADP1963 Forum Participant Posts: 1,280
    1000 Comments
    edited March 2016 #3

    There is a product on one of the TV shopping chanels, don't know which one,but it shows it completely filling in scatches and matching paint colour. I think it is about £40. Sorry it happened Hitch.

  • hitchglitch
    hitchglitch Forum Participant Posts: 3,007
    1000 Comments
    edited March 2016 #4

    Thanks for the comments. It was extremely careless but I have heard of friends who dent their car on the first outing. Lack of familiarity etc.

  • FifthVan
    FifthVan Forum Participant Posts: 63
    edited March 2016 #5

    My husband once witnessed someone right their car off as they drove it brand new out of the showroom! Our caravan was damaged by our porch awning in high winds, its very upsetting. We took ours to a local caravan dealers for filling and spraying. They made
    an excellent job.

  • Metheven
    Metheven Club Member Posts: 3,987 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2016 #6

    It doesn't make it any better but anyone at anytime can do the same to a vehicle. My car was only a few months old when I unhitched at Blackhorse farm, pulled forward and sort of 'S' reversed to be beside the van, only I forgot about a wooden post with a light on it on my offside, kept looking at it all of the holiday and a new front wing when I returned from across the water

  • Aspenshaw
    Aspenshaw Forum Participant Posts: 611
    500 Comments
    edited March 2016 #7

    I would ask Auto Sleepers. It has a reputation of being helpful. The Owners Forum is the same. You may need to send a photo so AS or the ASOF can advise. If you can live with the sight of the scratches, I'd be tempted to leave it for a while.

    We had a couple of slight dents soon after we bought our last motorhome caused by the bins blowing against it. Never had them dealt with in 8 years!

     

  • Mitsi Fendt
    Mitsi Fendt Forum Participant Posts: 484
    100 Comments
    edited March 2016 #8

    If it's any consellation virtually all cars have plastic bumbers or trims which are repairable by any good bodyshop.. I'm sure you can get it repaired so well that only you will ever know. Just go to a reputable insurance approved repairer.

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
    1000 Comments
    edited March 2016 #9

     ..... Never had them dealt with in 8 years!

     

    I couldn't do that. I keep looking at a scuff on one of my wheels that I did about a year ago .... I will get it sorted! Cool

  • ADP1963
    ADP1963 Forum Participant Posts: 1,280
    1000 Comments
    edited March 2016 #10

     ..... Never had them dealt with in 8 years!

     

    I couldn't do that. I keep looking at a scuff on one of my wheels that I did about a year ago .... I will get it sorted! Cool

    Write your comments here...Mine are not scuffed but like me showing signs of wear and tare. I have a quote of £240 to have all 5 done. I am told that is cheap for a propper job.

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
    1000 Comments
    edited March 2016 #11

     ..... Never had them dealt with in 8 years!

     

    I couldn't do that. I keep looking at a scuff on one of my wheels that I did about a year ago .... I will get it sorted! Cool

    Write your comments here...Mine are not scuffed but like me showing signs of wear and tare. I have a quote of £240 to have all 5 done. I am told that is cheap for a propper job.

    It is for 5. I paid that to have the 4 done from my  Smart

  • Reevsie
    Reevsie Forum Participant Posts: 18
    edited March 2016 #12

    25 years ago I worked in the part department  in a Vauxhall dealer. A customer bought a car and it was in the customer collection point in the showroom.  Whilst he was being shown the car he put it in reverse and reversed into the car behing him that someone
    was collecting in the next 30 minutes. They were so shocked they put it into drive and drove through the showroom window, straight into a car somebody had collected 30 minutes before him. Luckily he had not signed on the dotted line and the dealer had to foot
    the bill for 3 new cars. 

    Sad but true.

     

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Forum Participant Posts: 10,218
    1000 Comments
    edited March 2016 #13

    I've only ever had one brand new car. When I went to collect it, in the time from arrival and a quick once over to the time I emerged from the office someone had put a dent in the front wing.

  • InaD
    InaD Club Member Posts: 1,701 ✭✭
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    edited March 2016 #14

    Very sorry to hear that HG, what a shame.  We changed from an A-Class MH to an Autosleeper Winchcombe and on our first outing managed to scrape the mirror against a big branch whilst getting out of the way of white van-man coming in the opposite direction,
    who was not content with only using his half of the road.  OH wasn't used to the mirrors sticking out more and misjudged - result: broken glass in mirror, scratched mirror cover and indicator lens broken.  We've now invested in some mirror covers (not yet
    put on) and new mirror glass.

    It appears from ASOF that this is a regular occurrence, so beware HG!

  • hitchglitch
    hitchglitch Forum Participant Posts: 3,007
    1000 Comments
    edited March 2016 #15

    Very sorry to hear that HG, what a shame.  We changed from an A-Class MH to an Autosleeper Winchcombe and on our first outing managed to scrape the mirror against a big branch whilst getting out of the way of white van-man coming in the opposite direction,
    who was not content with only using his half of the road.  OH wasn't used to the mirrors sticking out more and misjudged - result: broken glass in mirror, scratched mirror cover and indicator lens broken.  We've now invested in some mirror covers (not yet
    put on) and new mirror glass.

    It appears from ASOF that this is a regular occurrence, so beware HG!

    Interesting. I have started a new post on the topic of mirror protectors. 

  • Stewartwebr
    Stewartwebr Forum Participant Posts: 171
    edited April 2016 #16

    Sorry to hear about your mishap. I did a similar thing a couple of months ago whilst in Germany. I wanted to move up the layby a little and it was packed full of trucks. A space became available and in a ruch I pulled off from the kerb quicker than normal.
    The issue was i did not notice the huge rock on the pavement and the rear overhand caught it. I was unfortunate as it just causght the last 2 inches of the van on the corner of the bumper. It left 4 deep scratches about 4mm deep.

    I used Chips Away in Reading for repairs before. They use Chips Away name to get work but are not your usual Chips Away type repair centre. I sent them images and they agreed to fill and repair for £190 which i thought was resonable. I dropped the van off
    and was given a car to get around. 2 hours later they called to say the van was repaired. On my return i was disappointed to see the repair, I could see it was a different colour. When the manager came out I told him it was a different colour and I could see
    the repair. He started to laugh, they had not painted the bumper. When they started the job they discovered as they sanded it was white all the way through, os they sanded out the scratches and buffed it. You cannot see the repair and my mind was convinced
    it was a different colour. They charged me £20. A very honest proffessional company.

    So have a look it may be the cae they can be buffed out.

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