Bodywork Plus

Cheers guys, nice to know that after awswering 250+ PM's about bodywork & all your paint problems no one thinks to recomend a club trader!

thanks for the interest guys. In not sure about solid or not, depends on cost difference really. Can anyone quote me?

Hi all I am looking to put a lowered ceilling up in my new unit to conserve heat & help lower my bills. The main unit is 4700sq ft. Is there anyone on this site that knows about suspended ceillings? Any info will be greatly appreciated. Oh, just had a thought. If there is anyone that can actually do suspended ceillings & want to quote or do a deal against bodywork let me know. __________________

Markzx I would be happy to do any car for you. I have to say you have hit it on the head. I agree totally with you, ALL garages/bodyshops should be registered & regulated. Just cos someone can sand a car it does not mean they are a skilled prepper. Likewise, turning a spanner does not make someone a mechanic. Years of training & experience makes someone a skilled vehicle repairer. I think if we all had to be checked & regulated the standard would be much better. It would instill confidence in the customer & add value & credability to the trade. I hate & mistrust main dealers & I have been in the trade from school(lots & lots of years ha ha). They seem to over charge for even the basics & most receptionists are pre programmed robots. Registered & regulated vehicle repairers should be the future!!

The biggest bodgers are some of the main insurance companies approved repairers. Shop floor bonus schemes kill quality! Your car becomes a time saved bonus job card. In my experience the smaller family run bodyshops/garages are the most conciencious. They are more in touch with the customer, they are more friendly & they give good quality. This is because they don't have a huge flow of garenteed work source to rely on. EVERY job/car matters!! There will always be exceptions to this of course. All trades have bodgers & I think they should be strung up by their nut sacks !! "If you can't do a job right then fookin leave it alone!!"

Thanks for the info guys. I am going to look into setting up another company me thinks. I need to prove that modifications are different to accident work. I know that mods are more labour intensive & there are less parts involved. Its a difficult one VAT. Yesterday I lost a job cos the customer said they would not pay it. :headvswal

Great transformation m8...looks great!!

Thanks for that info. Oh well, + VAT it is then!!

Hi guys I am thinking along the lines of starting another non VAT registered company to help reduce peoples costs ie a £2000 repair is obviously £2350 with VAT. How many of you are VAT registered? PM me if you dont want to post.

Hi all I need some help locating a number. One of you guys gave out my number(many thanks) to someone called Brett. He owns a RX7 & wants a re spray quote. I have had problems with my phones simm & have lost the text he sent me with his number. Can anyone remember giving my number out to Brett?

It's great that you are back out again matey!! Make sure you don't over do it for a while, your health is very important. You can enjoy your Zed when you are feeling more energised. Best wishes!

looks good to me, there must be hundreds of hours work in that baby!!.....I bet ferarri would have something to say about using the body shape & their badge!! There was loads of hassle years ago about the 355 replica kit!!

Hi all had a great day out yesterday at the JAE. It's nice to talk to owners about the history of their cars etc. There were some stunning examples of jap technology in the club site & in the whole JAE venue. All in all it was the best ten quid I have spent in a long while!! :hyper:

that was a powerful post Jeff! I agree with every word. I have never seen the consequences of having your own business typed so honestly. Fair play to you...it's not all roses. Hard work, desire & determination keeps us going but if we are condemned by others (usually un qualified!) it can all come crashing down & destroy an individuals life. A bodyshop is only as good as its LAST job so the saying goes, but that shop could have done hundreds of top jobs, its out of order!! Good luck to any business owner, its damn hard work!!

The common experience coming out of this thread seems to be that many of you have experienced extended timescales and a complete lack of communication, which coupled together have caused frustration :headvswal and ultimately taken the edge off the thrill of getting your beloved Zed back. When timescales are given they should be realistic, however, in fairness, from time to time things can take longer than originally planned and timescales can alter as you get further into the job......however I beleive that communication is the key to this. I find that most of my clients are absolutely fine if a project takes longer than planned as long as we take the time and trouble to fully explain why and keep them informed......after all they don't want the job rushed.....but they do want to appreciate why there could be delays! One other thing I would say about time scales. I have just taken on a bond buggy, it is being fitted with a Suzuki Hyabusia engine & will break alot of records. The guy wants in minted...the top job he said....oh, and he wants it done in 2 days. Right!! I am good but not a magician! LOL Timescales can sometimes seem long when it means your Zed is off the road, but great work takes time guys. There is time taken & used well & there is taking the piss, I do the first. A skilled craftsman should use his time well, he has taken years to understand the systems & products to allow him to work through the job without making mistakes. Planning is the key to major projects. Get your vision & talk it through with me. If there is anything that may not be possible its best to know before we cut the body etc. Customers changing there minds is a classic, I get things to fit then they want something else arr! A photo shop image is a great way to see what you want, you can change things before your car is even in the bodyshop.

I am using 2k at the moment until I have to go water in Jan 2007. Most of the trick paints are solvent(2k) based so a change too soon is not beneficial. I.M.O they both have much to offer but the water systems are twice as much to buy. I would rather spend my money on a good effect than an over priced system. The car refinish industry is known for inflated prices on paint products even to traders like me. I am currenlty talking to Alsa & other suppliers to see if I can get better deals. Those cost benefits would be passed down to you guys as my main money income is labour & parts on insurance work! I have to say I really appreciate the involvement on this thread. Feed back is a valuble tool for getting things right!! Thanks guys!

I have to say that is a common thing - bad comunication. I like to talk with my customers weekly. I also take photos on long projects & e mail them where requested.

Hi, just wanted to pose the question ''what would you want/expect from a Bodyshop?'' At Bodywork Plus we like to think we're already pretty good at getting things right but being relatively new to this site, and to the ZX scene, I was wondering if your expectations would be different to the areas we already do business for....so I thought I'd get your views as we are constantly looking for ways that we can improve and taylor our services to meet the specific needs/expectations of our customers. I want every customer who brings a car to me to go away feeling completely satisfied with the service we provided - so what do you Zed owners really want?

I have been to a medium/clairvoyant. Got the number off a friend, called her & went it. She never knew me from Adam. Now I know things about cold reading & unconscious signalling as I studied hypnosis some years ago. I told this woman nothing, just yes or no then shuffled the cards & lay them out. The session was spooky. Her views of my past was spot on, ex girlfriends, kids, work the lot. It kind of makes me wonder about destiny...are we really living a free life or are we pre destined to become something more. Its like kids who can play the piano at 4 yrs old & stuff. just skill or reincarnated souls.....................i'll stop now, i'm scarin myself ha ha

the junk yard dog they just finished was the bizz...when it was unveiled it was stunning!! Pimp my ride is ok but unrealistic...got to admitt though their ICE stuff is cuttin edge..an onboard computer with voice recognition I could do with that.... I could get my ideas down while I am driving & maximise my road time........any ideas guys?

You got a good point there Scoops. I hate the bodywork side...one minute they are rubbin filler....the next shot it's painted. It takes ages to get a car right arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!! The American Hot Rod is much better, at least you see all the hard work involved. It's such a buzz to see a whole car built up from new parts!

Nice to meet you guys & gals. leigh...I can't wait to get my hands on that car!! It's time to get some paint on that body :D , it will look such a beast! Hope to see you all soon!

what time are we talking? It would be great to meet some new faces!!