Is it worth fixing the bodywork of my dented/scratched old car?

Strider590

Dented and scratched = great for shopping

Besides if you have a little one, as soon as they start school your going to need a huge flashy 4x4 to cope with the kerb, so save your money now.

EdGasketTheSecond

Any paint problems and I get the closest match smoothrite/hammerite paint and just paint it on. Goes straight onto rust too. About £8 a can but if you want to reuse the brush you also need the correct thinner/cleaner as turps or white spirit will not work. Where I can't get anything close to the colour, I mix with black or white to get a better match then paint that on.

BeenThroughItAll

EdGasketTheSecond wrote: »

Any paint problems and I get the closest match smoothrite/hammerite paint and just paint it on. Goes straight onto rust too. About £8 a can but if you want to reuse the brush you also need the correct thinner/cleaner as turps or white spirit will not work. Where I can't get anything close to the colour, I mix with black or white to get a better match then paint that on.

Wow, that really is DILLIGAF bangernomics.

Herzlos

Unless there's any rust, sharp edges or dents affecting doors opening etc I'd just leave it alone and put the money aside for a replacement in the future.

It's going to be a £500 banger whether you spend another £500 tidying it up or not, and it's going to drive just the same.

Norman_Castle

EdGasketTheSecond wrote: »

Any paint problems and I get the closest match smoothrite/hammerite paint and just paint it on. Goes straight onto rust too. About £8 a can but if you want to reuse the brush you also need the correct thinner/cleaner as turps or white spirit will not work. Where I can't get anything close to the colour, I mix with black or white to get a better match then paint that on.

Hammerite? Thats a bit posh. Why not route round the shed for a bit of left over emulsion.

khcomp

Bodywork is expensive - very expensive.
If it were me, and the car was otherwise fit for purpose, I'd keep an eye on Ebay for body panels in the right colour and good condition, and buy & replace them as necessary: Front wings, bonnet, bumpers and doors all bolt on, so it's easy enough as a DIY job. You can buy bits and replace them as & when you can afford to do so, or buy them as they come up for sale & pay a garage to swap them all over for you. There may even be some resale value in the old panels...

ps Hammerite £8 a can? That's a VERY small can these days!

System

I'm with the above, just look out on Ebay for panels in the colour of yours and replace as you go on.

Mobeer

Buy some touch up paint off ebay for a few quid. Then save money if you can for a newer car in future.

Geoff1963

If the OP wanted support for his idea of serious repairs, he should have gone to our sister forum, Money Spending Expert.

On that site, Lewis Martyn explains how to be profligate, with useful tips such as how best to unblock a toilet which has become clogged with £50 notes.:)

EdGasketTheSecond

Norman_Castle wrote: »

Hammerite? Thats a bit posh. Why not route round the shed for a bit of left over emulsion.

My cousin painted his whole van with some surplus emulsion; not good in the rain though lol.