My Leon has been keyed, advice please!

ryzzey

Active Member
Jan 18, 2018
165
42
Dorset, UK
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I posted this the other day but my car has been keyed by some absolute b*****d.

There are two scratches, one on the front passenger side door all the way along, and one on the rear passesnger side door just over the crease in the door.

The scratches go right down to primer/metalwork and will definitely need respraying I think. Insurance company say I will lose two years NCD and have to pay my excess (£200).

Local Seat approved repairer quoted roughly £800 to repair but I was wondering if anyone had any advice on what to do, can I get it done well enough but cheaper?

Thanks in advance
 

rapidross

Active Member
Aug 13, 2018
104
147
Nasty bastards,normally jealousy!!!
£800 seems a little steep to me,I'd look to get some recommendations of local independent body shops,ie a one man band who obviously knows what he's doing.
Wouldn't be unreasonable to get a quote around £400 I wouldn't have thought.
 

ryzzey

Active Member
Jan 18, 2018
165
42
Dorset, UK
Just the most horrible/annoying thing! I just don't see what people get from it, I didn't notice it until I got to work so they wouldn't have even seen my reaction.

I want to avoid using Chips Away as I've heard some awful stories so may ring around and get some quotes from some smaller garages.

Just another thing to have to sort out, however I have set up a WiFi camera outside my house so if they try it again I'll hopefully catch the scum.
 

rapidross

Active Member
Aug 13, 2018
104
147
I wouldn't touch chips away either mate,I don't really like these type of franchise business' anyway,far better off with someone who's worked in a body shop for a long time.Its a shame your not in the same region as me or I could of helped you out a bit.
Surely someone in Dorset can recommend someone???
I hope you catch him,tie him up so we can all throw rocks at him as well scumbag.
 

ryzzey

Active Member
Jan 18, 2018
165
42
Dorset, UK
I wouldn't touch chips away either mate,I don't really like these type of franchise business' anyway,far better off with someone who's worked in a body shop for a long time.Its a shame your not in the same region as me or I could of helped you out a bit.
Surely someone in Dorset can recommend someone???
I hope you catch him,tie him up so we can all throw rocks at him as well scumbag.
That's what I thought, would be happy to pay a bit more for a neater job for sure.

At least I wasn't specifically targeted as 3 other people on my road had their cars done on the same night!
 

Damo H

Remind me, what's an indicator?
Staff member
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Oct 3, 2012
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I know a paint shop near me that has worked wonders on repairing my first Leon when it was keyed. He even repaired a dint on a crease I’d asked others to look at. I even got him to fit a spoiler at the same time. All for cheaper than a main dealer quote for just the spoiler.

I then got him to do the side skirts on the 280 and insisted he be used by the insurance when it was rear ended.

So if you’re not to far from Horwich Bolton I can pass on his details :)
 
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ryzzey

Active Member
Jan 18, 2018
165
42
Dorset, UK
I know a paint shop near me that has worked wonders on repairing my first Leon when it was keyed. He even repaired a dont on a crease I’d asked others to look at. I even got him to fot a spoiler at the same time. All for cheaper than a main dealer quote for just the spoiler.

I then got him to do the side skirts inning 289 and insisted he be used by the insurance when it was rear ended.

So if you’re not to far from Horwich Bolton I can pass on his details :)
That sounds like a very decent repairer, unfortunately I'm down in the South West so too far for me.
 

Kinetic

Active Member
Nov 18, 2017
118
35
I know a paint shop near me that has worked wonders on repairing my first Leon when it was keyed. He even repaired a dont on a crease I’d asked others to look at. I even got him to fot a spoiler at the same time. All for cheaper than a main dealer quote for just the spoiler.

I then got him to do the side skirts inning 289 and insisted he be used by the insurance when it was rear ended.

So if you’re not to far from Horwich Bolton I can pass on his details :)

Details please for future reference, I'm only down the road in Atherton.
 

Mr Pig

Active Member
Jun 17, 2015
2,614
906
I used to cycle past a grey Ibiza FR on the way to work and it got keyed, right along the whole side of the car. Made me sick and angry every time I saw it.

The most important thing is not the cost but that it's fixed right. Sure, if you can find a good painter who is cheaper, great but you need to be one-hundred percent sure he's going to do a good job. Dealers do charge over the odds but that's one thing they have going for them, they generally have very good painters.

I wouldn't even consider a localized repair, I would want the whole side of the car painted, not just the affected panels. It's usually the only way to get a truly invisible repair on a metallic car.

If you don't get it fixed right you will forget the money you saved soon enough but looking at the car will annoy you every day.
 
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ryzzey

Active Member
Jan 18, 2018
165
42
Dorset, UK
I used to cycle past a grey Ibiza FR on the way to work and it got keyed, right along the whole side of the car. Made me sick and angry every time I saw it.

The most important thing is not the cost but that it's fixed right. Sure, if you can find a good painter who is cheaper, great but you need to be one-hundred percent sure he's going to do a good job. Dealers do charge over the odds but that's one thing they have going for them, they generally have very good painters.

I wouldn't even consider a localized repair, I would want the whole side of the car painted, not just the affected panels. It's usually the only way to get a truly invisible repair on a metallic car.

If you don't get it fixed right you will forget the money you saved soon enough but looking at the car will annoy you every day.
That’s very useful information, thank you!

I agree that I just want it sorted, I notice it every day and it makes me angry so the sooner it’s sorted the better.

It’s booked in next week to have pretty much the whole passenger side of the car repainted, they even said they’ll have to do the front bumper on that side to make it match. Also comes with a lifetime guarantee so if anything does go wrong down the line it’s covered.

Thanks again!
 

Mr Pig

Active Member
Jun 17, 2015
2,614
906
they even said they’ll have to do the front bumper on that side to make it match

Sounds like these people know the score. The only repair I've had that I totally forgot about was when they painted the whole side of the car. Even just painting one end of the bumper can be an issue though. There is a very good chance you'll see where the new paint plends onto the old.

Hope it turns out well I really do. Just wish you could get the piece of shite who did it.
 
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SRGTD

Active Member
May 26, 2014
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1,279
I’d recommend that you take a friend with you when you collect your car to check over the repainted areas. Two sets of eyes are better than one and someone who has no connection with the car can provide an objective, unbiased view.

Also, ensure you check the paint finish and colour match in different lighting conditions and from different angles, Check there are no ‘hard edges’ where areas that aren’t being repainted have been masked off, and there isn’t any overspray or spray drift onto adjoining panels and ‘hidden’ areas; e.g. where paint may have drifted through panel gaps ;
  • between the doors onto the lower B pillar section
  • the trailing edge of rear door and rear quarter panel
  • the leading edge of front door and front wing
  • between the wing and bonnet
  • between the the rear quarter panel and tailgate
Please update us when the repairs have been completed. Hope it all goes well.
 
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ryzzey

Active Member
Jan 18, 2018
165
42
Dorset, UK
I’d recommend that you take a friend with you when you collect your car to check over the repainted areas. Two sets of eyes are better than one and someone who has no connection with the car can provide an objective, unbiased view.

Also, ensure you check the paint finish and colour match in different lighting conditions and from different angles, Check there are no ‘hard edges’ where areas that aren’t being repainted have been masked off, and there isn’t any overspray or spray drift onto adjoining panels and ‘hidden’ areas; e.g. where paint may have drifted through panel gaps ;
  • between the doors onto the lower B pillar section
  • the trailing edge of rear door and rear quarter panel
  • the leading edge of front door and front wing
  • between the wing and bonnet
  • between the the rear quarter panel and tailgate
Please update us when the repairs have been completed. Hope it all goes well.
That’s a very good idea, fortunately the repairer are Seat approved so I’m confident they should get it right but that’s a good idea to check all those areas!

Had an absolute mess of a job done by a different repairer in my area and would never let them near one of my cars again! (Apollo Motor Company for anyone in the south, stay away!)

Will update with pictures once it’s done but they’re keeping the car in for a few days.

Thanks again everyone!
 

ryzzey

Active Member
Jan 18, 2018
165
42
Dorset, UK
Also the CCTV I’ve put up should not only act as a deterrent to anyone doing it again but it should catch the ***t if they do try it again!
 

ryzzey

Active Member
Jan 18, 2018
165
42
Dorset, UK
Just an update: car has now had almost the whole passenger side repainted.

Had to claim through my own insurance as a vandalism claim so had to pay £150 excess but the final invoice from the garage was over £900! Seat approved repairer and all genuine paints etc though.

Pleased with the job they’ve done, it’s like new now. Would highly recommend Yeovil Accident Repair to anyone living in the area.
 
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