Respray advice - Arnold Clark Body Shop Glasgow

[FunkyG]

Hi,

I am in the process of buying an 08 plate red Mk5 Gti.  The sale is on the condition that the front & rear bumpers are resprayed & that the roof is resprayed (looks like Freddy Krugger had a party on it).  Not sure whether to trust the quality of the job that will be done.  Does anyone have any experience of the Arnold Clark Body Shop in Glasgow?  Any advice about how to check the quality of a respray, especially red, as I believe that it is a particularly difficult colour to blend & match.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[rosco07]

Firstly check for colour match although red can look ok in daylight but horrible under street lighting.  Sprayed panels can also give blurred reflections compared to factory finish so look out for that.  Off spray is also common with dodgy paint jobs. 

If AC body shops are as good as their service personnel you can expect at best an average job and to be honest I would stay clear as there are plenty of GTIs out there so why take the risk?

Unless of course the price and spec is exceptional in which case knock off a few hundred more and choose your own body shop if that is possible.

[Stevenebm]

I'd be knocking money from the asking price and getting my own bodyshop.

[ub7rm]

I know from an inside source that each arnold clark vehicle has a budget of £250 available to fix any problems before it goes on the forecourt.  Its then up to the customer to find anything else thats wrong and complain post sale.

Says it all.  Avoid buying from there and avoid getting any work done there.

[G-Lader]

As above, I wouldn't touch Arnold Clark with a barge pole, just doing a search on Google reveals why!

As suggested, I would look for a private sale or one being sold by a specialist (there is a place in Edinburgh that specialises in GTi's, I think it's called "GTi World".
Check on Pistonheads, there are loads to choose from.

Good Luck! 

[FunkyG]

Thank you everyone for your advice.  I'm unsure what to do now, as I have already paid a deposit.  Can I change my mind now that they have undertaken the work?  I have gone off the idea now of getting this car.

[divweir]

dont be put off if your happy with price ect  i bought my last three cars from arnald clark  no issues
if your not happy tell them but dont sign till your happy  people have bad experiences and think its the same for every one

[jabbawocky]

if your not happy tell them but dont sign till your happy  people have bad experiences and think its the same for every one

+1
You've done the right thing by stipulating that the sale is on condition so if it's not done to your liking then you don't have to sign on the dotted line

[zoomered]

Don't do it! Only trust a painter you know and trust.

I did exactly the same that you did and regretted it.... really badly. I even went and seen the car in the bodyshop to inspect prep work (being a painter to trade..)

If you only knew what i had to do to correct what they had done. Find a clean one.  As people has said its a buyers market just now.

Don't know anything about AC but the bodyshop i went to had over a mill£ in cars on the forecourt (place lookers vw midbro use) and there work was  

[billymac]

Try to get out of it. I've seen three AC paint repairs and to be honest I could do better with a rattle can in the dark. Also is their standard warranty not just 30 days? and if you want any longer you will be sold (at top money) an insurance backed POS.

Why are you even considering a car that needs so much paintwork so early in it's life? It's a buyers market, you should be taking advantage of it

[FunkyG]

Thanks again everyone.  I have taken the majority opinion and decided to withdraw from the deal.  Arnold Clarks gave me no problems withdrawing from the deal.  Would still like a gti though,so I'll stay on the look out.
Thanks again 

[too hot]

It wasn`t a red edition 30 by any chance was it ????

[FunkyG]

It wasn`t a red edition 30 by any chance was it ????

Sorry, I'm not sure.  It wasn't advertised as an Edition 30.

I took a trip through to Edinburgh today & had a test drive in another Mk5 gti at GTI World.  Unfortunately the trade-in value for my car was pitiful.  Shame, but I'll keep looking.