Bonnet respray on new MX-5 with stone chips

Technical Area Body, Interior & Styling
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  1. My model of MX-5 is: MX-5 RF Humora
  2. I’m based near: Folkestone, Kent UK
  3. I’m looking for technical help or recommendations on: bonnet respray.

Can anyone recommend a good body shop in the southeast to respray my bonnet using genuine materials?

After two weeks ok ownership I booked my car in for PPF and parked it in my garage to wait for it to be fitted a couple of weeks later.

I decided to give it a thorough clean and discovered a stone chip on the bonnet and it has triggered something in me. I have been obsessed with trying to get rid of it. I’ve used genuine touchup and wet sanding only making it arguably worse. I’m absolutely gutted. I absolutely loved the car and now it’s completely flipped in to just a stressful situation. It’s not about what others see, it’s what I see. I don’t want to pay for PPF just to lock in a bad touched up stone chip.

I just want the bonnet resprayed and that’s final. It’s the only way to get it perfect again. Please don’t judge me.

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Not judging, and you must do what you must do, but the way I look at it, however perfect the car is there will always be some damage at some point if you use it. For me, the first chip or dink takes the pressure of, allowing me to just enjoy the car.

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no one’s going to judge you. your car do what you want what do you mean by genuine materials

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Well I initially meant genuine Mazda paint but reading around they all use a mixer machine anyway.

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Your car, your choice - but surely the first time you drive it on the road after the respray, it will just pick up more stone chips?

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You need to get out of a destructive mindset. I used to restore Ducatis. I never drove them other than to make sure they worked okay. I hated the idea of even getting them dirty given the effort I had put into them. My daily was a bit rough looking but was immaculate on the inside.
It’s the same with my MX. I bought it to drive. I keep it clean enough to look presentable but spend any fun time on mechanical stuff rather than detailing for example.
Keeping a vehicle looking perfect then driving it about looks an impossible project to me.

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Yeah you’re right. I’m thinking I’ll cancel the ppf. I think that is part f the problem. Spending a load of money to lock in that chip. I’m sure I’ll get over it.

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Likewise, I used to spend hours on previous MX5s of mine polishing, cleaning, paint etc and realised that I was scared to use it properly. My current ND has more stonechips than I care to count and i was adamant i needed to get it resprayed but suddenly I no longer care. I spent a few days with a touch in paint (its blue and the chips showed!) and that’s all i did, look closely and they show like freckles! Now it gets a clean and i just enjoy it for what it is, a car that will get marked and worn out. If it gets ruined or rusted, I will get another.

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