Mount Gravatt · smash repairs
Smash Repairs in Mount Gravatt
A repaired panel should be invisible next to the ones that were never touched. That means the colour has to be matched to your actual car rather than to the factory code, because years in the Brisbane sun have changed what the car looks like. Mount Gravatt is a short run along Logan Road from our Moorooka workshop. Ring 0402 723 464 to arrange an assessment.
Why the colour code is only the start
Every vehicle leaves the factory with a paint code that describes the formula used for that colour. By the time the car has been driven for two, five or eight years in Queensland, that formula no longer describes the paint on the car. UV exposure, heat cycling and wash marks have shifted it, and the degree of shift varies between individual vehicles of the same colour and model.
Spraying a panel to the code number and bolting it on produces a panel that is visibly different in daylight, often only under raking light at first, and then more obviously as time passes. Spraying to the actual car rather than to the code requires more mixing passes and more checking, but the result is a match rather than a close-enough.
How the matching process works
The code gives us the base formula. We mix to it and spray a test card. That card is compared to the actual vehicle in natural daylight at different angles, because metallic and pearl finishes change in hue and sparkle depending on the light direction.
The formula is adjusted, tested again and adjusted again until the test card matches the vehicle. That mix is then what the panel is sprayed with. Where the repaired panel joins an original one, we blend the transition so the colour and clear do not stop at a hard edge.
Logan Road and the damage it produces
Logan Road is a long, busy arterial with high-density retail, side street intersections and a lot of car park entries and exits. The damage that comes from those conditions is mostly panel and bumper: reversing impacts, merging contacts, car park hits and intersection collisions.
Higher speed impacts on the road itself can involve more structure. A front or rear corner hit at real road speed is more than a panel job, because the energy has to go somewhere and the surrounding structure absorbs it.
Prep work and what it covers
Paint is only as good as the surface under it. Prep covers removing the old paint or primer from the repair area, grinding and block sanding the bare metal or filler to the right profile, and applying primer. Each stage has to be right before the next one starts.
Rushed prep shows over time. A panel that is primed over minor surface rust will eventually show it. Filler that is not applied in the right conditions or not allowed to cure will crack. The prep stage is where the longevity of the repair is decided.
Panel, mechanical and the full repair
Both sides of a smash repair — panel and mechanical — are in this workshop. Steering, suspension, alignment and cooling repairs are done here rather than being referred out after the panels are done. The full claims walkthrough is on the insurance claims page, and everything else we handle for the suburb is on the Mount Gravatt service area page.
Common questions
FAQ — Smash repairs in Mount Gravatt
Will the paint match?
Yes. We mix to the actual car, not just the colour code. The code is a starting point. Sun, heat and time have changed your car's paint since it left the factory.
My car is an unusual colour. Can you still match it?
Yes. Unusual colours often need more mixing passes, but the process is the same. We test against the actual panel in daylight before the car is sprayed.
What if I am not happy with the colour match at collection?
Tell us there and then. Look at the panels in daylight, not under workshop lights. If the blend is not right, we want to know and fix it.
Will a repainted panel fade differently from the rest of the car over time?
Modern clearcoat paint is durable, and blending minimises the visible transition. The goal is a match that holds over time, not just on the day of collection.
My accident happened on Logan Road. Why should I drive past the dealers to come to you?
Choice of repairer is yours to make under most comprehensive policies. Read your product disclosure statement for the specific wording.
How far is Mount Gravatt from your workshop?
Logan Road to Ipswich Road is a short drive to 2 Baldock St, Moorooka. That is our only address.
Can you fix a small scuff without a full insurance claim?
Yes. Smaller repairs can be quoted and paid directly, which avoids the effect on your insurance history. Ring or bring the car in for a look.
Can you repair a panel that was painted somewhere else?
Yes. We assess the current condition and work from there. If there is a previous repair underneath that has not held, we will tell you what that involves.
Matched to your car
Get the colour matched to your car, not just the code
Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm, Saturday 8am to 3pm. After-hours key drop available. All major cards and cash.