Pissed off - on a scale of 1-10: about 8.5

A *good* body shop should be able to match any colour - it's often just a case of blending in to surrounding panels. I've just had the side of my Oxford Green E39 done and they've matched it perfectly - even down to the factory orange peel.

Oh dear, i think i know how you feel. i've got a '89 730i which was immaculate inside and out and i mean IMMACULATE, until some jealous small person scratched 2 doors 2wings and the bonnet with what i can only imagine was either a stanley knife or something similar. the scratches are too fine for it to of been a key.

Just be thankful it wasn't in our car park where a 50' lime tree came down and literally cut a fiesta in half! Luckily no-one in it or near by... and it was a hire car ;-)

Legal matter

Who OWNS the tree?

Council - easy matter to sue for compensation as they are liable for the safety of everything they own and ACT OF GOD is bullshit.

If private owner - much easier as they will capitulate and pass any claims to the house insurance company. If uninsured then they are idiots and you can still sue in county court. If rented then the landlord is responsible - sue them/him/her - 3rd party risks.

Honestly no real problem - if info is not available then local Post Office has voters lists, Land Registry has owner details. Town Hall has residents lists (council tax etc.)

Go for it...............

Sir Hugh of Bognor

The difference between men and boys is the price of their toys. Intelligence is not knowing the answer but knowing where and how to find it!

Hugh Gundersen snipped-for-privacy@h-gee.co.uk Bognor Regis, W.Sussex, England, UK

I agree. I've had panels on 2 metallic silver cars resprayed. I would defy anyone to see which ones they were, and on one, the resprayed rear wing had to blend in to the original paint on the rear quarter panel. Even though I know it's there. I can't see where the blend occurrs. Done by A & B Autos in Kingsfold West Sussex if anyone is interested. Mike.

I had a bronze 735i sprayed once. It was more gold coloured afterwards (as you could tell by looking on the inside of panels etc., but on the outside it all matched perfectly, and if anything the finish was better, although a little soft.

The advantage of a bonnet is that it can be taken off, sprayed and baked. Given silver looks different from different angles don't worry too much about a match.

Yes but whose fault is it if it falls? Easy if it was obviously leaning or split, but if a healthy tree is blown over - how are you going to prove negligence against the landowner?

All pro paint is baked these days. The complete car goes in an oven. It's water based and would take ages to dry otherwise.

silver is tough, especially old, faded silver.

My 330 hood was replaced and they blended the fenders... nice job, but it was only 3 years old.

Have you looked in sodium light? Normally becomes apparent

In some ways, that is more finite. Now, I am looking at it every day. In many ways, I'd prefer to be looking for a whole new motor.

I disagree. If a tree is neglected then a claim may be available. If extreme weather conditions are the cause, then it is tuff. Anyway - my insurance claim isn't my biggest gripe.

I agree. Ownership alone is not enough. Neglect must be shown. Down to my insurance (and they can try a claim if they see fit)

JB

I've had the car some years since it was resprayed, so I think if that were the case, I'd have noticed by now. One thing I have noticed with metallics, is that it's not just a question of colour. The flake, or grain size is also critical. I've seen metallic respray jobs where the colour matched, but the flake size didn't match. A good sprayer though wouldn't make that mistake.

As a point of interest, the previous owner had the bonnet resprayed on my silver E34. Apparently it had so many stone chips, that it was the cheapest way to get rid of them. If the previous owner hadn't told me, I'd have been none the wiser, as there was nothing to show it had been done. The only indication that might have suggested it had been, was that it was 'too' free of stone chips, for such a high mileage car. I wouldn't worry about the bonnet if it were my car. As long as the car goes to a good sprayshop It'll probably look better than it did before. I'm sure it must have stone chips on it at present. Apart from the dent of course. :-) Mike.

Grr, I hate those! I had a 911 hood (bonnet) re-sprayed once for rock chips and it looked fine everywhere *except* in the garage where I parked it everyday because they had those lights. epbrown

I'm wondering what that would cost...

One of the reasons for using FACTORY mixed balanced paint - I don't mean BMW just the pain manufacturer - DuPont, Glasso, Valentine etc. DO NOT GET THE BODY SHOP TO MIX UNLESS A TOTAL repaint but even then I would think more than twice about it.

Take this as truth I used to do custom body work and my 'shop' did shed loads of metallic BMWs and Mercs (Oops)

Sir Hugh of Bognor

The difference between men and boys is the price of their toys. Intelligence is not knowing the answer but knowing where and how to find it!

Hugh Gundersen snipped-for-privacy@h-gee.co.uk Bognor Regis, W.Sussex, England, UK

Don't have to - 3rd party risks. You don't always have to prove negligence in a traffic accident as it's an ACCIDENT and not malicious.

Sir Hugh of Bognor

The difference between men and boys is the price of their toys. Intelligence is not knowing the answer but knowing where and how to find it!

Hugh Gundersen snipped-for-privacy@h-gee.co.uk Bognor Regis, W.Sussex, England, UK