Chipex Stone Chip Repair System Review

What We Say

What is it:

A kit designed for use both by the home user and as a trade service, Chipex allows you to repair stone chips to a higher standard than traditional touch up paints. Using a blending solution and polish system to match the paint to the panel around, Chipex allows both smaller and larger chips to be filled and blended.

How we Tested it:

We have been using the Chipex system for around two years now. As members of the Professional Valeting and Detailing association who partner with Chipex, we trialled it as an add on for our business and as such have had extensive experience with the use of the process. During this time we have experienced approximately 50 different paints with the system and gained high experience in how to use the product, its limitations and its strengths.

We Liked:

• Usually offers a far better finish than traditional touch up pens.
• Fast drying paint allows for a speedy process and ideal for an add on service.
• Complete system and process to follow is easy to access for beginners and the home user.
• Clear presentation and professional feel to the product.
• Next day delivery on paints if required.

We didn’t like:

• Persistent colour match issues. Granted a colour match guarantee is offered and most paints are ok. But at short notice, as a trade user, a colour mis match can cause issues.
• Blending solution sometimes completely discolours paint and cannot be rectified without starting again.
• Struggles with shallow chips as often removed by blending solution.

Overall:

Chipex are very much a marmite service. You will either love it or hate it. Unfortunately, the extent to which way you feel is likely to be very dependent on the colour used. We have had 10\10 experiences with Chipex and 2\10 experiences and these occasional paint mis matches do frustrate somewhat. With using Chipex as a trade service, it is about managing expectation to the customer. We have marketed it as a 6 feet repair, that being the repair to the unknowing eye would not be seen from 6 feet away. It is difficult to achieve a faultless repair but achievable from time to time depending on colour and chip size. For the home user, it’s an expensive way for it to potentially not be as you hope but will still offer decent improvements over an unsightly chip and for far less than a respray. Inconsistency leaves us somewhat wanting.

by Andy Oct 2017