Caliper painting in Yorkshire

easttorks964cab · 27 Jun 2013

Hi Guys

I would like my calipers painting. Im in East Yorkshire and wondered if anyone could suggest a firm i could take them to in the area, if not, someone who does a courier type deal (and obviously does a good job!)

Also, my car is Lapis Blue and i am thinking yellow calipers.......thoughts??

Cheers all
Chris

Porsche News · 27 Jun 2013

http://www.porschecalipers.co.uk/

cheshire911 · 27 Jun 2013

Depends on how bad they are. If it is a simple cosmetic job there is a thread here somewhere that sonmeone posted of a DIY job using an air brush. There is another thread where someone had lost the glaze (lacquer) where brake fluid had been allowed into contact with the caliper and the red shine was restored when they were wet but was a pink/orange when dry and the Porsche decal was not affected. That person sprayed Halfords lacquer and restored them - he started by asking about touching in stone chips.

I enquired about caliper work as mine have suffered a loss of glaze.
My honest opiunion is that anyone you approaach will advise to have them strippped, seals etc. refurbed, the calipers acid dipped and then powder coated and the cost will be astronomical £200 - £250 per caliper. Furthermore you will have to dismantle them from the car or pay someone to do it, send them away - all the time without a car yourself. Some may offer a exchange whereby you pay a hefty deposit which is then returned to you when they receive your old calipers (with the proviso that your old calipers are refurbishable).

You are like me - liteally caught between a rock and a hard place. I have put the job on hold because I think the calipers work fine, the spend is discretionary spend in any case and I think there is a Porsche Tax factor somewhere here where people price to make the money whether you need such a savage acid-dip and powder coat or not or whether you need to reconditoon the calipers if the brakes all work fine.

A confusing area - I wish you luck on your chosen path whatever that may be. As regards colour - it really has to be red with lapis Blue. Yellow is synonymous with ceramics - which yours are not. Let us know how you get on and waht you eventually decide. Try google search for the subject - I saw one firm in Nottingham - not sure if there is anyhwere near you in Yorkshire - can also ask some indys who they use and sub-contract your job to them. Prices are all over the place - suhhests pricing is based on what the market or punter is prepared to pay. That's my take and personal opinion only - before some clever guy replies that the prices are consistent across refurb companies and Joe Blohggs claipers does an excellent job at £200 per caliper.

churny · 27 Jun 2013

Thomas @ porschecalipers.co.uk sends out the calipers on an exchange basis, so you wouldn't be without your car that long. and from memory charges £200ish a pair.

Tycho · 28 Jun 2013

When I went along to the open day at Swissvax Knareborough I think that they said that they could do a caliper repaint. Sorry, can't remember prices mentioned. Let me know if you have any success – resolving flakey lacquer is on my list!

cheshire911 · 28 Jun 2013

Swissvax sell premium polishes and waxes so I'd guess if they do this sport of thing (a) they may sub contract ir and/or (b) it would be a premium price.

Mu h of the cost of this work is labour so I reckon if you went to see a few indys in the Yorkshire area (there are a lot in the Huddersfield/Leeds/Halifax area) they'dbe able to take a look and give you a price and confirm if they do it or if they send them to someone local. If they courier them down South (East), the cost is likely to be more based on courier costs and cost of labour (typically in Yorkshire the labour rate is £40 - £50 per hour and that will never be the case down south east).

There are also a good few breakers who may be able to help you in the Leeds area. Good luck.

Pro Calipers · 28 Jun 2013

Hi,

You need to ask yourself a question of what you want.
If you just want to change the colour and make them nice and shiny, then you might think that most of the places are way too expensive.
If you also want to get the most of your braking then that's a different story.

We fully strip the calipers and inspect the seals for wear and overheating.
Most companies who use wet spray will just mask up the pistons and spray the calipers.

What you need to look at is an age of the car and what mileage you have. If the calipers are sticking a bit (you will never know this unless you take them out) then what you get is a much faster ware of pads and discs as the pistons will not get back so quickly after you release the brakes. They will also heat up much quicker and because of this your brakes will more or less fade; depending on the driving style and the outside condition.

If your seals are all good then you don't need to pay extra on top of the refurb price - or if you're happy with what seals you have then we can put them back.

We always put prices of new seals on our estimate as we don't want to call you (or send an email) with a big surprise of extra money to pay. We will not replace anything unless we get a green light from you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFgighnZTac