Puffs of smoke? / Chips Away?

[Jemmo]

Hi all

 

Never owned a diesel before this one but bit the bullet and bought a very nice 2011 Rav4.

Runs very nice but every now and again (usually under heavy acceleration) there is noticable cloud of light blue smoke.

It soon clears up and stops.

I did mention this to the dealer when I noticed it on a test drive and he said words to the effect 'well it's a diesel, it's diesel oil being burned off'.

Is he right and is this normal?

 

While I'm here, has anyone ried Chips Away or can anyone recommend a similar service? I went away for a week on a training course and when I came back some clumsy oaf has scraped my front bumper. So annoying as the car was immaculate befor that?

[FROSTYBALLS]

I've used Chips Away a couple of times previously for stone chips, and also when someone scraped the rear bumper of a Mazda 2. Found them to be very good.

[Jemmo]

Thanks Frostyballs.

I have seen them parked up usually at DIY centres with their gazebo and wondered if theye were any good, or whetherthere were better alternatives.

Wil see if anyone else has any recommendations but I will probably give them a call.

[Heidfirst]

I too have used Chipsaway & found them good. One nice thing is that they have a lifetime guarantee on the work (keep your invoice/receipt). The franchise that I use has a proper bodyshop though with spraybooth, oven etc.

[Mr Wolf]

I too have used ChipsAway and they did a first class job of filling then painting the damage to my bumper. They got a perfect paint match and you couldn't see that the car had been repaired. I was charged £140 but that was some 6/7 years ago.

ChipsAway is a franchise organisation whereby people buy into the franchise and it allows them to use the Chips Away brand name. They are trained by them and buy all their equipment and materials from ChipsAway. It follows that the quality of the repair will depend on the skill and experience of the person who does it. In my case, there were two repairers. One was teaching the other guy how to do the repair. I counted myself lucky I didn't have the novice on his own!

 

[152bobby]

I have used Chipsaway a few times and have been very good 

It depends on who you get from your area and if they are any good.

They are good for small spray repairs, but if it's a small ding or dent and the paints not broken, then look for a mobile company that do paintless dent repairs.

I had a small car park dent on my rear door right on the crease, I would have lived with it if it was not in my eye line each time I got in the car.

I used a local company called Reading Dent Repairs, amazing job and can't see the dent at all anymore.

Cost me £50 and well worth it.