Cheers Alan,
I'm just getting an exterior respray in the original colour - cheaper and more straightforward and engine bay, door shuts etc. will still match. The consensus between most/all of the places I tried is removing trim (door handles, lamps, badges, rubber perimeter strip etc.), some included bumper removal, only one insisted on removing and refitting the bonded glass front and rear screens.
The colour is Lotus A51 - Midnight Blue, which isn't metallic. The original is clear over base, I think that's what my preferred option plans to do but I'll confirm, thanks for reminding me.
The existing finish is in a poor shape:
- clear lacquer blistered and peeling in a number of places
- Some microblisters in a few small locations
- An odd one - on the rear half of the roof only, loads of small (1" - 1.5" long) cracks, aligned more-or-less front-to-rear
- Spider-web cracks on front and rear bumper from small knocks
So really it needs all the old paint coming off, which to be fair all the candidates were planning to do, even the £2,000 option.
The car will remain very much a daily driver, so I'm after a finish that is tidy rather than concours-worthy, although my preferred option assures me that what he'll deliver will be show-worthy anyway.