Hello i am wanting to buy a car for my son i have found a car, its a 2006 Holden Astra. I have seen pictures and one of the picture’s the man is showing a small area bit bigger than a hand Clear Coat peeling. I was wondering how much would it cost to fix this small area? I know from experience once a car has started to peel if not fixed it spreads and becomes a bigger problem. Can anyone help me with my question. It will be my sons first car, and he is on his L"s. Thank you. I dont want the whole bonnet to be re sprayed and fixed just that small area on the bonnet.
Saw maybe a 2015 ram with a trashed out clearcoat on the hood, size of a 16" pizza. Not from your neck of the woods, what is “he is on his L"s”? You could do it yourself if you don’t mind it looks fine from a galloping horse. My guess $600. Make sure to get the car inspected by a good mechanic prior to purchase.
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I dont understand why the picture isn’t coming up? I couldn’t do the job myself i am a butcher not a car person lol. Yes i have already looked into having a mechanic to come to the site where the car is. Thank you for replying to me, much appreciated.
Oh there is the picture lol.
Take the vehicle to some resprayers/panel beaters for estimates for a respray.
Tester
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Hello but i dont want to by my sons first car if i have to start fixing it.
Then, why are you asking this question?
Tester
To see if someone would know if it is worth buying. And if i bought it someone might know how to do ( Fix ) that small clear peeling on the bonnet, for a fraction of the price if i was to take it to a Panel beater.
Most of the people on this board have never driven a Holden, know their history, or know their value in pounds.
What’s the going price for the same year, mileage Holden’s in the local Craigslist car ads?
Tester
2006 is probably in need of something, tires, brakes, fluid changes, tuneup, filters etc. . Not that a 2014 might need those things also.
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Yes i understand what your saying 
thats why i would be having a auto mechanic that comes out and checks the car for anything that might be wrong. Thank you for replying to me. I think i shouldn’t have posted all of this as some people would always find things wrong with what i say. I just needed some advice or help.
We are in Adelaide
Tester
I haven’t done this before, so yes i will make mistakes on this site. And also i dont know for sure but sometimes there might be a person that does these things ( Fixing the peeling at home, and might do it cheaper as its hard these.
Craigslist in the USA has warnings about dealing with sellers I imagine your local board may have them too. Be sure to read and understand the warnings. There’s a lot that can go wrong in that situation.
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Oh no i live in Adelaide South Australia. Thank you for you reply.
Peeling clearcoat is not a reason to automatically reject the car, especially one that is 14 years old. It’s all about overall condition and how the car has been maintained.
A passable repair can be made with some sanding and a can of clearcoat spray.
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I’m with @NYBo on this. I have an '87 pickup (so my opinion may not matter), but it lived outside in the desert for many years, lost its clearcoat a long time ago. I have to pay attention to the places that get damaged to prevent rust, and it looks worn, but the body will last another 33 years structurally with that little care. I’m not getting dates (even if I had a nice car I wouldn’t) which makes it advice a young man may not like but a mother may.
A Ripley’s Believe it or not some years ago had the story of a guy who ate a car (eating odd things was his gimmick). He ate a Holden, not because he was Australian but because he decided that was the best car to eat.
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You are looking at a 14 year old vehicle . It might not need anything right now but you can be assured that it will need things just like all used vehicles do. I would not worry about the clear coat for this reason .
As our insurance agent says about teenage drivers , it is not if they have an accident it is when will they have that accident .
If you want the car to look as new the entire panel will need to be painted, then next year the roof and trunk. Patching one spot is hopeless, the clear coat has deteriorated from exposure to the sun, the other top surfaces are soon to follow.
I bought my son a car with peeling paint, after a year he asked me about having it painted. I told him rather than spend $1,000 on getting a cheap repaint, he should sell the car and buy a better one. He didn’t hesitate, sold the car right away, I guess he didn’t like that car. Will your son reject a free car if the paint is flawed?
Of coarse Holden vehicles are from down under, not the UK. Some Holden cars made it to the states. My co-worker has a Holden Commodore with a V-8, it was sold in the states as a Pontiac G8.