Nissan 200SX is transformed!

This Nissan 200SX is almost 24 years old and unfortunately, it was beginning to show its age. Below you can see the rusted bonnet which actually crumbled on touch when we looked a bit closer. The paintwork was all in need of some TLC, with faded and peeling sections on almost all areas of the vehicle. Grime and cobwebs coated most areas of the car which hadn’t been regularly driven since the beginning of the lockdowns in 2020. The owner was toying with the idea of selling the car but it held a sentimental value even if it was looking less than its best.

“Great team, very friendly and really take pride in not just their work but making you and your car feel valued. Had a well worn 1998 Nissan 200SX which was in need of some tlc. Rusty hole in bonnet and overall paint job fading. The guys have made it look brand new and have also helped on some MOT failing issues since. Unbelievable transformation and brings back the smile on my face when I drive it. Can’t recommend them enough.” ~ Mark, January 2022

The top layer of lacquer was peeling on the boot and offside rear panel. The window seals also needed some attention.

The once illustrious purple sheen was dulled and grimy from months of sitting stationary.

A key scratch from many years ago had run down the entire nearside rear quarter of this Nissan 200SX.

Getting to work on the Nissan 200SX

The first job for the team was to disassemble and prepare the bodywork for primer. Starting with the front bumper.

The boot hatch, spoiler, wing mirrors, grill, and petrol cap also were prepped and primed before the painting process could start.

The front bumper was first to receive the precision matched paint in our low bake oven.

The team then painted the wings, other parts, and the boot.

The colour and shine were already looking impressive on these small sections of the Nissan 200SX.

After the parts were painted and coated in lacquer we were able to move onto the main body of the car.

Filling and preparing the main body of the car began and we started taping up and protecting the interior and the wheels. The nearside key scratch was already a distant memory!

The offside was prepped, filled, and sanded before the wheels were covered and we taped up ready for primer. We use a combination of plastic sheeting and paper to seal and protect the interior of a vehicle before we start spraying.

Building up the layers one-by-one

First up for the Nissan 200SX was to apply the isolator primer which you can see below.

After isolator primer we got to work on four (yes four!) coats of high build primer for the body followed by the guide coat.

The bonnet was so rusted that we had to replace it with a new bonnet which came over from the Netherlands to be painted alongside all the other parts. Here’s the underside of the bonnet which is also painted to match.

The next step for this Nissan 200SX was to rub-down the primer and re-mask. The team then were ready to apply the colour basecoat.

Once the colour is looking good we applied two applications of clear coat to bring that to life.

Look at that shine!

The shine is unrecognisable from the dull purple that we saw at the beginning of this restoration.

With the paintwork completed, it is time to reassemble the bonnet and get the car ready for collection.

The bonnet was obviously the most visibly damaged part of the car so it was amazing to see this looking its best after a wash, wax, and polish.

Here’s a shot of the car sitting outside our workshop before collection, shining like it hasn’t done for many years!

This area of the paintwork was peeling in the before photos. Now you’d never know the car was in such a state. The glass was all removed and resealed as part of the work. That was a visual but also an essential part of the renovation to avoid water leaks in the future.

No more cobwebs and looking shinier than ever. This 1998 Nissan 200SX was ready to return to the very happy owner who left us a review on Google as soon as the car was finished.

See more of our work and read all our reviews online

For more examples of our workmanship, you can find many car repair stories on our blog. We also collate all the reviews we receive on our website at www.carmagic.co.uk/reviews. Here you’ll see comments from Google, Facebook and our website feedback form.

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Fill out our online form for an estimate within 24 hours during the working week. You can speak to our friendly and knowledgeable team by calling 01442 864022. We are open from Monday to Friday between 9 am and 5 pm. Whether you have a project like this one or a simple body repair we’d be happy to help!