Anyone know anything about car painting?

[Erik]

While I'm thinking about it, I'm wondering if anyone knows much about body work and car painting.

I drive a 1992 Mitsubishi Diamante. The body is flawless, my dad is the original owner. I have almost 96,000 on it. Car is always taken care of, paint is waxed, the car is in great shape. Just detailed it a couple weeks ago, put about $250 into it, transmission fluid and such, maintenance, and I just put two top-end rear tires on it.

However, over the years my dad hit a couple minor things and we had cheap body work done by a guy. It was around $125 and he patched up the holes in the body so it won't rust, but the paint is a 3-step metallic, and he couldn't paint it. Over the years, I've had various people quote to fix it up, and I found one guy who would fix the car completely for $225, but that was so long ago and I let it go.

The car is a metallic white, the paint is in GREAT shape. I'll go out and take some pictures of it tomorrow. I'm just wondering, if I did want to have the car painted, what kind of cost am I talking?

From what I know, here's what would need to be done.

Paint back bumper.
Paint driver's door.
Paint front bumper.

Anyone have some experience with this kind of work and could just give me a ballpark or some ideas? I probably won't do it, because the car isn't worth much, but it's my baby and the primer spots on it really aggrivate me.

 

[O_loung1]

a decent paint job with those areas you listed will cost probably start at $500.
a decent complete paint job will cost at least $1500+

paint: the more clear coats, the more layers of color the more expensive.

the most important part is prep. sanding, repairing, etc. cheap jobs involve a
lot of bondo which will later flake and crack if applied more then 1/8" thick.

you can also get cheap paint jobs at chain stores for $600 to $1000 including clear coat..

btw.. getting the bumpers and driver door done alone will result in color mismatch.. it is very difficult for shops to color match years of "faded" or old paint with new.

 

[Erik]

That's true. The bumper was once replaced on the car, and after I was finished detailing it, I could clearly see the color difference.

Not to mention, the place we took it to is pretty decent, however I am noticing some cracking on the newer paint job. It was done in 1996, I believe.

Since it's that much, I might let it go, but I was just curious. I mean, the car's trade-in value is $1000-$1200, but it's worth more to me.

You cleared up a lot of my questions, thanks a lot.

 

[anarkust]

btw.. getting the bumpers and driver door done alone will result in color mismatch.. it is very difficult for shops to color match years of "faded" or old paint with new.

This was my biggest thought, as far as painting part of the car, especially after 13 years. You would have to do it all and shell out the big bux if you want it to be an all-around match.

Gabriel

 

[Erik]

True. Tomorrow in the daylight I can take pictures of exactly what needs to be done.

My cousin's boyfriend touched up a lot of the marks on her Passat sedan. It's a dark green. It doesn't look half bad.

Is there any way to touch up the car so that it doesn't look quite as obvious?

 

[Kage_]

I'm sure you already know, but stay far away from Maco unless you want a quick scuff and shoot that you will regret for years to come.

Kage_

 

[spazntwitch]

I'm sure you already know, but stay far away from Maco unless you want a quick scuff and shoot that you will regret for years to come.

Kage_

Hey, at least you don't have "Earl Scheib, $99.95", and yes Scheib rhymes with $5. I do have to admit, though, my car did look SOOOO much better after the $100 paint job. (It was NEON pink before, with red, green, yellow, and blue bondo.) :claps:

 

[O_loung1]

Is there any way to touch up the car so that it doesn't look quite as obvious?

not cost effectively in your situation.

the biggest decision to make to choose touch up spots or painting new areas all together.

the best thing to do, is to take your car in to paint shops and look/compare the jobs on other cars with similar color. this is the best clue into what the result "may" look like.

going back to materials, paint usually a constant. what makes or breaks a paint job is the prep.

i had an exterior color change by maaco. i didnt prep much of the car except strip the lights, grill and trim that i wanted off. being an old police car, it had lots of body knicks and dings. i had them do the work. $1600 for the clear coat package, passenger side rear quarter panel repair. no doorjams, engine bay, hood or trunk...

these are some bad examples, but this car used to be faded white.
95 chevy caprice lt1

 

[Erik]

Maaco is the biggest ripoff in the world. I went there a while back, and they wanted $600-$800 for the same job that this guy that worked for a dealer quoted me for $225.

 

[O_loung1]

very possible. maybe you should try the dealer again. its worth a shot to get a few more price comparisons.

 

[Erik]

Well, I don't know if he'd still be there. I pulled out of Maaco and there was a body shop, that had been sold to CarSense, a used car dealer. The guy there said he would do it under the table using their equipment for $225, and who knows if he's still there. I do have his cell number, don't know that it's still in service.