How much should a GOOD paint job cost?

[Cobra03FLA]

My Oxford white cobra took a real beating from Hurricane Jeanne I got the back glass replaced and everything cleaned and dried out all is fine there. But once I got it detailed my detail guy showed me all the paint chips down to the metal :xpl: I know everyone will say use your insurance but I dont want a half ass job and can live with the chips and scratches for a while. How much am I looking at for a first class job (obviously better than the thin paint it comes with) ??

 

[MTI LS1]

ALOT. They wanted 2K to repaint my front bumper and hood with sonic blue. I could only imagine what the whole car would cost. This was at a very high class body shop that does alot of work on Porsches, Vipers, Lambos etc..

 

[oldmodman]

A first rate paint job. With no change in color.
Fix any problems in metal
Sand old paint perfectly smooth, or maybe even down to bare metal.
Prime car and sand primer till perfect.
Shoot from 2 to however many coats of color are needed.
Shoot three coats of clear.
Wet sand clear until perfectly smooth, absolutely no orange peel.
Inspect clear for any flaws, like embedded dust or fisheyes.
If none found start buffing and polishing clear until flawless.
Total price from three to seven thousand, Or maybe even more depending on the shop and the car owners level of fussiness.

 

[slythetove]

If you aren't changing colors probably $6500 to $7500. Could be near $10,000 if you have all the panels off for a real first class job.

How good of a paint job do you want? It won't be cheap.

 

[Juiced-03]

I heard Earl Scheib can give you a great deal

 

[I-CAN-STANG]

Originally posted by slythetove
If you aren't changing colors probably $6500 to $7500. Could be near $10,000 if you have all the panels off for a real first class job.

How good of a paint job do you want? It won't be cheap.

where are you getting paint jobs? I've seen the best chameleon paint jobs in Pensacola Fl. for $3500. If you're paying over $3K for a base color paint job you're getting robbed "bigtime". It all depends on where you live of course! There's a guy up here that I know who does the best work for some Jeep guys and even does about 3-4 coats of clear coat for $2000, thats his side job.

 

[Cobra03FLA]

Originally posted by Juiced-03
I heard Earl Scheib can give you a great deal

Thanks Ill get right over there I hear they paint your tailpipes and tires for no extra charge!

 

[I-CAN-STANG]

here's another thought......If you want a $3500 mystic paint job just go to a Ford dealer and ask them for it because thats how much they cost. You'd expect it to be a lot more when you're talking about a dealer. 6500+ bucks for a paint job is a straight rip off.

 

[RGrossman]

I couldnt imagine spending more then 3k and then seeing the first scratch... Don't spend anywhere near that for a daily driver, it will upset you to much when it gets scratches.

 

[kn7671]

A good paint job for a daily driven car should be kept below $4000.00. The reason I state daily driver is that just driving the car down the road will start to get wear and tear on the paint, so no reason to waste the money and the time to have a show car paint job on the car just to have it slowly ruined.

If you want show car quality paint and perfection, then as stated earlier, expect to pay upwards $10000.00... This is not unreasonable, not a rip-off, nor is it unheard of when it comes to perfect everything in the paint and body.

The statement, 'You get what you pay for", holds true on paint and body work. We all know the factory paint is far from perfect, but it takes many many man hours to prep a car just to get a car looking like it came from the factory.

 

[I-CAN-STANG]

well if "you get what you pay for" not too many on here expected a shitty paint job for a 30 something odd thousand dollar car when they bought it......so that "you get what you pay for" shyt just isn't true because they didn't get what they paid for which was a quality "Mustang".....whatever that meant.

 

[slythetove]

Originally posted by I-CAN-STANG
where are you getting paint jobs? I've seen the best chameleon paint jobs in Pensacola Fl. for $3500. If you're paying over $3K for a base color paint job you're getting robbed "bigtime". It all depends on where you live of course! There's a guy up here that I know who does the best work for some Jeep guys and even does about 3-4 coats of clear coat for $2000, thats his side job.

The color has nothing to do with it being "the best" paint job.

It has to do with the work and prep they do on the car and between coats of paint. Show quality paint jobs require every single panel to come off the car and be prepped and painted. Each coat is sprayed, then set, then smooth / wet sanded. It's very very labor intensive.

You are talking about basic paint jobs and I am talking about show quality paint. There is a huge price difference.

 

[flyn high again]

Sorry to hear about your car, Eric.

At least you know you will have a better than stock paint job when you finish. You may want to spend a little less on a paint job and use some of the money for a garage. Hurricanes Katie-Zach will be coming...

 

[ShelbyGuy]

I wouldn't touch a complete for less than $6500. My time is valuable to me. The right materials and supplies are expensive.

You can always find someone to undercut the price. Most of those people do side jobs out of their garage or rent the booth at the body shop after hours. I'm not into the side job specials anymore.

Truth be told, you run the same risk of a half assed job whether you are paying or your insurance company is. Your insurance company at least has some muscle against the body shop. What do you have as leverage? Not much. I'd file a claim. That is, after all, why you have insurance in the first place.

 

[slythetove]

Excellent advice.

 

[RickSvt]

Also, you can get the money from the insurance company for what it would cost to get it painted and pay the difference at a GREAT shop and get it done right

rIck

 

[lethal]

Originally posted by BigZach
ALOT. They wanted 2K to repaint my front bumper and hood with sonic blue. I could only imagine what the whole car would cost. This was at a very high class body shop that does alot of work on Porsches, Vipers, Lambos etc..

I have a place down here (Fort Lauderdale) that does do Rolls, Porsche, Mercedes, etc. I scraped up my front bumper and decided to have it done. They took it off, wet sanded it, primed, painted, cc baked and reinstalled for $375. Last year I was rear ended, the rear bumper cover was replaced (insurance) and I insisted that Body Craft do the work. That was $1200. and included a new bumper cover, exhaust tips. Probably $400 for the paint.

So, for two ends on a Sonic blue it was probably $800. $3200 to $4000 would probably do the car, depending on how picky you are. Right tools, right people, just remember your the one who has to satre at it every day -- what's it worth to you?

 

[primo]

How much through the Ford dealer? Just some advice, a paint job at the dealer is a lot different than the assembly line. Just see how much, maybe they'll cut you a break.

 

[I-CAN-STANG]

who cares about show quality?!?! you're a complete idiot if you pay $6500 bucks for a paint job on a car you wish to drive everyday.

 

[PunishR]

He said Earl SHeib....LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL!!!!! Mine was $5200 after they egged the hell out of it, and my insurance payed for it. No Orange peel and thick as hell!!!