How much to expect to pay for a nice paint job?

[324matt]

My truck is in need of a paint job. Its a 1987 SRW V30 4x4. Its in immaculate shape body wise and is in dire need of a good paint job. I want the same 2tone factory colors, and original red/black pinstripe put back on. Whats my best option? How much am i lookin at $$?
1. Should i contact body shops?
2. Does maco do good work?
3. Should i take off the emblems/rubber seals/grill/lights/trim/bumpers ect ect ect ahead of time, or let the painter do it all?
4. Im leary of just some guy in his garage painting it. I dont want it butchered.
5. Im not looking to win trophys at a car show, i just want a good protective paint job.

Please, ANY suggestions will help.!

Thank you.
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[919cw313]

$5k is probably a good starting point.
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[busfreak]

Find you a good shop with some Mexican workers. I am not being racial or anything but I know a bunch here in Texas that do killer jobs for under 2k. You will have to pay cash and dont expect a bad ass shop.

[Cue-Ball]

Originally Posted by 324matt

Whats my best option?

Your best option is to find a clean shop that has a reputation for finishing jobs on time and doing high quality work. Otherwise you could end up in "paint jail" or with a shoddy job. You don't want to learn this lesson the hard (and expensive) way.

How much am i lookin at $$?

I agree with the poster above. You're looking at a couple of grand for a good paint job. More than that if you need any bodywork. Any less than that and you're probably going to get a crap job. The actual painting itself is not all that expensive. Most good painters can do a single color job in a half day, easy. It's the bodywork, sanding, masking, and other prep that takes forever. I'm redoing my car right now. I spent a year and a half doing the bodywork. The paint was laid down in an hour.

1. Should i contact body shops?

You're better off contacting other hot rodders in your area first. Take the three shops that are recommended the most, then contact them to see what their schedule looks like. Any shop that does decent work could very well have a waiting list (especially in the winter when guys ship their projects off to get painted).

2. Does maco do good work?

I think you already know the answer to that question. Anyone who likes their vehicle enough to be on a forum about it should not be going to Maaco.

3. Should i take off the emblems/rubber seals/grill/lights/trim/bumpers ect ect ect ahead of time, or let the painter do it all?

Anything you can do yourself will save you money. Just make sure you know how it all goes back together. And make sure you realize just how much stuff has to be removed or masked. Windows, door handles, trim, marker lights, etc.

4. Im leary of just some guy in his garage painting it. I dont want it butchered.

Garage paint jobs can turn out pretty good sometimes, but usually only if the owner has gone to a lot of trouble to set it up like a paint booth (filters for incoming air, big-ass fans blowing out, ventilation running from top to bottom, front to back, etc.)

5. Im not looking to win trophys at a car show, i just want a good protective paint job.

A show winning paint job and a "stock" type paint job are really not all that different. The show winner will have a lot more time invested between coats and after the paint is laid down. Multiple passes of wet sanding, extensive buffing, etc. But the basics of a decent paint job and a show winner are the same: Prep, prep, prep!

[D.FENS]

Cue-Ball pretty much said it.

Word of mouth is the best way to find a painter. Most don't advertise much and the really good ones don't have to.

Get out to some local GTG's or car shows (doesn't matter what kind) and ask around.

[S10Fan]

Good paint jobs aren't cheap.....Cheap paint jobs aren't good

[john_p]

around here 3500 and up.. likes been said.. anyone running custom paint in your neck of the woods will know the local hot spot for paint..

don't shy away from a smaller operation, look at his work.. any shop that is any good will show off and brag on their work..

if a good paint shop was a prime rib at out backs, then macco is a burnt happy meal

[CC69Rat]

I agree with everything that has been said, and just to add ..

good materials are not cheap. If you go with a single stage paint it can save some money and quality base / clear jobs can cost $1500+ just in materials alone.

In my past experience if you take it to a good reputable shop and agree on a price up front the painter will generally do a better job than the agreed price just on sheer work ethic.

Also, never pay in full up front. A little help to buy materials is cool but a finished job = paid in full. Ask me how I know.

[hotrod 80]

I am a forum member here and Maaco is painting my truck . Ask Cue-ball how many trucks Maaco has painted for him . this is my opinion , backed by fact . Make up your own mind . Base / clear 5 year warranty , pre wetsand and buff if any . Flame away ,
Before:


During:


Just out of the booth:

[324matt]

I finally got home to my computer to upload some pics. Here is what Im dealing with. Typical 80's GM flaking paint. Now you can see what Im up against.

[mbgmike]

Originally Posted by hotrod 80

I am a forum member here and Maaco is painting my truck . Ask Cue-ball how many trucks Maaco has painted for him . this is my opinion , backed by fact . Make up your own mind . Base / clear 5 year warranty , pre wetsand and buff if any . Flame away ,
Before:


During:


Just out of the booth:

We just happen to have a very good Maaco here in Pasadena. They do very good work for the money. I would recommend them to anyone with a daily driver as long as the body is right and prepared. Tim and his wife Debbie do an excellent job running the place. We do paint but I would not have a problem having them paint my personal truck. They do a lot better jobs then some of the so called custom shops do for a lot less. They are on spencer hwy in pasadena tx

Nice job on yours by the way.

Just for info when Maaco runs their specials this really only helps keep everyone employed. they don't make any real money at the shop. You won't find any Maaco charging 99.00

[Gordonr1973]

It actually looks in pretty good shape.

As long as there is not too much rist repair / welding you should be okay.

All of the posts above have good points...you just need to figure out what works for you:

time in the shop verses money verses warranty/reputation

Each affects the other! :-)

[shortbed70]

What color because it makes a difference? Lighter colors are cheaper in my jobs becausethey don't show alot of detail and depth. Sanding and polishing is Non exsistant... Dark colors are the middle of the road and candy/tri-coats are pricy! I would repaint the same colors for around 3800 if it was stripped of all trim. If you wanted rejammed then 4100...
I painted a 57 belair for a friend copper cinnimon candy for chump change and it turned out great... I would say find a good shop,do your research and expect 3-6k!
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[CC69Rat]

Wow, the black truck looks great! ..and black is tough to paint too.
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[324matt]

No rust on it. Not even nothin nowhere. I would remove the decals and find out how to sand it. Dosent have and dents, dings, scratches.
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[Cue-Ball]

I have not had Maaco paint a vehicle, but I've seen their paint jobs. They look, frankly, like total ****. In general they are single stage paint jobs (no clear) that are rushed through as quickly as possible. You can get two-stage jobs, but they cost extra. Their prep is poor, and even when the owner does the prep it's still not done right. No offense to hotrod_80's paint job, but it doesn't look like it was done correctly to me. The side molding wasn't removed, the molding around the windshield wasn't removed, etc. And he even went to the trouble to do ALL of the prep himself (lights, grille, bumpers, etc. are removed, bodywork is done, sanding and priming was done, etc). If he hadn't, the guys at Maaco simply would have masked everything instead of removing it. This gives you harsh paint lines at all the edges and ends up looking bad.

Seriously, think about what you can possibly get from a $200 paint job. I just had my '70 Camaro painted and I think I spent more than that on paint and sealer alone! The paint itself was over $50/gallon. Hell, I probably spent over a hundred bucks just on sandpaper! The price of a Maaco paint job wouldn't even pay for the materials to do a GOOD job painting a car. Factor in that most body shops charge $85/hour for labor and you can see there's just no way you can get a good job done cheaply.

If you just want your truck to look better than it does now for the lowest possible cost, then a cheap paint job might work for you. Do all of the prep yourself, remove everything from the truck, perform all of the masking and trailer it down there. You're still going to have to spend more than their advertised deals though, because otherwise you'll get a single stage paint job that won't hold up well and won't retain its shine. If you want a truck that you can enter at the local car show and be proud of, you're not likely to get that without spending some serious money.

It IS possible to get a good paint job without spending a fortune, but only if you're willing to do a whole lot of work (basically, ALL of the work other than perhaps the actual painting itself). Most shops won't let you do that because they don't want their name associated with a job that was prepped by someone else. If the paint starts falling off in 6 months because of your poor prep, they don't want to be saddled with the blame. So, the only way you can usually do this is if you're friends with a body shop or you know a guy with a large enough garage and the equipment to do a decent garage paint job (big box fans, decent spray gun, big-ass compressor with water filters and a pressure tank, etc).

In short - There's a level of diminishing returns, but you generally get what you pay for. You don't need to spend five grand to get a decent paint job, but you're sure not gonna get one for $99.95.

[busfreak]

I have painted a few cars and all of my bikes, don't be afraid to find a small shop that is a hole in the wall. I myself was laughed at for painting in mine and it is a crap shop. Just find someone who will take there time and don't be afraid to use single stage paints they shine as much as clear coats and you can always buff them out when they start getting dull. If the paint has some imperfections, dirt or even a moth in it you can always color sand and buff. Here are a few picts of my bikes that I I have painted. Just remember the prep is the most important part, you cant ever polish a turd.

[hotrod 80]

Originally Posted by Cue-Ball

I have not had Maaco paint a vehicle, but I've seen their paint jobs. They look, frankly, like total ****. In general they are single stage paint jobs (no clear) that are rushed through as quickly as possible. You can get two-stage jobs, but they cost extra. Their prep is poor, and even when the owner does the prep it's still not done right. No offense to hotrod_80's paint job, but it doesn't look like it was done correctly to me. The side molding wasn't removed, the molding around the windshield wasn't removed, etc. And he even went to the trouble to do ALL of the prep himself (lights, grille, bumpers, etc. are removed, bodywork is done, sanding and priming was done, etc). If he hadn't, the guys at Maaco simply would have masked everything instead of removing it. This gives you harsh paint lines at all the edges and ends up looking bad.

Seriously, think about what you can possibly get from a $200 paint job. I just had my '70 Camaro painted and I think I spent more than that on paint and sealer alone! The paint itself was over $50/gallon. Hell, I probably spent over a hundred bucks just on sandpaper! The price of a Maaco paint job wouldn't even pay for the materials to do a GOOD job painting a car. Factor in that most body shops charge $85/hour for labor and you can see there's just no way you can get a good job done cheaply.

If you just want your truck to look better than it does now for the lowest possible cost, then a cheap paint job might work for you. Do all of the prep yourself, remove everything from the truck, perform all of the masking and trailer it down there. You're still going to have to spend more than their advertised deals though, because otherwise you'll get a single stage paint job that won't hold up well and won't retain its shine. If you want a truck that you can enter at the local car show and be proud of, you're not likely to get that without spending some serious money.

It IS possible to get a good paint job without spending a fortune, but only if you're willing to do a whole lot of work (basically, ALL of the work other than perhaps the actual painting itself). Most shops won't let you do that because they don't want their name associated with a job that was prepped by someone else. If the paint starts falling off in 6 months because of your poor prep, they don't want to be saddled with the blame. So, the only way you can usually do this is if you're friends with a body shop or you know a guy with a large enough garage and the equipment to do a decent garage paint job (big box fans, decent spray gun, big-ass compressor with water filters and a pressure tank, etc).

In short - There's a level of diminishing returns, but you generally get what you pay for. You don't need to spend five grand to get a decent paint job, but you're sure not gonna get one for $99.95.

No offense taken , but you are miss informing him .

I did not touch this truck . I drove it to Maaco complete . They dis assembled it and did all the body work and trim removal and reassemble . This is not a $99 paint job . It is a $1800 paint job that was done by car guys just like us . It also has a 5 year nation wide warranty on it . The paint brand is Sherman Williams . This may not be the top of the line , but the smaller shops in town have it stacked in the paint cabinet as 2 other little guys told me that is what they would be painting it with .

The only mistake i made was not replacing a fender that had gotten up against a gas pump pole before i got the truck , i am picky about things and this just bugs ,me knowing the mud is in there .

I am just offering my experience . The Maaco in your area may not do quality work , but mine will and does . I also agree You will not get a good $399 enamel no prep paint job . Again no offense ment or taken , just discussing options for what appears to be a really nice truck .

[busfreak]

MBG Mike that looks pretty good, so what does something like that cost?

[mbgmike]

Originally Posted by busfreak

MBG Mike that looks pretty good, so what does something like that cost?

It does look good but that was done by Maaco. go up some and see original poster. he had it done in Baytown Tx

[piecesparts]

Think of it in this form. Those guys at MAACO, spray paint all day long, every working day of the year. They are good at what they do. Where everyone fails with MAACO and Earl Scheib, is that they just take the old clunker to them and ask for a new paint job, and that is what they get, along with minimal body prep. If you do the prework and get the body ready and align with them to clean the paint good before they spray it, the result is great.

[hugger6933]

I've been meaning to stop in for a few days with my opinion. I have not had time to read all the way down this post and I never answer a post without doing so in case it has been covered, but there is a first for everything. That truck is gonna need to be stripped down to bare metal. The reason the paint "let go " from the primer is because of faulty primer. I did the warranty work for the local chevy dealer and that problem was called "Delamination". GM people decided that the primer was the cause of this and repainted under warranty tons of trucks and some cars from the late 80's to early 90's. I was told by GM to coorect this problem that the primer would all have to go. Mainly the surfaces that see the most sunlight are effected , meaning that normally you don't have to strip below the lower moulding. I don't do outside work much anymore so as to the cost of a paintjob I can't help and to the question about chain paint shops you get some good and some bad just like anywhere else. Maybe look at what the workers are driving ,out back. If it is nicely painted cool old cars and trucks I would say you are good to go. Now the more you take off the better off you will be money wise. Good luck hope it turns out well

[S10Fan]

Originally Posted by hugger6933

I've been meaning to stop in for a few days with my opinion. I have not had time to read all the way down this post and I never answer a post without doing so in case it has been covered, but there is a first for everything. That truck is gonna need to be stripped down to bare metal. The reason the paint "let go " from the primer is because of faulty primer. I did the warranty work for the local chevy dealer and that problem was called "Delamination". GM people decided that the primer was the cause of this and repainted under warranty tons of trucks and some cars from the late 80's to early 90's. I was told by GM to coorect this problem that the primer would all have to go. Mainly the surfaces that see the most sunlight are effected , meaning that normally you don't have to strip below the lower moulding. I don't do outside work much anymore so as to the cost of a paintjob I can't help and to the question about chain paint shops you get some good and some bad just like anywhere else. Maybe look at what the workers are driving ,out back. If it is nicely painted cool old cars and trucks I would say you are good to go. Now the more you take off the better off you will be money wise. Good luck hope it turns out well

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[hotrod 80]

Originally Posted by hugger6933

I've been meaning to stop in for a few days with my opinion. I have not had time to read all the way down this post and I never answer a post without doing so in case it has been covered, but there is a first for everything. That truck is gonna need to be stripped down to bare metal. The reason the paint "let go " from the primer is because of faulty primer. I did the warranty work for the local chevy dealer and that problem was called "Delamination". GM people decided that the primer was the cause of this and repainted under warranty tons of trucks and some cars from the late 80's to early 90's. I was told by GM to coorect this problem that the primer would all have to go. Mainly the surfaces that see the most sunlight are effected , meaning that normally you don't have to strip below the lower moulding. I don't do outside work much anymore so as to the cost of a paintjob I can't help and to the question about chain paint shops you get some good and some bad just like anywhere else. Maybe look at what the workers are driving ,out back. If it is nicely painted cool old cars and trucks I would say you are good to go. Now the more you take off the better off you will be money wise. Good luck hope it turns out well

Agree'd . Mine had to be stripped also . They did it from the first feature up . I am not wanting to high jack this thread , but will be picking it up Monday evening . I also have concern about hte 2 tone and the strip on the OP truck . To me getting this correct is important and would be tough .

[324matt]

So, i stopped by a mom.and pops body shop the other day here in my home town, and asked for a quote for a base coat/clear coat paint job. The old guy asked if i would be doing all the prep work, removing all of the door handles, chrome trim.ect ect. Ect.. And i said yes. I also said i would be having the truck media blasted all the way down to bare metal prior to paint. All rubber seals would be removed and everything.

So, the old guy lit himself a new cigarette, looked at me and said about $7,000.

I said.with me doing all the prep work? He said yep, if I have to prep it $10,000.

I respectfully said ok and thanks for his time and left.

I only paid half of that for the truck. Are you kidding me? I will buy all the painting equipment and take a 2yr course at the community college for $10,000.


Really?
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