A Good Paint Job = ?$

GreenStangGT · Feb 11, 2008

The more time goes on the more I find myself wanting to finally get my car painted. I'm sick of hearing about the flaws in my paint. I also want to change from DFG to Black if it's within the budget. So my question is this: What kind of paint job can I expect with ~$2800? I don't want to spend more than $3000 for sure.

My paint on one side has a little bit of orange peeling from a failed attempt by a friend of mine to repaint it. Other than that there are no major body flaws or defects that would add to the cost.

Can I change from DFG to black for that cost? If so, how far will the money go overall towards a kick a** paintjob?

Thanks for any input.

parchisi · Feb 11, 2008

A little while ago, I looked into getting mine repainted back to Laser Red, OEM quality. Found a reputable body shop, and they quoted me $3,500. Needless to say, I didn't get it done, but getting a good paintjob ain't gonna be cheap.

Nik_95Cobra · Feb 11, 2008

$3500 even seems really cheap for a quality color change unless you have a hookup.

DarkStallion095 · Feb 12, 2008

Paint job

I got about 2500 into my black Sherwin Williams paint job and that included a tonneau cover, mirrors, and satin black for the trim and cowl and a polish. So it can be done!!! Just have to talk to people.

95WhiteVenom · Feb 12, 2008

2k was my last paint job and it was painting everything but the engine bay.

ProKiller · Feb 12, 2008

don't toss in laser red into your considerations for a price. it's a three color coat, very very expensive. i'd imagine you could get a decent job for that price, but you'll have to ask around.

GreenStangGT · Feb 12, 2008

Alright, well I guess I will just have to see what I can find. I'm hoping that I can have it done by late April/early May.

Zero Signal · Feb 12, 2008

I was quote $4700 for better than OEM black.

Oh . . . and it was going to take 6-8 weeks. This was a smaller shop with a good rep.

GreenStangGT · Feb 12, 2008

Zero Signal said:
I was quote $4700 for better than OEM black.

Oh . . . and it was going to take 6-8 weeks. This was a smaller shop with a good rep.

$4700?! For $4700 the paint better make the car go faster. 6-8 weeks I could see if it was a small place with a limited amount of staff.

95opal · Feb 12, 2008

I would Expect it to be around $5000 for a quality color change job. I know for a flawless job, ie.. all pings and little things taken out it will coast some $ along with the color change. Paint is something I definately would not look to go cheap on as poor body work will always show through.

BlackVert · Feb 12, 2008

geez, i was quoted 15 grand for a "top quality" paint job on my fairlane, all black. he said that is the kind of paint job that wins shows. not for me. that is WAY out of my budget anyway

i don't know about you, but i don't want the type of paint job where i would be afraid to drive the car because of how much it would cost to fix if it got a scratch

then i went to maaco. long story short ... they are doing it for about 5k. they have done a very nice job with the bodywork, and it has been there over 2 months. it should be in primer next week

the 15 grand guy estimated about 4k for the stang. i bet somewhere like maaco could do yours in your budget

GreenStangGT · Feb 12, 2008

95opal said:
I would Expect it to be around $5000 for a quality color change job. I know for a flawless job, ie.. all pings and little things taken out it will coast some $ along with the color change. Paint is something I definately would not look to go cheap on as poor body work will always show through.

blackvert said:
geez, i was quoted 15 grand for a "top quality" paint job on my fairlane, all black. he said that is the kind of paint job that wins shows. not for me. that is WAY out of my budget anyway

i don't know about you, but i don't want the type of paint job where i would be afraid to drive the car because of how much it would cost to fix if it got a scratch

then i went to maaco. long story short ... they are doing it for about 5k. they have done a very nice job with the bodywork, and it has been there over 2 months. it should be in primer next week

the 15 grand guy estimated about 4k for the stang. i bet somewhere like maaco could do yours in your budget.

I am NOT going to Maaco. Never seen anything from the company that was worth anything. Maybe just my bad experiences.

95opal · Feb 12, 2008

GreenStangGT said:
I am NOT going to Maaco. Never seen anything from the company that was worth anything. Maybe just my bad experiences.

I wasnt referring to maaco.... I would never even consider it. The $5000 is on the low end through a friend. A good shop would more than likely be closer to the $7000 range. It also depends on how much body work needs to be done. I know when I did mine I walked th car with my body guy and marked every ping on the car (and there were many) that I wanted taken care of. It may have cost a little bit more but if you look down the side of the car now, its absolutely flawless. To me thats worth the extra bit of money.

Another thing to consider is what type and brand of paint they are going to be using. The good stuff aint cheap. I remember I bought the pait and it was close to $1000 for the whole set up. (Dupont Chroma-base)

No matter who you go through make sure to see some of there work.
Also check out the shop and booth, usually a good shop will be clean and organized.

Like I said earlier dont mess around when it comes to paint, cause you dont want to do it twice.

Zero Signal · Feb 12, 2008

When I got the $4700 quote, I had told him I wanted it the deepest black he could make (not a color change) and I wanted it mirror smooth. My fenders right now are mirror smooth from years of buffing and waxing and I told him the whole car has to look like that. He basically told me I was nuts and he almost didn't want to do it because it would get in the way of his usual work flow.

On the plus side I really liked his honesty and straightforward attitude. I'd probably use him when it comes down to it.

On the Maaco subject . . . you can actually get a good paint job there if you get the right people to do it. I've seen a couple jobs that were really well done for a pretty penny. Those places like Maaco and Earl Scheib are really meant for budget work though. I used them to paint my first car for $140 before I sold it. It was awful but it sold quick!

Zero Signal · Feb 12, 2008

95opal said:
No matter who you go through make sure to see some of there work.
Also check out the shop and booth, usually a good shop will be clean and organized.

This is awesome advice. When I had my 347 built, I had the owner show me around. I got a high confidence level for their operation and was really impressed with the shop. The service I got from them on the build ended up being TOP notch and he met the deadlines he proposed for finishing the work.

black87ttop · Feb 13, 2008

GreenStangGT said:
The more time goes on the more I find myself wanting to finally get my car painted. I'm sick of hearing about the flaws in my paint. I also want to change from DFG to Black if it's within the budget. So my question is this: What kind of paint job can I expect with ~$2800? I don't want to spend more than $3000 for sure.

My paint on one side has a little bit of orange peeling from a failed attempt by a friend of mine to repaint it. Other than that there are no major body flaws or defects that would add to the cost.

Can I change from DFG to black for that cost? If so, how far will the money go overall towards a kick a** paintjob?

Thanks for any input.

Where are you located? I can get you a good deal from a guy who painted some of my friends cars and will be doing mine when the cash is available.

BlackVert · Feb 13, 2008

the quality of the job you get depends on the quality of the people who do the work, not the name of the shop where the work is done.

my maaco guy is a small shop owner, been doing it for like 25 years, he and his son run the shop together, are into vintage cars, and he loves the fairlane. he has his best guy working on it. i have confidence it will come out fine. don't just write a shop off by its name, it is run by people too.

GreenStangGT · Feb 13, 2008

I'm from Iowa.

Also, yes I definitely understand that the name doesn't necessarily mean anything bad or good, but I have seen shotty work from both the Maaco's located near me.

95five-oh · Feb 13, 2008

Changing colors and doing it right will add considerable cost to the project, as it involves painting door, hood, and trunk jams and most likely the engine bay. I'd stick with DFG unless you have your heart set on black. Also, if you do the body/prep work yourself, that will save a TON of money. That is what I did last year when i had mine repainted. The downside to DIY bodywork/primer, is that most painters will not spray a car that they didnt straighten/primer. So if you're gonna go that route you need to check with the painter first. I had the body shop manager at my dad's work (local ford dealer) spray mine. It cost me about $500 for paint (laser red) and at least 350-400 in supplies for the body work (lots of primer, bondo, DA sander, pads, and a new drivers side quarterpanel.) Not to mention a couple cases of beer for the painter who didnt want cash. All told my job cost a little over $1k. A decent budget repaint, but certainly not a show-winner.

reddy351 · Feb 13, 2008

I like the idea of getting to the particular shop to see what kind of operation they have. If the equipment is old and not very well maintained, you can count on the fact that they don't take the business that seriously. Also, if the guys that are working on it don't look very professional, you might want to reconsider. Check out their work areas. You never see a "disaster" of a work area at a very serious shop.

Another thing to consider is looking at some of the cars they have done. Check with the owners of those cars. Ask: Was the work done on time? At the agreed price? Are you happy with the work? What do you wish had happened differently?

Ask for a list of referrals from them. You don't really have to check with all of them. (They'll only give you the names of the really happy ones.) Ask if you can see their cars. Look at things like inside the fender wells. Doorjambs. Trunk. Check for poorly worked filler in places where "people will never look". Attention to those little details are what is the most important.

If you want it done in April, you prolly won't have much time to check out car shows and cruise-ins. (Good place to look, btw.) Truly good shops will prolly have a "waiting list".

Good luck!

A Good Paint Job = ?$

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