Should I take my car to mexico to get it painted?

A67StangMaster · Oct 7, 2007

Ok well first of all I was very doughtfull when my friend told me that it was possible to get your hole car done for about $500 bucks EVERYTHING.
Then he called his buddy that lives down there and asked him if he could do it.
The guy said yes bring it here.

Now my qestion to you guys is, Should I?
I have seen pictures of my friends Camero and Firebird done over there and I have seen them both in real life, This guy knows how to paint a car.

(P.S EVERYTHING means Rust Repair, Fix dents, Bare metal Sandblasting, Alinge-hood, trunk, doors, Repaint hole body. I might also get majority of the interior done too.)

10secgoal · Oct 7, 2007

Maybe if some you know personally know this person. But I have seen TJ since I'm only 15 min away. Generally rust repair means putting a rag in the hole and covering with bondo. But for 500 bucks, that's not alot to lose I guess. The guy that did rich's charged him 4k, and it is pretty damn nice.

Az Pete · Oct 7, 2007

I say go for it as long as you have someone you really TRUST that can watch it daily. Seen and heard of some stories of things getting swapped which were not in the planned work. Any warranty? Remember the saying you get what you pay for. Check out the quality of the products used and ask about how long they would expect the quality to last.

suki243 · Oct 7, 2007

My car was painted in Mexico by the previous owner, when i got it i had it stripped and redone, it was a lot more work after. There were rust spots here and there, and the paint was absolutely aweful. It looked good from the outside, but when you went closer and checked it out, you cold notice the differences . If u know the guy real well go for it

rbohm · Oct 7, 2007

why not do it yourself? the bodywork is fairly easy, just take your time with it. and duplicolor has a new paint system out designed for do it yourselfers, and designed for a budget. it runs like $19 per quart, and figure you need like 5 or 6 qts total. that gives you primer, color coat, and clear. the paint it laquer so it dries quickly. one more nice thing is that the paint is already premixed, so you dont need to do anything except stir it and strain it.

CraigMBA · Oct 7, 2007

It's going to cost you more than that to go to Mexico.

You'll need a passport to cross the border if you don't have one.

You'll have gas down and back, plus you get to spend a couple of days down there waiting for your car.

You've got a grand so far.....

The materials for my car (base/clear and a real simple OE color) are a thousand bucks. If they are doing yours for $500 including the labor, what are they using? Rustolium?

$500 is too cheap IMO.

10secgoal · Oct 7, 2007

CraigMBA said:
You'll need a passport to cross the border if you don't have one.

QUOTE]

Nah, I was down there drinking at 18 without one. Just make sure when coming back your friend doesn't look mexican. Then they ask a bunch of questions.

CraigMBA · Oct 7, 2007

rbohm said:
why not do it yourself?

Hot Rod Magazine, November 2007 P. 105

"Buddies Beer and Body Tools"

We'd do everything in my driveway (and garage, backyard, porch, kitchen......) except spray the paint, since the state of California will shoot you on sight for spraying paint outside.

There are no deals on paint and bodywork. It's simply an al a carte menu of:

- Speed
- Quality
- Price

(pick two, no guarentees)

Gearbanger 101 · Oct 7, 2007

^-------- (puts flame suit on)

I know this is going to sound like a cheese response, but considering the State of the US economy right now, I'd say it's your responsibility and duty as an American citizen to have it painted in the United States. Especially at this time, oursourcing any work to another country right now is only going to further damage your economy....not help.

Alright....have at it!

A67StangMaster · Oct 7, 2007

LoL yea I have a Passport, and I have a trailer to tow it there the only thing is the gas,
I am not looking for a Awsome Job Just somthing that will get me by.

BarnStang · Oct 7, 2007

A67StangMaster said:
LoL yea I have a Passport, and I have a trailer to tow it there the only thing is the gas,
I am not looking for a Awsome Job Just somthing that will get me by.

You can get that at Maaco around the corner...and a better result I would suspect, for nearly the same money. How much rust will surface after the first year or two? I hope you're right, and really do get a good deal.

CraigMBA · Oct 7, 2007

Also, you'll have to bind Mexican insurance on three cars. You can expect to lose a day coming across the border both ways, particularly with a car on a trailer.

I'd do the local Macco if it were me. It'd be the same price, and I could sleep at home.

Krusty the Klown said in one episode of the Simpsons "Come on kids, we're going to the happiest place on earth - TIAJUANA!" If you like sitting in a open sewer for few days, be my guest and have a good time.:OT:

danny clemens · Oct 7, 2007

CraigMBA said:
The materials for my car (base/clear and a real simple OE color) are a thousand bucks. If they are doing yours for $500 including the labor, what are they using? Rustolium?
$500 is too cheap IMO.

Exactly what I was thinking even before I got to this post. Most of the time you get what you pay for.

If I were going for a real cheap job I'd do the body work and have somebody like Maaco spray it.

CraigMBA · Oct 7, 2007

10secgoal said:
CraigMBA said:

You'll need a passport to cross the border if you don't have one.

QUOTE]

Nah, I was down there drinking at 18 without one. Just make sure when coming back your friend doesn't look mexican. Then they ask a bunch of questions.

Click to expand...

It's not like that anymore. It just changed.

IMPORTANT NEW INFORMATION: On June 8, 2007, the Departments of State and Homeland Security announced U.S. citizens traveling to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda or countries in the Caribbean region who have applied for, but not yet received passports, can re-enter the United States by air by presentation of a government issued photo identification and Department of State official proof of application for a passport through September 30, 2007. The federal government is making this accommodation for air travel due to longer than expected processing times for passport applications in the face of record-breaking demand.

Click to expand...

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_970.html#requirements

Gearbanger 101 · Oct 7, 2007

That only applies to air travel thus far. From what I recal, it won't come into effect for those "driving" accross the border until some time 2008. A drivers licence and a Birth Certificate will do for now.

CraigMBA · Oct 7, 2007

I must of misread that. Thanks for correcting it!

xoxbxfx · Oct 7, 2007

Hey guys... I go to Mexico a couple times a year to see family. You can have some nice work done for a lot less, but realize its not $500. Some people dont realize that people in Mexico get paid as low as $400/month. My buddy owns a logistics company thats in Mexico and the other half of his business is here. He pays his US based workers 4x what it costs his Mexican employees. These guys are not the physical laborers either...they usually make less.

So can you get a good paint job and body work in Mexico....just expect to pay more than that. Materials alone are not that cheap.
I have a buddy that gets his paint/body and interior work done in Mexico. He knows the people, he speaks the language, he has family living there to stay with. He will pay $350-400 for a custom full leather seat covers, headliner and carpet... installed But its not as easy as to take a car to mexico like you think it is.

Dothang67 · Oct 8, 2007

I had to intervene since I guess I am one of the few members of Stangnet who actually lives in Mexico. As xoxbxfx said, wage here is sometimes 5 times lower, thats why people with less resources is migrating to US: for the same job they do here they can live a better life there, anyway, thats a little off-topic.

Everything is cheaper in the border cities, but $500 for everything? I think is so cheap you need to be careful. To put an example: the work you are asking at the best shop here in my town, could cost you around $3,500. But there are places where you can get a very decent job for $1200, just without the sandblasting.
As for crossing the border with the car.. i dont know how easy and difficult could it be.

Bottomline: IF you know the work of this guy, and you can have someone checking the progress daily, then go for it if you are just expecting something will get you by.

CraigMBA · Oct 8, 2007

That sounds totally reasonable and plausable. Thanks for jumping in.

A67StangMaster · Oct 8, 2007

LoL opps Sorry I didnt catch this earlier on My friend had told me that it starts from about $500.. Sorry for not letting you guys know earlier. Iaccually went to a local Macco and they quoted me about $1400 for a basic Spray and bondo and I also go a quote from my friends shop for $5000, WOW
Well we will see how this turns out, ohh btw this place is in the city San Felipe which is about 3 hours from Tiujina

Should I take my car to mexico to get it painted?

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