I would buy a new car if it cost me that much. That's outrageous.

 

Seems like most good jobs around here are 2k ish. Depending on the paint and difficulty up to 3. Went to one body shop, they quoted me $10,000. I actually laughed at them and walked out.

 

Thats why, IMO its not worth repainting a whole car if you plan on using it as a daily driver. I understand a quick respray of the outside to make it look nicer, but people come into the shop all the time wanting a show quality job for their everyday car. When they hear the price 99% of those people decide against it. Every car needs a different amount of work, but rarely does any car need JUST paint work. You arent going to respray a car and paint over all the stone chips, scratches, parking lot dents, ect. It will look terrible. It takes time and materials just to get the car ready to PREP for a paint job, let alone the time to tear the car apart, prep it, clean it, mask it and shoot it. Then you have to put the thing all back together without scratching your new paint job.(Nailbiter lol) Every step in the process requires time and materials that are very expensive. Im sure anyone who does body work for a living knows hows expensive paint supplies are. You are looking at 100s of dollars in materials for the simplest jobs anymore let alone a complete paint job. Then you are looking at paying for the labor which isnt cheap either. At least $50/hr anymore, maybe a little less, sometimes alot more depending on the shop. That labor rate has to pay the employees, insurance, utilities for the shop, and profit for the owner ect. I know it sounds expensive, and it is, but you get what you pay for, I know its a cliche but its true. If you want a quick, cheap job you can get one, but if you want it done nice, like I am sure most of us here would want if it were our car getting painted, its going to cost you.

 

Matt - THANK YOU for explaining the high cost. I had many people tell me "you get what you pay for" and that's why I decided against painting the white Monte red. It's used as a daily driver and has its share of dings and dents from hail and parking lots, two young children getting in and out, etc. After reading your post above, I feel a lot better about my deicsion.

 

I worked with a friends that painted Motorcycle's. Talk about hard work. The prep work is the hardest. Paint is like a mirror. What ever is on there when you paint it. Will show BIG time when your done spraying. Actually spraying is the easy part. Sanding it all down, masking it off. All takes a lot of time. We have painters in the Chevelle club. They charge about $ 8 to $10.000 for a total paint job. Thats down to bare metal , all doors of including trunk & hood. All glass. Bumpers grille all lights , door handles, ant's ,door seals and truck seal. Most of the time the Motor also. So that mean trans and muffler systems. Just a rolling shell. Then they have to put it all back together like it was from day 1! Think its too much $$$. Try doing it yourself & see how much is involved and how time consuming it all is. Every nut and bolt has to come off. And in a classic car. The interior has to come out. OR !! It will smell like fresh paint for a long time. And you better hope it was masked off GOOD. Or you'll have over spray inside the car. On the motorcycles. After we painted them we sand the paint with 1500 grit sand paper then sprayed clear over that. Then you have wet sand the clear also. Then take a buffing wheel to all of it. Believe me when I say this. You don't want a pissed off Biker picking up his bike and its not done right ! They usually come over with friends . lol . Just stop & think about what has to happen when you take your car in. NOW!!! you want to save yourself some CASH ? If its a hood or trunk lid. Take it off yourself and take it too them. Its cheaper that way. I know some of you can't. BUT i'm just saying. With labor cost per hr around $100.00. Thats what you could save. Think about that also. I did that stuff off and on for yrs. So many people want something for nothing. If you get a guy that too much trouble. Wants this and that for pennys. They will tell you their just too busy right now. Tell you guys & girls this just to help you understand what goes on. Work on one paint job and THEN you;ll understand completely ! Rick

 

Now I'm beginning to understand why some of the shops here wanted as much as $5000.oo. I wish I could take off the hood and bring it to them - but knowing my luck, I'd probably drop it on the way to the shop and a big 18-wheeler would run over it. Thanks for the info!!!

 

Whats wrong with ur hood Angie?

 

Reading this thread made me decide for sure to wait to do my whole car until it's no longer my daily. It's so painful though, there are tons of scratches and chips and it drives me nuts every time I look at it, but I want it done right and I want to keep it looking good. I can justify spending $3k on it only when it's not my daily. Thankfully I won't need anything but the outside of the car painted.

But it's so hard to wait....

 

Hey Milrly since I don't know your 1st name. There are cheaper ways around this. Don't laugh when I say Macco! They painted a friend of mines 70 Camaro. Just like I pointed out. And we were impressed to say the least. Not you could go there and talk to them & te painter. That part is free And believe me they want your business. Maybe you can do just the parts that are getting you down. Like maybe the hood or front bumper. But it won't hurt to try & find out. Metion that you belong to a car club. Sometimes that helps. Cause they might think they can have more business from you Rick

 

It has one dent fromhail and loads of chip marks from stones. The body shop wants $550 to repaint the hood, and $625 for a clear bra. Since I can't afford that much right now, I've put it off cuz it seems pointless to get the hood painted and then continue to use it as my daily driver. Should I paint the hood and hope for the best? Or wait till I have enough for the clear bra too? Do these prices seem fair to you?