Hot91RS

I need a cheap paint job and I went to Maaco today for a quote. They said they would take off the bumpers and spoiler (to strip and paint them seperately), fix a dent in the hood, use urethane paint and a full clear coat for $1568. If they were to leave the bumpers on the car, it would cost $1335. Does this sound like a good deal? I realize I'm going to get posts about how Maaco sucks and don't go there, but I don't have a lot of money and need a quick fix.

Dale

iTrader: (12)

Up to you.

One thing I would do is take all lights, trim, anything you DON'T want panted, take it off before you drive up their, or pull in the parking lot before you give it to them.

Taping things off is their downfall. I have seen them spray some nice smooth, very few flaw jobs being that items were removed.

If you have a trailer, or can borrow a friends, pull the parts youself, tow the car up to them. See if they will drop 50 off for pulling your own parts.

CamaroStud1988

do the prep work urself,save alot of money

FLYNLOW92rs

iTrader: (53)

Here are some tips...

Take the bumbers, spoiler, etc off yourself, and them put them back on yourself, you'll save ALOT of money...

That sounds WWAAAYY overprice for a Maaco job...

You can get a good Maaco job for under $800.....

FLYNLOW92rs

iTrader: (53)

oh yeah...

Remove the front parking lights, your rear taillights, your corner lights and also your headlights....

Also anything you don't wanted painted (ie. grill) make sure to remove...

Basically the only things they should be covering is the wheels, windows and the tailpipes.......that's it....

Hot91RS

Well, the way they broke it down was:

$295 for full clear coat
$480-something for prep without bumper removal (or $700-something with removal)
$599 for the painting itself (their second-best available, the guy said it comes very close to factory)

Since I'm painting it black again, and I don't feel like taking the bumpers off, should I just leave them on? I personally don't feel an extra $220 is worth getting in a few nooks and crannies.

Also, they have something called partial clear coat or something for $149 which is supposed to mix in with the previous clear coat that's already on the car. Should I go for this instead to save money or do the full clear coat?

FLYNLOW92rs

iTrader: (53)

DON'T do the Integrated clear coat....

Do the clear coat seperatly

$480 for prep sounds a bit funny......

CamaroStud1988

go out and get a sander,sand it down urself,use 80 then 180
its easy....

Hot91RS

Yeah I thought so too... but the front and rear bumpers and spoiler are extremely faded (damn Van Nuys), there's a ding in the hood, and the front ground effect is scratched kinda deep... but still $480 does seem high

I may just do this then... my friend Dan works at a body shop and maybe he can help me out a bit (though he may be a little hesitant since I'm not going to his shop

you say it's easy... but I've never done anything like this before and don't want to mess it up. Is this really something an average joe like me can do?

CamaroStud1988

yes,its simple,the worst u can do is go down to bare metal,and thats not bad,just dont go into the metal...just make sure its all smooth and ur good to go

wyclefsirocz

maybe not, it might be i kinda did a macco paint job. looked good or the 1st 6 months till winter set in. now looks like poop. i did the intergrated clear coat. DO NOT DO IT. they car wil look when clean really bad when there is a liittle bit of dirt. honestly if i had to do it over. i would go to a half way respectable place and tel them whatca want, most likly gonna be like 1800-2000
then see what you can do to drop the price a little and explain that you only have $1500.

Hot91RS

wyclef, did you go to the one in Seldon on Middle Country Road? got any pics of the car?

Spectre

sounds expensive....
1500$ is what I would pay (can $$)

IROCZTWENTYGR8

iTrader: (1)

Do whatever you can yoruself, even all the prep. They'd paint your windshield if you forgot to specify them not to.

Diggler86

they usually have a 1/2 off period. i think its in January tho. they let me buy it in Jan and not actually get painted for 3 months. With fixing some dents / spraying all vents separately it ran me $535 incl tax. no clear tho. at Maaco.
oh yeah sig pic is before paint

wyclefsirocz

i didn't go to macco, i went to express auto body in lindenhurst on hoffman right by the rail road tracks. the car looked great when she came out, but is very very easy messed up. so be aware, and very perective of it. i have many pics of her, check out my site for before and sfter ppics and that will show you what a grand did. if i had to do it again. i wouldn't go to a another place like that. i would have saved another grand and had it done real nice. the right way.

DURTYBIRD

Def go GET A SECOND OPINION

these places are very competitive. Usually if you have a quote from another shop, the 2nd will offer you up more - because they know you are doing your homework.

If they think you are just some schmuck off the street, of course they are gonna try to rip you.

I would not spend anything over $500 at a maaco. Over that, and you can start getting into the 'middle range' of commercial paint places.

I have a 91 WS6 that is faded on the roof all the way to the rear bumper. Also has some minor damage to the front. I took it to an 'Econo paint and body' and they told me they would paint the whole car with urethane paint making it look like new - for $350.

I haven't decided to go that route though... $1500-$1800 was the estimate I got from a 'middle-range' shop...but they were also going to do more.

blaznbrd

don't go to macco. if you do can the longest warranty avaliable. i got my car painted a month ago at macco. The paint is very cheap! my front bumper is already peeling due to rocks and other debris hitting it. It also has alot of orange peel! I also got there so called best job and if that is what there best is i would hate to see what the other stages do. If your already spending 1,500 save up alittle more and get a job by a good shop.

1988irocz350

NEVER EVER prep up a car with 80 grit. Unless it is absolutly needed for rust. You will make yourself more work and it will take for ever to get a smooth surface. Start out with 180 to scuff it up and 320 to smooth it out. If you want to strip your car completely send it to get media blasted. But you do not have to strip the car to bare metal to paint it.

Hell, if the paint now is decent just scuff the car up with 320 or a scotch pad.

Hot91RS

Did you get the clear coat? if it's still under warranty can't you take it back for them to fix it?

blaznbrd

yeah i have the warranty. They are just pains in the a** about it. So i have to call there coperate office. They are just a pain to deal with at the individual shops. The first time i got the car back they had parked it outside so it had bird s##t on it and dirt. SO i had to get it repainted. Then when i took it back last week the told me it was cause i didn't pay for resurfacing or somthing like that. Yea i did get the clear coat, i got the intergrated and then another clear on top of that. It looks good from far away but get close and there are many blemishes.

Hot91RS

got any pics of the bird after the paint job, blazn?