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Most of what you hear about them is not totally true. If you get the cheapest paint job and dont pay to have it prepped you have to expect poor results. Maaco is not bad and one of the only places who does general painting. Most body shops dont want anything to do with painting cars.
I think you're on to something. I prepped it myself and then I paid them a good amount of money to get the body and primer PERFECT and to tack before they paint it. Generally, most people go for a cheaper job, but when you go base/clear, it's hard to imagine that a Maaco base/clear job would vary THAT MUCH from another typical base/clear job.
just make sure you specify to have them mask the car off.
a HS friend of mine had his civic painted black at maaco (originally telletubby purple)
they painted the car fine, but also painted the headlights, wheels, tires, windshield, and emblems black too
It really depends on what kind of maaco you have close to you. The one right down the road from my house takes alot of pride in their work. I did the striping on my car and took it to them to do all the body work i could afford and then they primed the car. I saved up enough money to get the base / clear combo and i think they did a GREAT job on it. Most of the time they will have cars on the lot they have finished painting, take a look at them and see what you think. Here is my car after they finished with it, see what you think.
I don't know what package he payed for, but he had them paint an 80 Trans Am Indy pace car white. He told me that he took off the nascar decal on the back for some reason the paint came up with it. this was a long time ago but I wouldn't get my car done there.
if the car just needs a scuff and spray,go for it.but dont drop off a rat of a car and expect a show car when you get back.its all in the prep work,and thats what gets expensive.they go over that with you when they give an estimate and do a walk around.there paint comes out pretty good,its about whats under it.
Macco = 50 foot+ pint job. Any closre & they look like crap because...Well, THEY ARE CRAP!
I paid (kinda) over $2000 for a complete color change, including the door jambs, a set of full length stripes, the stock door handles cut out & C/K door handles welded in.
The entire bottom has a paint run, like either al the color coat ran, or the clear ran EVERYWHERE. I never rushed them 1 single bit. "Take your time, whatever time you need. I'm in NO rush. Rather it take 2 months & be right, than get in back in a week and be junk."
Well....I got junk anyways, despite the waiting.
Fortunately, I never finished paying them. They let me have it for partial payment, with the rest to be pain later. I never finished paying, due to the back quality of work & "Pay us the rest, drop it back off, then we'll fix it." Had I given it back, I never woulda seen it again, without a lawyer getting involved.
that has to do with who works there........... there paint is no worse than any other body shop.
DONT GET ME WRONG ,IM NOT DEFENDING THEM.
ive run the paint on on my own car........... i hate runs..............
Well...The do use a lower quality paint that other shops, but a even a good painter could use it.
It is their lack of good work, that makes them a bad choice. Good paint jobs are 90% prep. Which I can assure they, they didn't do well. The paint run was just what stood out FIRST. After a little time, it just got worse from there.
Going to Maaco is like going to any fast food joint. Some of them make the food good others dont really care what there work looks like. The maaco in my town gets alot of referrals from a body shop that does TONS of work. They probably get 80% of there business from him so if they screw up they know he wont send any more work there way. I have met a few people that got stuff painted by them and they were satisfied for what they paid for. For me if i go there then im gonna do all the prep work myself and just leave the window taping up to them.
SOme are good some aren't go to one that you have heard good things and prep it all yourself. I have and so far so good, but they also fisheyed my paint dripped my quarter panel and improperly sprayed my passenger side door causing it to appear dry. Looks good unless your like me and study the car till no end.
they are a franchise , just like burgerking , waffle house , radio shack , on & on . it all depends on your local shop . if you go super cheap , you will get super cheap . talk to them , tell them what you want , what prep you will do . remove headlites , park lites , tail lites can only be a plus . GFX would also be good as would grill . good luck .
Why do you pick it up if it has runs and you are not satisfied? I have had 2 cars painted at MAACO. One I picked up day one, the other I went back 3 times. I refused to take it off the lot till it was done right or I would not pay for it. When I finally took it home it looked great. 3 years later when I waxed it (daughters car) it still looked great. Dont accept half assed, they dont know unless you say something.
I agree. Depends on the location. The paint is good except mine faded a couple shades after being in the sun a couple of months. Don't like that there's no clearcoat because gravel chips it easier. But investigate your paint job thoroughly. every inch of the car and just send it back if you have problems. wish i had. just drove it off and found a lot of flaws later on that ticked me off.
Dont do it...Save your money get it done right by a shop that has a reputation for doing quality work...I wish I wouldn't have cheap-ed out...look for a shop that dose classic restorations
well after kknowing a paint and body shop family(family run buisness from father to son) it is who they hire. they hire unqualified people and then slightly train them. that is why the paint jobs are not usually top notch
__________________ YOU MUST ALWAYS PUSH THE LIMITS-IF YOU NEVER FAIL YOU WILL NEVER SUCCEED--NO FEAR!
I think it all depends on the shop. There is one in the city that specializes in bullet holes. 5 miles up one street is a little better location, 5 miles the other way is a really top notch location. They matched my paint for my rear bumper and painted flawlessly.
When i bought my 47K mi 88 ta a couple of yrs ago it was meant to be a daily driver summer and winter. Original paint was alittle rough but didn't want to spend more than a few hundred $ or take time to do it myself. I knew going in that maaco wasn't going to be a show paint job but it is way better than what was on it. I pulled all the black trim i could as i knew there would be alot of overspray and it would eliminate alot of tape line. I think for the price i payed($300-400) it was worth it. If it's meant to be a clean DD nothing wrong with them for sure.
They let me have it for partial payment, with the rest to be pain later. I never finished paying, due to the back quality of work & "Pay us the rest, drop it back off, then we'll fix it." Had I given it back, I never woulda seen it again, without a lawyer getting involved. 
