My 1989 Formula needs a new paint job; after 20 years, 120,000 miles and more than a few winters, the car looks to be on it's last leg.

BUT, looks can be deceiving. The car runs and drives like a champ, the interior is great and it's never been wrecked or had any major damage/malfunctions. So naturally, I feel like my "old" Pontiac has more than earned a shiny new jacket.

Here's my terrible dilemma, though. If it were up to me, I'd do the paint and body work myself. I'm a novice when it comes to bodywork, but I have the desire and willingness to give it try. However, I simply don't have the means. I have no space to work on the car for simple things like an oil change, let alone repainting the whole thing. I also simply don't have the time; I have the passion, but not the patience for the several YEARS it would take me to finish the job. Barring my winning the Powerball Jackpot, of course.

SO, after much delay, here is my question. Who can paint my Firebird and what's it going to cost? I've heard the horror stories about Maaco, but my local shop doesn't seem to have a bad rep.... yet. In fact, I managed to take a close look at a 1987 T/A they painted, and I must say it looked fantastic.

What will it cost, though? The car is not changing color; I happen to dig Maui Blue. But, like I said, it needs some body work. Some surface rust is popping up here and there and there's a few dings and dents to be worked out.

Can anybody out there share their stories with me? What did it cost YOU guys? And I don't mean just Maaco, I'm open to smaller local shops as well. I want a nice base coat/clear coat that is going to last say, 3-5 years.

 

Well if the existing paint already looks like crap, sand off the rust and primer over it. You're better off rolling a primered up car for a while than one that's covered in rust. At least that will stop the problem from getting worse until you can get it painted. Also, I'd stay away from Maaco and the like. I've heard both horror stories, and praise about them (also earl scheib's, etc), but paint/bodywork is one of those places where you get what you pay for.

 

If you really want to know what it's going to cost in your area you need to go to a shop ... or two, and ask them. Let them see the car, see what needs to be done, give you options. We really can't do that here.

My thoughts on Maaco. It may look good today but look at one thats been on the road for a year. It'll cost more to do it right next time if they have to strip off all of Maaco's work.

And a nice basecoat/clearcoat job will last a lot longer than 5 years.

 

I would try some of the "No name" paint and body shops in your area. You are much more likely to get a good quality job from those types of places. Also, plan on buying new weatherstripping.

 

Yea weatherstripping is really pricey also so put that in mind when your redoing it. Don't go for reproduction weather stripping either because it sucks.. It hardens within months in the sun and it just shows that OEM is WAY better.

Mcn I was in your same position about a month ago, Trying to see what I could do with my car, repaint it myself or have some one do it for me. In the end I chose to do it myself. the main reason I chose to do that is because is I have a garage to do it in.

Like these guys have said, run around town and try to find out how much its gonna cost. Check if they do quality work, and try to talk to someone who has used them before. See if they have quality pictures of work they had done. Oh and btw dont use maaco, I have SEEN the problems that can happen from maaco paintjobs.

 

ummm.
Primer is designed to absorb, so if you sand off all the paint and use only etching primer on bare metal and do not seal it with something like paint it will only rust again... It is better than bare metal, but not much.

The exception is epoxy primer, Epoxy primers do seal off better than etching primers BUT epoxies are NOT UV stable and will deteriorate if in the sun... I want to think they get chalky, so you have to sand off and respray, unless you do not want the paint sticking... In a garage or barn not so much...

Honestly...

Materials are EXPENSIVE, I just bought some PPG paint, and I got a deal. 1 Gal of Primer, 1/2 gal of sealer, 1 Gal Red paint (red is the most expensive) and 1 Gal of Clear, with the hardeners, reducers, fish eye remover & flex agents it came in at a whopping $1107 & change.

Sherwin Williams was $1400 for the same amounts (did not include sealers) and Dupont was the least expensive around $950...

If you can get a QUALITY job for around $4000 done its probably a good deal. I have seen Maaco jobs that were not all that bad, BUT all they did was mask and shoot, so there was over spray on the trim pieces, Rubber seals etc...



John

 

OUTCH!! I have a friend who owns a distribution business and havent paid anything over 35 percent of retail in years!! The last car of mine that I painted was with Glasuritt(tm) and it cost a little over 300.oo.

 

I am also on weatherstripping that the price doesn't hurt much for your car's pain job. But another option is you need to look around town and check vulcanizing shops that offers paint job services with affordable price. Ask some friends if one of them had experience with car paint jobs and ask for suggestions on where to go best to have your car paint job done.

 

Most bump shops will paint a car for you...

I must mention that the quotes I got were the top of the line for each of the respected Paint manufacturers. I can get Eastwood "Premium" Paint for like you said around $300 or so...

I considered going that way BUT I could not get an exact match, as they had only a standard set of colors, no speical mixes...

JOhn