Thread: Need paint job

After I finish getting my car how I want it I will be looking to get a paint job. I am located in Saint Petersburg, does anyone know of place that has a reasonable price and does good work. I dont want it to look like a cheap Maaco, or start peeling and chipping off. I have a budget of about 600 and will do all prep work myself.

IMO for a decent paint job look to spend a least 1200

yep,, thats about right.... I've been looking for someone(for serveral yr) who is not trying to get rich off every paint job and they just don't exist...


still the cheapest I can find in my area is about 2,300 to do the body work and spray even though I have 1,500 worth of paint already..

not trying to knock anybodys labor by no means but most everyone I've talked to just act almost as if they don't even want to do the work!

I asked one painter (great rep in area)what he would charge and he went on and on and on about how much materials cost now days ,, then he priced me $3,600 for a complete paint job fixin all the dings and problems I have... so I asked to break it all down to me and it all boils down to 2,500 worth of labor! .. I told him that he should become a comedian because I can't see paying that much for a paint job on a 20 yr old car ..


I did find one SMALL paint shop that the owner(painter) has agreed to let me hangout and learn a bit so I can get my hands on the paint and body work(to help my feel like I'm getting my moneys worth) myself and save.. but he still wants about 1,500 to finish the job.. he says my car will look BRAND NEW after he is done.. I've seen a few cars he has painted and everything looks good so far.. ,, I may go this route,,,, but still looking... I have a few months before I start on mine anyway..


good luck with finding someone!!

I can do all the body work myself as well as the other prep work. I work for myself painting residential and commercial properties and use an airless sprayer regularly. I am thinking about doing some extensive reading to gain some knowledge on autopainting. Then buy the supplies, build a spray booth at my house and paint it myself. I have a 78 MGB that needs paint so I can use that as my test subject. For 1200 or more I would rather purchase the things needed for a DIY.

...

its not that hard to find a place, just choose the type of job you want and just be ready to pay for it. Heck i paid Advance Drive line $2k for Regear and install a Locker and new drive shafts for my Nissah Hardbody 4x4 Truck because they are the best in Florida, and you know i took it out to Hard rock out at Ocala and i drove over eveything. Well worth the money but i could have gone cheaper and took chances.
A bodyshop like the $3600 one your talking about does not make alot of money off a job like that, most likely theyll make $200-300 off that job if that, keep in mine most shops have a 11k electricly bill at a min a month, plus Taxes, Gov Fees, Supplys, Office Emplyees, Estimator, Painters, Bodyman, Detailers, Gas for the Paint Booth, Filters for the Paint Booth, it adds up.. the jobs a bodyshop makes the most profit from is a bumper replacement or a bumper repair job.. there is usualy a 30% profit.. this is why whenever its slow alot of mom and pop shops close.
Ive been working in the collision ind sence 1997 and i was a painter at a nissan dealership for 6 years and i worked a few small jobs and 2 ford dealerships and 1 cadillac dealership and now i work for a large independet repair shop. Im now a Estimator and asst manager in this current shop..

... point was over looked..... but ok

whats the point then? paint job is over priced? if so then it was explained why

Through searching I found a guy who will paint my car for $600. A friend of mine had his HD painted by him and he does excellent work. That is including paint, I will do all prep work.