how much should I pay for a paint job

[jat5150]

I am sure that this has been asked before but since I am using the iPhone app I can't find a way to do an advanced search for the thread (searching for "paint cost" yielded to many posts), it's a great app though.

So here goes, my car was completely media blasted and has been removed of all the rust. I don't want a crazy show car paint job as I do want to drive the car around as often as possible. I want the car to be black with color (have not decided) stripes.

Any ideas about what I should be looking to pay? I have been quoted 4k, 8k, and 12k for the same paint scheme as I mentioned above and am totally lost as to what I should be targeting.

[tommycomfort]

Having been through "body shop Hell" and paying to have the work done twice, I think 8-12K is not at all unreasonable. There are folks that always find the smoking deals on paint guys that really care, are not burnt out and want to get their name out there. Get everything in writing, take pictures of your car before and after, have the shop show you what kind of work they are thinking of. Believe me, when it's all said and done, you want it to be as close to perfect whether you drive the wheels off of it, or push it off of a trailer at a show. Best of luck!

[hifi875]

What he said!!! x2!!!!

[tazzz25906112]

You need to spec the paint work out better to whom ever you are speaking to..... You have to decide if you are going single stage, dual stage (likely the case) or triple stage paint,,,, also you need to spec if it will be sealed with a high build epoxy and blocked sanded or straight prime, a quick sand prior to painting and the quality of the materials you want used.... I would guess right now you are comparing apples to oranges and hence the price swing all over the place...

You've already media blasted so provided it hasn't got flash rust on it,,, make a plan and discuss the spec with the shops you are talking too..... Personally I think you should be in a position to paint the car for about 8-9 grand (maybe a couple grand more in California with all the laws out there) if your looking for a real nice driver only quality paint job that is high built, blocked painted and striped,,,, but hey that's just an opinion and it does not take into account any body work should that be required (and most do).... I totally agree get it all in writing and do the picture deal..... Tom is providing very sound advice....

[jat5150]

Thank you all for the responses, looks like I will have a few questions to ask the shops that I have received the quotes from.

So here is what I think I need to ask based off the replies:

1) how many stages
2) are they going to block sand or straight primer
3) are they going to use a high build epoxy sealer
4) Are they going to do a quick sand before paint

Once again thanks for the replies

Btw does any one have a good shop that they could refer me to in the Bay Area preferably East Bay Area in Nor Cal?

[68fusion]

Make sure "driver" to you means the same thing to the person doing the work. Insist on quality materials ALL THE WAY THROUGH! Can't stress this enough. Make sure to get references of past customers and how the work holds up , this will tell alot about their prep and durablity.

[19 usac]

Do a google search for "street rod painter" his name is ken pike his shop is in yuba city he does a a great job for a fair price. he has painted many cars for me. Jim

[tommycomfort]

Funny you mention Yuba City, we bought our Chevelle there from a guy named Harley Cooper. His shop did mostly tri-five restorations and beautiful paint and body work. (just a little side story...)


Do a google search for "street rod painter" his name is ken pike his shop is in yuba city he does a a great job for a fair price. he has painted many cars for me. Jim

[SLO_Z28]

It all depends on what you want in the end. My car passes the NASA 60-60 rule (car has to look good from 60 feet away or going 60 mph), and I had it painted in Pittsburgh CA for $400. If your car doesn't need a lot of body work then you can get a quality "driver" job for $3000 from Miracle Auto Body in Stockton CA, they do TONS of driver quality muscle cars and never have cars for more than a month.

Its not the best picture, but they did some quality rust repair on my car, and painted it base/clear for $3200(this was YEARS ago)
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2012/01/camaro_11-1.jpg

[solarguy09]

Good Luck with your paint job...

I went through Body shop hell 27 years ago, with my car...Problem was, he was worth the Hell, because 27 years later, it still looks great...No fade, no peel.. So, do your homework like the guys before me said, and Best wishes on the paint job that you will love. But usually references and not paying the cheapest bid will work in your favor.

[shortrack]

a body shop guy told me just the other day $400 per panel, he does nice base/clear jobs, rust repair extra

[jat5150]

Solarguy09, is your car at East Bay Muscle Cars right now? I was there last week, your car does look great!

Nice wheels by the way, I want them but have not pulled the trigger yet as I have many things to get done before wheels.

[cspecken]

I have also been told it would run between 12-15k from two different body shops. That is inside and out all jambs,body work etc. Then I was referred to another person (high school body shop instructor), he told me roughly figure 350-400/panel for body work. He and another guy do work for $50/hr + materials. Here is a magazine spread on one of his paint jobs http://www.classictrucks.com/features/cl_0407_1965_chevrolet_panel/photo_07.html.

[flamebroiled]

There are many factors that will determin the costs, I am guessing its a Camaro?

You state that the car has been blasted, is there metal work required?
Not just rust that needs to be fixed, is the metal straight?
How straight do you want your black car?
Are you willing to pay to have all the gaps repaired?
Are you someone that thinks that there should be no filler?
Do you need all the jams and underside of the hood and trunk to look just as nice as the outside?
Is the firewall getting done?

These are some of the questions you and the body and paint guy should disscuss.

At my shop I tell customers that a complete paint job on a blasted car of this size will take in the excess of 250 hrs, the more you want the more it costs!!!

Material cost are going to have lots of variables, I would budget $1000-3000 in materials.

Our typical show/driver quallity cars are 300 + hrs with assembly.

Good luck and choose wisely.


Aaron
www.Eyekandykustoms.com (http://www.Eyekandykustoms.com)

[wellis77]

I was recently quoted 10k with minimal body work. Something to consider also is the quality of paint job, driver vs. show. I'm not a shop owner, but if I ran a quality shop, I'm not sure I would want to do a job where the customer said, I don't want a show job, just a driver. Every Joe Blow who asks about your "driver" quality paint job is going to find out XYZ Shop painted the car and that "driver" quality job is now the impression Joe Blow has of XYZ Shop. Whether that is the limit of quality coming out of the shop or not. I don't necessarily want a show quality job myself, but I do want nice paint. If I'm paying good money for the paint, I want the shop that does right by me to get the props for it and hopefully some extra business. Every car out of any shop is a sort of business card for that shop's work. That shop "should" want every project to come out amazing and be a nice rolling business card, driver or show car. Just something to keep in mind.

[64impala]

Great info guys!

[68fusion]

It is almost as expensive to fix others mistakes.... example is car in now that is painted but apart - shop "X" never fitted fenders or hood just painted them. Comes to us to finish, neither hood nor fenders fit and door gap is horrible. Guy says he wants it right but now will cost him as much to "fix" his bargain of a paint job than if we had done it all the way through. So if money is tight do it in steps , you should only have to go through this once.

[jat5150]

Thank you all for the replies, I definitely want a good paint job and do want all the gaps fixed and I am one of those guys that doesn't like the idea of having filler.

[EFI69Cam]

I was recently quoted 10k with minimal body work. Something to consider also is the quality of paint job, driver vs. show. I'm not a shop owner, but if I ran a quality shop, I'm not sure I would want to do a job where the customer said, I don't want a show job, just a driver. Every Joe Blow who asks about your "driver" quality paint job is going to find out XYZ Shop painted the car and that "driver" quality job is now the impression Joe Blow has of XYZ Shop. Whether that is the limit of quality coming out of the shop or not. I don't necessarily want a show quality job myself, but I do want nice paint. If I'm paying good money for the paint, I want the shop that does right by me to get the props for it and hopefully some extra business. Every car out of any shop is a sort of business card for that shop's work. That shop "should" want every project to come out amazing and be a nice rolling business card, driver or show car. Just something to keep in mind.

If a shop wants my car to be a rolling business card then I should not have to foot the bill. If I want a driver paint job, the shop's advertising needs should not dictate their ability to provide what I'm asking for.

I've run into this attitude. Most every shop I've talked to wants my EFI 540 DSE suspended 69 Camaro to be a rolling billboard for their shop, but they want me to pay for their ad.

[John510]

Make sure you see the persons work before you choose a shop. Preferrably a black car and look down the side of it.

Since you want black you will be paying a lot more than any other color. This has to do with the amount of bodywork it takes to get the car perfectly straight. Black means many hours and hours of blocking. Way more then with any other color. With black you will see every imperfection in the paint. Every dimple.

Just the paint alone for my car was 2700$. It is a mixture of Spies Hecker Deep Black, Black Candy, and Spies clear. But then again it is not a cheap paint job. I figured if I was spending 50K on parts alone I might as well pay for a top notch job. Car was blocked about 6 different times and has a gazillion coats of clear. Car was also sanded between each base coat. End result is a laser straight car.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2012/01/cam51-1.jpg
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2012/01/aa12fdb2-1.jpg

[wellis77]

If a shop wants my car to be a rolling business card then I should not have to foot the bill. If I want a driver paint job, the shop's advertising needs should not dictate their ability to provide what I'm asking for.

I've run into this attitude. Most every shop I've talked to wants my EFI 540 DSE suspended 69 Camaro to be a rolling billboard for their shop, but they want me to pay for their ad.

What I'm saying is, one way or another, people are going to find out who did your paint, more than likely by you. Whether you like it or not, if you tell people who did your paint, it's a billboard that you paid for. Something you will just have to deal with. If I were a shop owner, I am not sure I would want to take jobs with someone saying they don't want great paint, just a driver job is fine. That's my reputation and that's the perception people will have of my work when you communicate who did the work, again becoming a billboard. You don't ever wear t-shirts advertising anything? College's, football/basketball/hockey teams? All you wear are blank t's or button downs? We all are billboards and we pay for it everyday!

[qnitro]

NICE Paint 510John!!! John, Where you at in Castro Valley?? Im in 5 canyons at Blackstone right off Old fairview...

[EFI69Cam]

What I'm saying is, one way or another, people are going to find out who did your paint, more than likely by you. Whether you like it or not, if you tell people who did your paint, it's a billboard that you paid for. Something you will just have to deal with. If I were a shop owner, I am not sure I would want to take jobs with someone saying they don't want great paint, just a driver job is fine. That's my reputation and that's the perception people will have of my work when you communicate who did the work, again becoming a billboard. You don't ever wear t-shirts advertising anything? College's, football/basketball/hockey teams? All you wear are blank t's or button downs? We all are billboards and we pay for it everyday!

What is say is all true. I'd paint my car myself, but I do not have a place to do it anymore. Your car is freaking awesome btw.

[68fusion]

When I started doing restorations and paint , work was abundant but paid poorly. I did the level of work above what was paid just to showcase what the shop was capable of. After about 2 to 3 years the level of trust and work history enabled us to start charging what our work was worth. So I think the idea of a "billboard" was mentioned to find that "low volume" shop in that phase of under charging and over working. Yes there are still people that care about what they put out, you just have to look for them.

[flamebroiled]

Every vehicle that leaves my shop I am proud of!!!
I will not let a car leave until it represents what we do everyday, strive for perfection.

"Quality is not the fastest way to make money, It's just what kind of work you want to be known for"


https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2012/01/P1010378-1.jpg