How much did you pay to get your car painted?, Sticker Shock in Visalia! Options

[computers4kids]

OK, I called about 7 body shops in the Visalia area and asked them how much would they charge for a "complete" paint job on a 914--painting it the original color--bahia red. We didn't get into any type of paint. I told them the car had been completely stripped down to bare metal and sits primed, stripped of all chrome, weatherstripping, bumpers, and interior (see attached pictures).

I recieved estimates ranging from $4500 to $8000. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/ohmy.gif) I know its been a long time since I've had a car painted but these prices seem way to high. I thought I could get it painted in the condition that it is in for around $1500. Am I being ridiculous?

Any suggestions for a place to paint my 914 around Visalia, CA? I've heard some of you talk about a place in Mexico called Los Panchos??

[computers4kids]

another

[Aaron Cox]

los panchos....

from this....
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads/blog-1126053651.jpg)

to this
(IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/uploads/blog-1136083965.jpg)

whole new front fender sectioned in.... lots of finish work on the flares.... etc......

cant say the price i payed but its about half of your lowest estimate

[jimtab]

Los panchos is the shit...I got my car done there body work and all under 1500 and a good job...pay a little more...get a better job, etc. Dr. Evil has a new guy and if you check the threads and get hold of him you'll be very pleased. See....

[DanT]

Not in the Valley, but that is awfully steep considering you have most of the prep work done except maybe block sanding.
I am currently getting my car color changed including trunks and jams, body work (welding in patch panels, hand dollying and stripping all old body filler), prime and block sand and complete 2 stage paint job. Including smoothing the top and filling many non-usefull holes in body like antennae and warts wtih metal. Painting all valences and rockers.
$3K

You might want to consider taking the car to "Sout o da boder." (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/wink.gif)
You would be ahead lots of money with renting a trailer to do the hauling.

[lapuwali]

Seven years ago, I was quoted $3000 to have a tub completely sprayed that was stripped and prepped, much like yours. This was at a shop well known on this board for quality work. Seven years ago, mind. Los Panchos has a good rep here, but you're not going to get their kind of price anywhere in California.

A good paint job is very expensive, no two ways about it.

[McMark]

$8k is crazy, but $4.5k isn't bad depending on what you're getting. Since it's stripped down so far, Miracle actually does a hafway decent job of spraying paint. Just don't ask them to mask anything off. They're not usually too good at that. Basically, painting isn't expensive, but prep work and finish work is. Figure $1000-$1500 for good quality paint (just the liquids) and then another $500 to spray it, depending on the labor rates. Anything else you can pay would go into doing some body work and then even more would get you some color sanding when it's done.

[shelby/914]

Those prices better get you a very high quality job. I just got an estimate from a shop in Colorado Springs to do same color $1500 or go back to origional color $2500. Car was black and the trunks still are. Would be doing jams and doors to go back to black. This guy has done several '65/6 Mustangs for me and a '76 F250 so I know the quality of his work. They are very presentable street cars but certainly not concours show jobs. Mabey everything just costs more at lower altitude

[computers4kids]

Los Panchos sounds good but that would be four 8 hour (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/driving.gif) driving trips plus a wad of gas money hauling the 914 with my truck....hopefully I can find someone closer. Those of you that have used Los Panchos...how long do they generally have it? Perhaps I should get the spray can out!

[Jacques]

QUOTE (computers4kids @ Feb 9 2006, 11:19 PM)

...  Perhaps I should get the spray can out!

Worked for me -- Entire car (exterior) in OSH black, preparation is the key (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/chair.gif)

(IMG:http://forums.minidisc.org/gallery/1138737278/gallery_16593_156_12137.jpg)

[Mark Henry]

Do you want it done cheap or done right.

Doesn't mean an expensive place will do it right, but if it's a cheap job where are they cutting corners.

[JeffBowlsby]

If I was a shop (I am not) I wouldnt quote you anything more than a range over the phone. They cannot see your car, see the prep work done so far to know if they have to redo it, or know your expectations. If they want your business in that way, they will quote low to get you to their shop. A high quote means they probably do alot of insurance work and dont chase restoration one-off work, or have acustmoer base that expects high quality. More often than not, you get what you pay for, select a shop based on their provious work, be clear about what you expect and balance that with your budget.

[914-8]

Is the car ready to spray? So all they have to do is tack cloth it down a bit, tape it up a little and spray paint on it? Are they spraying just the exterior panels (not the jambs, trunks, engine bay, interior, undersides of trunks, etc.)

If so, those prices are high.

But if the car isn't ready to spray (i.e. needs ANY prep work, block sanding, removal of panels, etc.) the door is wide open.

[double-a]

my car is at the body shop now, should be done next week. total tab will be north of $6800. this includes: fender repair, dent repair everywhere, block sanding, filling trim holes, some grinding, welding and filling, and of course the paint (including valences and door jambs). they're doing a lot of work, so i don't mind spending the $$.

removing all the trim helps some, but good work and good paint aint cheap.

also, i've noticed that i really enjoy having it done nearby. i can drop by any time to ask/answer questions and look at the progress.

~a

[BIGKAT_83]

From your picture it looks like you have a great air compressor and regulator setup. Why not give it a try yourself. You might surprize yourself. Look at 1bad914's thread with the VW he just painted and there are a few others that have done theirs.

Bob.............. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/smilie_pokal.gif)

[spare time toys]

I have all of about $100 in the paint job on this. I got paint we throw out at work. If you have the space to do it give it a try. Just dont forget to wet the floor like I did (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/laugh.gif) I now have a pink floor. Just get a GOOD resperator.

[john rogers]

As noted, Los Ponchos likes to have the car for a week so the paint can sit for a day or two before you pick it up. They did my race car last year for $1800 and that included striping off 5 paint jobs to bare metal, welding an unused gas filler hole in the hood and reattaching the flares (rivet on). I used their paint which has a clear coat. They polished it before I picked it up. Unless your car is to be a concours class car or a historically significant race car, I would be very hesitant to spend big $$$$$ on any 914. Mine is a race car and could be wiped away in the next race. Of course they did bring Ted's 356 back from the grave after he rolled it at Palm Springs last year and that was $2000 or so. You can search for the picts of mine and his paint jobs.

[TurtleGirl]

Another thought. You could lower your cost a bit, by spraying the compartments yourself, and letting the professional spray the exterior. That's what Joe and I did. He shot both trunks and the engine bay, and then we undercoated the "cabin" and the underside ourselves, and our body/paint guy took care of the highly visible exterior.

[WRX914]

I am spending around 4K for my paint.

Color change form black to granite green metallic.
Door jams
Targa strip paint to match
Blending flares

be patient, look around and decide who will be best for your needs.

[914-8]

QUOTE (TurtleGirl @ Feb 10 2006, 08:57 AM)

Another thought. You could lower your cost a bit, by spraying the compartments yourself, and letting the professional spray the exterior. That's what Joe and I did. He shot both trunks and the engine bay, and then we undercoated the "cabin" and the underside ourselves, and our body/paint guy took care of the highly visible exterior.

That's a good way to do it.

If they can just pull the car into the booth, tack and tape it, and shoot the color, it shouldn't cost more than $1000-$1500.

That would be at most 1/2 day of labor (most of the time just letting it dry and sit between coats) and at most $500 worth of paint (unless you are using really expensive paint like Glasurit or something). A gallon of ready to spray, good quality paint like ChromaOne would cost less than $400.