Paint estimate Options

[IronHillRestorations]

Yeah, I'm not going to spend $5K - $6K on a frickin paint job, when I only paid $7K for the car in the first place. If I did spend that kind of money, I'd get pissed off every time I set foot in the car. So it doesn't look like it's going to get a paint job, at least with me being the current owner. I never should've bought this car...

You ask for advice, you got honest opinions.

[Front yard mechanic]

Tractor supply 1gallon of paint ,2 bottles of gloss hardner, 1 gallon of high quality reducer,1 harbor freight respirator,4 roll masking tape, today's newspaper. Total cost! 150.00

[TheCabinetmaker]

I had my car painted last summer. Cost me 10k with minor rust repair. Is my car worth 20k now? I don't know. I don't care. I wouldn't sell it for 30k. Was it worth 10? Every penny!

[JoeDees]

I've done the Tractor Supply paint jobs before and there results were directly related to 2 things: prep work and gun quality. Helped one friend paint his old Toyota truck with a HF gun and his half-assed prep job and it was a 20ish footer. My dad and I painted my uncle's CJ5 hunting Jeep, prepped well, used the Binks7 and it turned out a 7 footer. I've also bought the $400ish dollar paint at the paint shop and done a Triumph Spitfire with good prep and the Binks and got a good cruise-in/local show quality from the garage. Then again I don't trophy hunt.

I've priced the paint for my 914 and materials alone were about $1000.

It really all depends on what you want. If an original 6 w/ matching numbers fell into my lap, I'd shell out the cash. If I wanted to win carshows, I'd shell out some cash. In my case the car won't be original/perfect, but I'm putting so much time/effort in that I'm going to prep the shit out of it and buy the good paint and hope for a 1-3 footer. My beat up 1970 VW bus with a high light replacement nose and stuff will someday get a good prep Tractor Supply job.

[somd914]

Growing up in the midwest rust belt in the 70's, rust perforation was not uncommon in cars by 3-5 years old. Body work was more affordable then, even factoring in inflation, perhaps it was my low cost location, or perhaps it was the market - large customer base (even I as a high school student working fast food I could afford to have new metal put in my quarter panels), EPA had not declared most of the shop's materials hazardous, shops were numerous, and insurance work wasn't their bread and butter.

A few years back I tried to get surface rust repaired due to a chip on the fender next to a the head light cover. I went to three reputable shops in the area, only one would entertain the thought of performing "rust repair", estimated $1,000 minimum, but ultimately said no. But they all referred me to the one restoration shop we have in the area with a 12+ month backlog. Ultimately I put it on hold for a few months until I found the time to fix it myself - simple repair... Yes, if you look you can see it, but it is a driver's car, not a show car.

[gandalf_025]

3 years ago.. Started looking for a shop to paint my car.
Took a year to convince a place I knew that did good work
to take it.
Had to promise never to call or bother him.
No Rush, Take your time thing, use it as filler work.

A year later I got it back.. I had stripped it as far as I wanted.
They sent it out to get soda blasted. prepped and painted it.

8000.00 CASH.. No paperwork.. I'm happy with it...

still apart though...

[porschetub]

Another reason to do the work yourself. You will spend $1500 pretty easily in materials, and have 150 hours into it. But you have to ask how fast do you want the job done. If you can stretch it out over 6 months or so, and have the free time great. You will also know that all the parts are put back on correctly.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) ,the paint prep and associated labour is what really costs assuming theres not a lot of bodywork it can easily be a DIY job.
Last repaint I had done was at a friends shop,I did all the prep @ home and he visited me and rejected it twice before he was happy,he also insisted that I let the build up primer settle for a few weeks before topcoat.
The end result was amazing,he enjoyed the job also as he said it was great not to have to do the prep work himself,the amount of people doing their own repaints on here and Pelican is certainly on the increase and IMO the results I have seen are stunning.
Its a great feeling when you pull off the masking for the last time and see your own handy work shining back @ you (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) .

[Rob-O]

Yeah, I'm not going to spend $5K - $6K on a frickin paint job, when I only paid $7K for the car in the first place. If I did spend that kind of money, I'd get pissed off every time I set foot in the car. So it doesn't look like it's going to get a paint job, at least with me being the current owner. I never should've bought this car...

It doesn't sound like the car is at fault. Unless you want to fork out lots of money to play the classic car game, it's difficult to play. Happens to lots of guys. They want a beautiful looking car, but don't want or have the funds to buy one that's already done. So they buy something less expensive thinking they'll fix it up and get it painted. Then start down that road only to realize how costly it's going to be to get the car the way they'd like it.

Your despair aside, you might be right. You probably shouldn't have purchased this particular car. I'm not sure what your budget is, but maybe sell the 914 and buy something newer that you can enjoy right away. Miata? BMW Z3? Both two sweaters that should be fun to tool around in, probably wouldn't need paint and working on it would be minimal.

[Phoenix-MN]

Did it all myself, about $2000 or so in paint and supplies and this is single stage.

[Coondog]

So I had a little free time this afternoon, and on a whim, took the car to three different paint shops to get an estimate on getting the exterior repainted. Man was I NOT prepared for the estimates! Can you believe between $5K to $6K for a fricking paint job?! WTF, over?! This isn't Gas Monkey Garage, Counting Cars, Unique Whips, or Bitchin' Rides for chrissakes! I'm thinking more like Wheeler Dealer! Maybe I should've told them this is not for a PCA Concourse event, or to take out the liquid gold in the paint mix. There's NO WAY I'm paying that much for a fricking paint job.

I was straddling the fence as to whether to keep this car or not, guess I know which way I'm going now...

I have been thinking about your problem all weekend, so I decided I can help you. Me and my buddies will paint your 914 for 500 dollars.......

Here is the last Porsche we painted

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[Cracker]

Bravo Paul!!!

T

Did it all myself, about $2000 or so in paint and supplies and this is single stage.

[Mike Fitton]

Yeah, I'm not going to spend $5K - $6K on a frickin paint job, when I only paid $7K for the car in the first place. If I did spend that kind of money, I'd get pissed off every time I set foot in the car. So it doesn't look like it's going to get a paint job, at least with me being the current owner. I never should've bought this car...

You are correct sir.

[mepstein]

Budget build is going to stay ugly for now. The hot 3.2 will be our little secret.

[mbseto]

I posted a question about estimates about a year ago here, and EVERYONE said paint it yourself. I think I'd pay 5k to have someone else do it in a heartbeat. This is going to be a working car, not a show pony, and mainly I just want the best rust-proofing I can get on it.

[mepstein]

I posted a question about estimates about a year ago here, and EVERYONE said paint it yourself. I think I'd pay 5k to have someone else do it in a heartbeat. This is going to be a working car, not a show pony, and mainly I just want the best rust-proofing I can get on it.

I agree. Painting it yourself isn't easy. You need a good compressor, lots of time, you have the chance to waste a lot of expensive material in a hurry. Like many other professionals, a good painter has made mistakes and you are paying them for their expertise as well as their time and materials. It's all a trade off. There's no one - right answer for everybody, especially if you consider the 914 your hobby car.

[JoeDees]

I posted a question about estimates about a year ago here, and EVERYONE said paint it yourself. I think I'd pay 5k to have someone else do it in a heartbeat. This is going to be a working car, not a show pony, and mainly I just want the best rust-proofing I can get on it.

I think the key to rust-proofing is making sure it's all gone before any paint goes on it, and the first layers of primer (typically the epoxy) is put on right. I've always thought of the paint itself being mostly decorative with the primers being your protectors.

Also, Cincy should be a good location for paint quotes considering stuff is typically cheaper than national average there are 3 states to compare (differing environmental costs etc) and some good hillbilly communities in each that may offer some cheaper rates. But I would still at least consider painting yourself, it is extremely satisfying.

[zach914v8]

Since we are on the topic of DIY vs cost, has anyone considered plasti dipping?


Low cost compared to paint. Can do it yourself. Super easy to fix scratches and easy to get rid of. I priced out a car at the shop last year and it was only like $700 to do.

[Randal]

Forgot to confirm that the cost of great paint/clear final coat does get pricey. Just doing my flares was like $200. And when I had trouble with a milky clear, I called the supply house and asked for help, their paint technical guy came to my place and showed me what was wrong.

What was wrong - the clear I bought, while expensive, wasn't "great" stuff. The technician gave me a "very expensive" clear and problem solved. Of course I had to sand and color coat again, but it worked. Can't remember exactly what he said about the cost, other than it was crazy expensive.

Long story short, there is a monster difference between materials.

[JamesM]

One of these cars was painted at Macco for $1000 bucks a few years ago, including both trunks, door jambs and some minor body work.

Its not perfect but when i closed my hood with my wipers still up and chipped the paint i just reminded myself it was only a $1000 paint job. If I spent 10k on it I dont think i would let myself drive it like I do.

[rhodyguy]

People around here are paying more than 5-6 for a paint job. WAY more! Shockingly so. X2+. With owner take apart and reassemble. Without a bunch of rust repair. Dependent on the shop, I don't even ask the price.