I am getting my car painted in the next 3 weeks, and am wanting to save $400 but cutting and buffing their base coat clear coat myself. How difficult is the procedure and where can I get a cheap buffer that would be for this kind of job?

A decent import buffer will run ya 125 + pads. It would last the average Joe a lifetime. Harbor F has a pnuematic DA for wet sanding that is less than 35. You have to shake it to start it sometimes. Figure another 40 for good wet/dry sanding discs if you by it online. 200 if you buy 4 disc pac's at Home Depot. Another 50 for 2 bottles(different grits) of polishing compounds. Different brands at different paint stores. How much did you say you could save. The 400 isw worth it. But then again if you enjoy the task, it is an experience.

if they are only charging 400 do cut and buff, take it. If they screw up the paint (burn it or cut through) they get to fix it. I got quoted over $1k to color cut and buff my car. The paint doesn't have much orange peel to it.

If you are going to do it, 2000 grit sand paper, lots of water and a small amount of soap. Act like you are just guiding the sand paper, not trying to take off paint. Very light touch. you can always go back and do it again. Then go with a medium cut cleaner and work your way to fine cut cleaners to remove the rest of the scuff from the 2k grit.

nice, saved me some sweat..

You will burn through it if you've never done it before. If I were telling someone how to do it I would say do it all by hand so you don't go too far. Most people can't sand or buff by hand very long as those muscles aren't use to that type of work. When you use a machine it's real easy to go to far on the edges. You also need to pay attention to the direction of the wheel and keep it going off the edge not into it. I like air buffers. I also start with 1000 then 1200 or 1500 then 2000 grit and lots of water and real good light all by hand. Also the trick is to not end up with super smooth in one place and orange peel in another or a little orange peel to hide a imperfection in the body and therefore a little op overall. The smoother it gets the more the waves come out.

Charlie I appreciate that, I was thinking by hand when I asked. that is just the kind of laborouisness I have done n some way or another in my life.. I just wanted to get a good paint job that I would not have to worry or cry if say my friends 4 year old bangs on it with a toy or other more careless adults in parking lots,, baring any total catastrophe I can see me getting paint every 4 years or so.. or even given the environment painting it myself.. It is not rocket science, it is a learnable skill..

Have the shop do it, you'll save yourself some grief. Practice on an old car you don't care much about.

Blood sweat and tears.
Plan on about a half hour to hour on each fender for each step. Your results will vary on each piece as you get tired. If you calculate out 20 bucks an hour for each panel with 10 panels to work (4 fenders, 2 doors, front hood, back hood, engine cover, and between the tail lights) on and minimum of 2 hours per panel (3 hours most likely for the larger pieces), Plus the hardware to do the work ($80-$400) that would be 800 -1200 total cost including hardware and sand paper.
$400 and a guarantee is a steal. If you are not happy, they get to do it again.

If you have never done it ...DON'T DO IT! This is not the one to learn on! Let the pro do it!....You'll be glad you did! If the pro screws up ....He's responsible

Don't do it!!!!!!!!! Its an art that takes a lot of practice, and a light touch. Let the pros do it. You don't want to ruin your new paint job do you?

My first one was a Datsun pickup I painted in High school. Even at 17 it was tiring work, did it all by hand, even the buffing. Just did my crappy old paint on my 914, sanding then using the HF buffer i bough for 29.00. The thing actually worked very well. Point is, you can learn to do it, but do you really want to? If you do, you can come practice on my car some.

If I could trust someone to do it properly for $400.00 I'd pay them myself and not be in constant pain

My neighbors truck when he is at work? Maybe.. the 914 is my only car..

Your right , I do not want to wreck my new paint job. I am even priming and sanding it myself before I bring it in, also have the entire car apart again, glass,engine out gas tank out, interior out dash off, carpets gone, doors are emptied ect.. I really just want them to spray and bake it, but your right I whish I could just roll into a trusted painter whom has taken 914 's apart and put them back together, paints beatifully ect., I know there is at least some out there but they want $4,000-$10,000 for me at least if I pay that much then I am not going to enjoy driving it in Montana mud snow blizzrd icy gravel ect.. and the paint damage happens anywhere, I just think paying more for paint than orignal purchase price is touchy. I paid $8500 for my 914 and have twice that into it mostly new parts, damn all new parts..

So if I can't afford that kind of Pro, whihc is a true pro then you get the shops of whom you can get a decent paint job but how much do you want to pay for decent.. possible crap shoot..


I understand pros' I live in so. cal. and they have an pro up front doing all the selling and a handfull of _________ doing all the work.

And along those lines then I would never work on my car because the pro's blah blah $120/hr.. Sure I was nervous when I first did cylinder heads and pistons ect. , but the money I save on not going to mechanincs allow me to buy more New/Nos and leather ect.. for the car..


But it is all good and I appreciate any and all input there is no wrong really./.

Do NOT use a DA sander to cut and buff! Use a sanding block. You want to make the surface flat. DA sanders are for material removal.

Even the pros started somewhere. The more you do it the better you get at it.

Look at what Thomas accomplished. Just sayin'.....

Thank YOu everybody!! I think I got a great picture of what to expect.. now do I have the balls to do it? Maybe $400 does not sound that bad.. Sure would like to learn someday someway though..

I say go for it cowboy! What's the worst that can happen; you mess up a spot on the new paint? You're going to do that anyway once you get to Montana. The biggest danger is that you do it perfect and then can't bring yourself to drive it for fear of hurting it. If someone else does the work you won't have the psychic investment to worry about. It's all very zen.

I'm not sure what you will do if you screw it up. You won't like the cost to fix the mess up. I never came across someone that wanted to risk a new paint job learning how to sand and buff it out. If it's for sure not going to be taken good care of why even buff it out? Good luck

and not have the pro`s do it .....big mistake! but hey its your money

I doubt if Cowboy wants to buy a tool just for the job, but there are wet sanding DA's made for this job. I've never used one, but I'd like to know if they work very well. You can also get a DA buffer that works well, and less of a chance to burn the paint.

It takes quite a bit of experience to cut buff a complete car and not burn through, especially on the edges with a machine.