i almost have my 914 all stripped down to the bare metal (crappy paint job, couldn't even sand it down it was so uneven) and i need to paint it. Any body have recommendations on where/who i should go/talk to about it and any other advise. I am a working high school student, so i probably don't have enough money for someone to do the whole job rather i am probably going to do the prep work and primer myself and have someone else do the final coat. If someone could give me some price ranges on the whole job, final coat, paint prices, who i can talk to here in the Seattle/Tacoma area and where to go i would appreciate it.

Aaron,
If your budget is extremly tight, and being a high school student I bet it is...You should consider taking the car to an autobody shop (class) at one of your local high schools....usaully magnet schools have this type of program, and you typically could get your car painted for the cost of materials.... Just an idea - Good luck -

Thom

i have no idea where to go for paint; i simply wanted to say how nice it was to see yet another local teener. is gig harbor turning into teenertown, usa?

have you called around the local auto body shops? there are quite a few, and phone calls are cheap. see if any will work with you...

My quotes ranged from $2000 to $3500 for removing door dings, complete respray, BC/CC and I do all the assembly and disassembly work. Its hard finding places that will do a whole car these days.

Maaco?

I happened to be by a Maaco and asked out of curiosity. If you have it all prepped (primed yourself) appropiate parts off and others masked (windows, dash, whatever) they quoted me around seven hundred. This was in downtown Seattle. I'm far from this point (paint job) but good luck.

I have done about 10 DIY auto paint jobs over the last 35 years. My opinion is that if you can prepare and prime a car yourself you can paint it yourself. The limitation now days is a place to do it. Mine were all done in my garage (many different ones). Neighbors didn't seem to mind the billowing fumes. Suspect they would feel different today. Frankly, I think the first one I did was the best (stripped a '58 Corvette to bare glass and repainted in original color, charcoal metallic/silver). I read a book, worried myself to sleep every night, and followed the book to the letter. After that I figured I knew what I was doing, got cocky and never did equal the quality of that first job. Preparation is everything.
If you have a place to prime, you have a place to paint. Go for it.