I have an over the phone/internet price of $6K. Going back original black car. Car to be painted inside and out with sealer on the bottom. Everything is ready to go. Completely stripped to shell. Says it will be ready in two weeks. Good price? What is the consensus?

Did you have a problem finding a painter? By coincidence, and although I'm not as far ahead as you, I'm looking for the same thing up here in Canada! Surprisingly hard to find a paint shop that's even interested. Price looks about right.

Talk to some past customers.

Great price but not sure how the math plays out.

Materials - primer, paint, solvents, cleaning pads, sand paper, tape, etc.
Labor - prep body, sand, clean, prime, paint, sealer
Labor - color sand, polish, etc.

With all the materials, time, and effort required to do a paint job right, especially black, I suspect that $6k may not have quality you expect.

Due diligence. I just had mine done albeit some bodywork. The paint alone was 2K.
The total job was just south of 20k. Plenty of hours needed to get it right.
Black can not be easy.

Forgot to add I bought the car prepped and ready to go from body shop manager in California. It was the black car for sale this past summer in classifieds here.

A lot of paint shops don't like to see cars in primer since they don't know what's underneath...and the paint may not be very compatible. 6K seems low to me. The last time I paid for a cheap paint job it cost me a lot. My gut feeling is that anyone who says less than 10K these days either isn't a pro or has very different standards than most of us. Way easier to find a 2K maaco-type guy overcharging for his work, than a 12K guy discounting. Just my .02!

In my opinion the price is to low.
Example:
100 hours @ $50 per hour = $5K
Paint Supplies Est'd = $3 or$4K
That's a bare bones cheap rate by low end shops.
I am told quality paint jobs, typically @ $15K to $20K

Ask a lot of questions, before pulling the trigger.
Tom

For black, I would expect the price to be double that. I do however love that car.

We're talking San Angelo Texas 6k will get you a quality job. if it where in San Fran they charge an extra 10 grand for the pita factor

Sounds like a real bargain--maybe not realistic.

Like others have said, just paint and supplies can top $2000.

Just bought PPG paint. 1 gal DPLF epoxy, 1 gal K36, 1 gal color, about $1500.
1 person at 80 hours at $75/hr shop rate. $6000

Shop rate includes paint area.

$7500 total is my estimate based on the picture I saw.

I would want to start at bare metal. Epoxy goes on bare metal, then filler, then sealed with epoxy, then K36.

Very fair price, more impressed with two week turnaround.

Paint materials here in SoCal have increased recently.

I just spent $860 for 1 gal of primer, base and clear. I'm painting it at my shop, in my paintbooth.. Once it's paint ready I will pay my guy $1500 for spray labor including color sanding.

Oscar

Everysee seems to be in the same ballpark. $15+ for anything good.

Location makes a huge difference. Delaware is cheaper to run a business vs nearby states.
I have a good painter that is able to charge me way less for labor when he works out of his home shop vs what the business would charge where he is employed.

Do your homework and you will be good.

Mentioned in a few post above, 1 gallon of paint. Do we really need a gallon of paint for our car? Or is it a question of as soon as you buy a couple of quarts, might as well get a gallon for the same price?

Just wondering...

Maybe this should go in a new thread but it has come up in this thread: How far can the an untrained person go in the prep work? A good paint job is really a piece of art that I know I can't produce. In regards to this car there was a mention that some shops don't like the car with primer because they don't know what is under it.

Should a person with no paint skills just take out the engine and interior? Take it down to bare metal? Prime it? Attempt to paint it?

My 914 went to the painter stripped and on a dolly. $10,000. That was five years ago, so maybe $12 to 15 now.Click to view attachment

Over 6 years ago, took me 6 months to convince the shop owner to take the car.
I told him I was in no hurry and I would never call and bother him.
He finally agreed to take it as "Filler Work".. He had the car almost a year
which was fine with me.
Soda Blast and paint with no body work.. Was 10,000 CASH...
No receipts...

Shop was just outside Boston and the owner has since retired..

Click to view attachment

Last time I painted my 914, 2 quarts is not nearly enough. Had some leftover from the gallon for wheels, touch up, etc.

Your assessment of the economics of paint is correct. Just like any paint at Home Depot, buy the time you spring for 3 quarts, you really could have had the gallon. Plus I'd rather not have to deal with color variation quart to quart and the subsequent need to mix them in a 3rd container to blend them. Buying a gallon solves that problem.

P.S. Edit: To align to MB911's comment about not needing a full gallon of color if doing base coat clear coat and/or 2 stage paint. This was back in the days of single stage enamel and prior to HVLP spray guns. Coverage was all exterior surfaces, interior, wheel wells, inside trunks, engine bay. No underbody floor coverage. Still had almost about 2/3 quart left from the gallon.

As I recall $1600 blasted at home top and bottom inside and out.
Paid a friend $5K-6 to take the car from blasted metal to blocked primer at
home.
Then $7500 in a shop for paint that included two front bumpers, two rear bumpers.
two front lids and two rear lids. (fiberglass and metal)
All in ? prolly $15,000 for above average, not great job in white which is forgiving.

I had a customer car here earlier this year and set it up with a friend of mine whom owns a body shop. Was 10k to repaint it guards red. Was a decent car to start with. Removed all the glass, panels, bumpers. Turned out perfect.

For reference when people are talking about paying for paints. Most of us are paying waaaaaay more for paint supplies then a shop does. I buy my paints at shop rates so for example to do my car it cost me about $800 total in primers, base, clears, sand paper. Also note there is no way you are using a gallon of base, clear, and even primers for that matter unless doing single stage.. also know that I don't do it for a living but grew up in the industry and have painted my fair share of cars

I'm with Ian. The cost seemed high, but I got the results I wanted.Click to view attachment

I don’t get why they cost so much unless it’s a rust bucket.Mine was $2900 in 2015 in Orange County ca.
Minimal body work . I re-assembled the car.
I had several bids all over the place.
My wife would murder me if I spent $10,000 on a paint job.btw red is the fastest color…Click to view attachment

Just got my car back from paint not stripped but heavy sand and down to original primer/paint. Inside and out but not underbody and inside fenders. (No color change/White) Very minor body work few spots of rust. I would grade final product 8.5 to 9 on 10 scale.
120 hr total paint and supplies all in $9k I thought that was very fair

I just painted a 914 and the supplies alone were $4K. I could have spent $1K more for better paint and clear alone....
Matt

I'll put another data point out there.

Back in early 2000's I used to have oversight over vehicles that were preppped for the Detroit Auto Show. Wasn't uncommon to spend $20K on base coast/clear coat paint jobs for that high visibility show.

Translated to 2021 dollars - $33k
Click to view attachment

So for all the guys with nice paint jobs coming in at $10k - 15K in 2022 dollars that isn't as outrageous as it may seem at 1st glance.

Took me months to talk the owner of the shop into taking my car. Price wasn't the issue.
He said he had way too many issues doing 50 year old cars and finding nightmares
under the paint.. Then he was stuck with a half done car and having to amend the bill.
Made for pissed off customers.
I assured him I had owned the car since 1972 so I knew it's history and there was no hidden damage I was my own "DAPO"
He finally relented when I said "Take your Time"

Looks pretty good, but still not fully put back together....

Click to view attachment

I think 6k is reasonable, if any minor body work and or materials are involved.
I had mine painted for $3500.00. my dad and I did probably about 20k (if we were going to be charged retail) worth of body, metal work and prep to it though.
All we really did was hand over a car to the painter that had to cut back with a scotchbrite before it was painted. (we brought it that far out)
We had it shot in PPG Omni and I believe I paid about $800.00 ish for the paint material as well.

Not perfect, because of my mistakes but, the paint job is really nice:

I like reading about the different price points, amount of prep already done vs. having it done.

I haven't had a car painted in 15 years and will admit, was shocked at prices now along with the challenge to find someone to do the work.

I'm on my second paint guy and 6 months later, my 914 is still in the paint shop.

This is what engine out / bead blasted looks like for 12K a little over a year ago.

Click to view attachment

First of all.....it's a black car! Can it really be ready to go with no body work and nothing but the most basic of prep? Do you have the specs of what primer/sealer has already been put on the car? Do you have contact info for the body shop mgr. so the current painter can contact if necessary?

If it is truly ready to go into the paint booth as is, it's a unicorn. That's a great price depending on the level of finishing once the paint is laid down. Does the price include cutting and buffing? Color sanding? The devil is in the details so get the details in writing.

Only posting so much to this thread because I'm right in the middle of body/paint myself. Shop doing the work of course, but all this info of interest to me.

Marc is right, a black paint job is not the same as a silver paint job.

I have also learned over the years it really is about prep work before paint.

Prep work can be a rabbit hole = $$$

It's all about the prep. You can have a magician painter that is masterful at laying down paint but, if the car is wavy or prep is poor, it's never going to turn out good. (from years of experience being a painters helper and then a painter in the automotive repair industry)

Click to view attachment

Total disassembly on my side yard. All metal work done and prep work done on my side yard with a friend who does body and paint. I have 100 hours of sanding into the car. Supplies were about 2K from a paint supply house. (Paint, primer, sealer, tapes, paper, thinners, rags etc..)

Total in is about 5500. But if you do the math on 125-150 per hour times just my labor... well.. you get it..


And I agree with the other posts, the devil is in the details. Now I am in assembly.

So many valid points here. I would say that even though region has been mentioned a few times, it is far more of a factor than you would think. All legit paint shops use the same environmental procedures, but some states tax the hell out of you for the privilege.

Don't forget to factor in your friends time. I know for sure shops north of me get way more than $20k. WAY more when rust or a twist are added to the mix. Then you switch to time and material. The state will get $1.8k on a $20k bill. Then all of the new disposables and 'while you're in theres'. You'll want to do that 5 lug conversion before paint.

Are you sure you know what he expects? If asking about a $6k paint job - his expectations to me are low ~ if $6k seems questionable ~ it speaks even louder.

Just say'n...

Cracker

@rhodyguy
Can you elaborate a little on your comment?
Are you suggesting installing the new suspension before paint?
My car is in a roller state very soon ready to be sent to a body shop (when I find it ).
I have the option of delivering it on its old 4 lug setup or on a dolly. No matter what, I have a complete 5 lug fresh suspension to install on it after.

Side note: We need to get a group buy from a body shop...

agreed, that is why I used the text “may not”.

what quality paint? what kind of work does the painter do? real painters are like artists they are usually busy or 10k+

i think these posts have covered it all - prices are very regional - if you know you want to paint, do it now, as these prices simply go up, every year - also, i have found that paint guys go a bit nuts over time (maybe it's the fumes), so don't be surprised

- i had my early 911 painted many years ago - it's black - great color to match, but it shows all imperfections - expect any paint job to shrink in the 6 months after, and make sure the painter will do a final buff then

- i think that white colors are the easiest - metallic paint is tough to match later on if repairs are needed

- regarding doing a lot of your own work, i know several guys who did this successfully, then did their own paint, or had high quality paint applied by local "maaco" type shops for a few thousand $

- here is a link - it's a local 356 resto journal - besides the mechanical stuff, it's a good read for how much work it took to get the body work ready for the maaco paint job - i think that 356's may be more difficult to get the body work right, but you'll get the idea - http://www.darrylsgarage.com/356/356.htm - hope this helps

Agree that prices are regional. Summer 2020, I had my X1/9 changed from this

Click to view attachment

to this

Click to view attachment

for $4,000, including paint and materials. Single stage paint. The frunk, trunk and engine bay were left in black. But, I drove it into the shop and then drove it home with no prep work done. The body was in very good shape as it was a California car.

It was done in a rural town in Missouri by a one-man operation with his shop out behind his house. I told him no hurry, and it took just under 3 months.

A friend in the local PCA took his 356 in to the same guy this past summer. Completely disassembled and almost all prep work done. $5,000 for all materials and labor, which included some minor “touch up” prep work. Again, no engine bay or frunk or passenger compartment. Took him about 5 months that time. Both of these jobs are on the low side, of course, but I think not crazy cheap for our area. Sometimes, flyover land ain’t so bad.

Click to view attachment

Click to view attachment

True, true and true. No paint will hide an improper prep job, THEN you need someone who can lay down the finish.

BTW: is anybody using single stage enamel these days?

The 356 is beautiful