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How much is new paint worth?

rebelgregory

rebelgregory

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So here's the deal - I'm at the point where it's time for paint and I don't have the time/resources to do it myself. I want a quality, professional paint job. Base/clear/no sanding marks or debris in paint. I'm willing to pay for it since I've had this truck for a long time and plan to keep it for a lot longer, but I'm suffering from sticker shock at some of the estimates. Here are some specifics:

The truck will be delivered to the shop as a 'shell' - no trim, bumpers, glass, etc

There's no major damage and no rust - minor filler work just to straighten it up, but nothing major

Currently original oxidized paint - i'm probably going back same color, but either way, I want the door jambs done and it has a new hood so will need paint top and bottom of the hood.

No top - I'm not asking them to paint the top. Just the body.

I'm finding that no pro shops want an all-over paint job. They just want insurance money, which I can kinda understand, but I figured someone would want my business. The couple quotes I've gotten are way high for all the work that is already done for them.

So if you were me, what would be reasonable?

On a related note - anyone know a decent painter near Birmingham, AL?

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On the suburban with me removing all trim leaving the bumpers and door handles on only one spot on the side and small rust (no perforation) I was getting around $3,000 Now with the paint and primer being supplied it is down to $2500.

That is with them doing the inside of doors and jams, under hood and fender edges and end gate. What kind of prices are you getting?

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About the same. 2500-3000 without seeing the truck. I don't have any rust and the truck is totally stripped of all trim. I just generally am getting the feeling that they don't want to mess with it.They just want the easy insurance money. Maybe that's a fair price, but it sure seems like a lot.
 
I don't have a good pic of it stripped, but here is one prior to the teardown. It gives a decent idea of the condition.

IMAG0027.jpg
 
I know that as you said most do not want to do a whole truck. I even had one say they wouldn't do it because it was to old! If there was an Earl Scheib's close I would let them do it. I had a car done that I prepped and masked it turned out good. I used their top of the line/premium paint.
 
I hate to say it but 3k sounds reasonable to me, they still have to do a ton of prep and a ton of finish work. Look around and find a local hot rod board or Facebook group best way to find someone who can do a high quality job out of their garage, even then I think you might be in the 2k range
 
My sister had an extended cab 1/2 ton dodge that I did some body work on and when I was all done we took it to a local shop to have it all sprayed.
They did all the prep/masking/spraying and IIRC it was about $600 or so. It didn't look like a $10k paint job but I'll tell you what it sure looked good to me.

My point is I think there is some happy medium to paint, especially on a truck that gets used. $3k seems expensive for something you're going to roll down the road and kick stuff up on.
 
I have used Macco and fact o bake on older cars. if you do the prep yourself (remove trim, handles, bumpers etc.) their top of the line paint job is usually around 1000. Its not a show quality paint job but it does the job. I had a car painted in 07 by fact o bake and its still looks good but I had it prepped and ready for paint very little work was needed before they shot the color.
My brother had a old beater Ford truck that he just wanted to look nicer he took the cheap paint job and for around 500 bucks its holding up fine but there are a couple over spray spots and a little peel in spots. He just dropped it off no prep at all took about a week.
 
I work at a body shop these days .

you need to price just the body filler / primer / thinner-reducer / base coat / and good clear coat. sh!t aint cheep these days .

then you need to figure all the work YOU want done such as no sanding marks / no dust / glass shine / jamb the vehicle = remove all body parts to bare shell and reassemble 2x if its a 2 tone job to line up paint lines.

then when all this is done wet sand and wet sand till your blue in the face and buff the he!! out of the whole vehicle and hope you don't burn threw a spot/edge.

I am at the point for paint on my 2wd build ( link in sig line ) and I was going to do base/clear but have decided to do single stage . and this is still going to cost me and I work at a body shop . :doah:

the majority of your bill will be labor/time next will be product . then whats left will be a small profit for the shop. this is why most shops don't wana do overall jobs . there money / time eating jobs that take to long these days and you don't make as much profit on them .

and it don't happen as fast as tv shows make it out to be.
 
Thanks for all the responses. It sounds like maybe I was getting a fair quote. I'm starting to be less shocked I guess.

I understand all the responses about Fact-O-Bake and similar jobs, but I've sort of decided against this. This will be a driver, but not a DD,and only a light wheeler (expedition?) rig. I hope this will be the last time it's ever painted as long as I own it, so I'm willing to get it right.

I like the idea of looking for a hot rod forum or facebook. I'll have to give that a shot. I've still got a month or so before I'll be ready anyway, maybe I can find a deal.
 
average base/clear you only get 2-3 good buff jobs .

good single stage can buff 5-6 good jobs .

if super shine = base clear.

if good life and looks with play room for scratches and wear n tear = single stage .
 
Paint is one of those things where you can spend a lot or spend a little, and the cost gets exponentially more expensive as you try to get that last little bit closer to perfection.

As said before, if you are willing to do some prep work yourself, you can actually get a pretty decent paint job at an Earl Scheib or Maaco. It won't be show quality, but as long as you aren't changing colors it can be had for a reasonable price. For a daily driver, particularly an old 4x4, I think they're pretty good in terms of value.

Some people spend many thousands of dollars on a Concours quality paint job, but then you see a lot of those cars are really too nice to be driven anywhere much. For a truck, I'd take a good quality job I can enjoy than a show-winning job that looks great in the garage.
 
For what it's worth, when I had my K5 painted I did a trade.

By the end of it I had paid maybe 500$ addition to my approximate 1500$ in parts given to him.

But I'm quite happy with it, I too never realized nor had an appreciation for how much time and effort paint takes. Hell we spent the first weekend alone on body work, even with my having welded up the rust and trim holes prior to him arriving.


Essentially, 2500/3K isn't a fair offer, however.. It had better be at least a 2' job for that kind of money.
 
Not really going for concours, but I've used those places before and the results were OK on the daily drivers, but I'm looking for long lasting and I'm the type that will stress over tiny imperfections. It's an expensive trait, trust me.

Still not 100% on what I'm gonna do. Just don't want to cheap out and get mediocre results cuz I know I'll regret it.

Like I said, I've got a little time. On the upside, I got my steering together today so it's closer to paint. Now just to get the front suspension and Dana 60 under the front. I'm tired of seeing the 'jackstand wheelie' with nothing below the framerails.
 
This was my show truck from a few years back and the paint material alone cost around 2k. I did all the paint and bodywork myself with no booth just large building. PPG base/clear Chrysler "Electric Lime Green" and "Artic White"

GT-001.jpg
 
I was gonna say I would be over 700 in just product if I used the paint I wanted to use on my Jimmy. Thats not even the expensive stuff. Gonna use a lesser expensive paint and clear and I bet I will still be over 400 in materials.
 
GMC Truck said:
This was my show truck from a few years back and the paint material alone cost around 2k. I did all the paint and bodywork myself with no booth just large building. PPG base/clear Chrysler "Electric Lime Green" and "Artic White"
Click to expand...


Sick truck man. I want that look. Not the particular color, but straightness/shine. My daughter doesn't really need a college fund, right?

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College; nah she needs a nice looking truck to go on her first chaperoned date!
 
just for some perspective..... I painted my blue chevelle about 18 yr's ago...






chevelle003.jpg




now granted it was a custom blue pearl base and killer high solids clear, but the paint was probably $1200 at my collision shop discount.. not retail... Glasurit.... and primer was probably a grand... nearly 20 yr's ago...



my bud just had this done last winter.. candy apple red, perfect...






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25 g's.... almost 5 grand in materials... keep in mind too, bodywork/prep/paint will eat up as many hr's as you can throw at it....



I figure anything in the 3 to 5 range these days is fair for a quality paint job with a decent paint...
 
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