Maaco Paint jobs?

[tch777]

My 91 Sub needs paint bad.
Has anyone used Maaco or Earl Schieb to paint their vehicles?
I am looking for people with actual experience not "I heard they suck" responses.
This is a daily driver so a spray bomb job is not going to cut it.
Or does anyone know of some one in Colorado Springs, CO that does this on the side for a decent price.
Macco wants 1,000 for some minor body work and a 4year polyurethane paint job with clear coat. I have the factory charcoal color and want to stick with that.

Also I want to coat the rocker panels with a beadliner material. What brands have you used, I want one that won't fade out in a year.

Thanks

Tim

 

[justhorsinaround]

Well for what it's worth, a good friend of the family used to own a Maaco so I can't imagine they put out a bad product and my Mom's Corvair still has the Earl Scheib paint job that was sprayed on in somethin like 1971 so......

 

[Eric M.]

I did an Earl Schieb paint job years ago on a work truck. It didn't cost much, that's the best I can say. Their body work was poor, the paint job had runs, light areas and they didn't do the bed which really looked funky since the truck was painted white and the bed was still red ... now with lots of over spray. They called the over spray a "Courtesy Coat" and that they didn't do truck beds. I was a little pissed that they didn't tell me this up front. When I went to pick it up, the truck was still wet and out of the booth. I pointed out a bug that was stuck to the paint, the salesman stuck his finger in the paint and flicked it out leaving a nice big finger print. He seemed to be pretty pleased with himself. When they removed the paper on the truck, they left a sheet covering the radiator. My radiator hose blew on the freeway on the way home when the truck overheated. When I called from my cell phone telling them what happened and that I needed a tow truck, the salesman told me there must be something else wrong with my truck, it was too cold for a vehicle to overheat, you don't even need water in a radiator in this weather. It was 65 degrees outside.

I've since gone to Miracle. A little more expensive, but a better job. You aren't going to get a show quality job, or anything close, but it's better than Earl.

I have a friend who ownes a paint shop. He tells me that different chain shops produce different quality paint jobs (the Miracle down the street may do lously work while the Miracle in the next town does better work). He told me to go to the Miracle in San Jose (1 1/2 hour drive). He said for some of his "not so quality paint jobs" he even sends some of his jobs to Miracle for a complete paint.

Ask around, maybe even some of the higher end shops might have some advise. Maybe the Earl Sheibs in your town does better work (and knows you need water in a radiator ...).


Good Luck,

Eric M.

 

[jakeslim]

MACO
I had a car "Maco'd" two years ago. It was a honda civic that was teal--->black. They did a nice job, but
I opted to have a paint job that was a couple of steps above the bottom level($345 or so). Mine cost $650 or so
and looks great. It does have chips on the front bumper from road gravel and bugs, but aside from that, is decent.

-ONE thing, I asked them for a small touch up bottle of the paint to keep if I needed it. They threw it in no charge.
I requested it after the paint job was done, but before I paid(they are still in " make you happy mode").
I would use them again.

Earl Shieb:
I had my 77 Blazer painted for $300 bucks about 6 years ago. It looks fine considering what its been thru(East & West living). I would use them also again.

WITH both, I made a point of knowing that it was not a $3000 paint job, it looks 100% better than primer(some may not agree /forums/images/graemlins/histerical.gif). I also had them paint the door jams(makes a big difference). I also paid for the better paint packages in both, not the best, but better and I'm sure it made a difference.

jakeslim

 

[tRustyK5]

About 10 years ago I did all the rust repair on my Dad's 1980 F-250 SuperCab. He took it to Maaco and had them do some minor prep and body work and paint the whole truck (inside of the bed too)

Cost was under $600 Canadian.

A family friend bought his old truck after he passed away and still has it. I saw it a little while back and it still looks good. I doubt it's ever been waxed, but it still has a shine to it and I don't ever recall seeing any runs.

I plan on going the same route with my truck in the spring. The flat black is getting 'old' fast.

rene

 

[diesel4me]

I've seen some real nice paint jobs from Maaco's at car shows near me,and some absolutely horrible ones from other ones in different areas--most of the nice ones the owner of the car did most of the prep work(sanding,dent and rust repair,etc,)to help keep the cost low--it seems most of theese paint shops around here are pretty good a spraying the paint on,but they arent that great at bodywork or very fussy about sanding and "feather edging" any bad areas--one car had pigeon poop painted right over,looks like they didnt even wash it,never mind wet sand it---all I can say is if I were to have any of my vehicles painted there(a wet dream at this point! /forums/images/graemlins/screwy.gif)I would ask around and try to talk with others who have had them paint their cars--one Maaco in a nearby town has an excellent reputation for nice paint jobs(again,mostly the cars that needed paint only,not any bodywork)but another 15 miles in the other direction is the complete opposite--they hire 17 year olds to prep the cars,and the shop looks like an old dusty warehouse,and the quality of work reflects their cheaper price,less than the other Maaco's--they are very popular with used car dealers,
but many other people have nothing good to say about them.Personally,I would look for a body man who works out of his own garage or house--I know several who do excellent work at their home"under the table"since I had worked in body shop supply stores--many of them dont have ads in the yellow pages or do any advertising because their shops arent zoned for business,you have to ask around at the paint and body shop supply stores to find them.They usually do good work,but they usually arent in a big hurry--they sometimes take a long time,but usually its worth the wait.
I dont recall ever owning anything with a nice paint job,or having to wax any of my vehicles(doesnt work good on primer!)--maybe someday when I'm rich--for now I am satified just to have a truck with no big rot holes,or the door bottoms flapping in the breeze---. /forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif

 

[joez]

I had one on my old truck. It never got washed, ever. Wax, ha, thats funny. By the time i sold it the roof was peeling pretty good and the hood was faded bad. The kid washed and waxed it, and other than where it was peeling, the paint actually cleaned right up.

This paint job was the cheapest one, and i dont think they did any prep work. The bed had been white, and when they painted over it with the blue, you could still see the white aliitle in spots.

If you take your time and do all the prep work yourself, and just have them tac and spray it, it will usually come out pretty good. I have a few friends who have the maco jobs and the ones we preped look really nice, the ones that they preped, well, dont.