$30k For A Paint Job????

[Chapap]

So this is my paint booth.

That seems like a modest description. I need to tour a manufacturing facility one day. I think Kia (or hyundai) around ATL is the closest to me.

 

[Lefty]

I saw a video of a guy painting with some no-buff rattle cans. He did a front quarter panel. It took like 8 cans and many coats and was in the $hundreds, but it looked nice in the video and he said it was impressive.

Yes and budget even more for preps, degreasers, Bondo, sandpaper, spot putty, primer, sealer, at least 2 clear coats a cheap buffer etc. It's expensive, time consuming, but not bad.

 

[Curious Hound]

That seems like a modest description. I need to tour a manufacturing facility one day. I think Kia (or hyundai) around ATL is the closest to me.

They do plant tours here. But not in the paint shop. There is a cool little museum out front with snack bar and gift shop. Tours begin and end there. Check online for dates and times available. We’re easy access right along I-85

 

[Shran]

You can paint it yourself if you want. Eastwood has got two part catalyzed spray paints in rattle cans. You might spend $400 just for the top coats, but the difference is almost negligible if you are willing to sand and wet sand again and again.

I did this to a friend's Ranger.

I believe that a fresh coat of paint on the top and bottom is the most important upgrade for your truck.

I had about $1000 into just paint for my stepside truck. That was kinda cheap paint too from TCP. I used urethane base coat/clear coat.

There are so many little things. Sandpaper, blocking tools, spray guns, mask filters, tape, seam sealer, various types of primers, body filler, etc.......... I bet I had another $1500 into that stuff. In a shop the cost of tools would wash out pretty quickly but some is just unavoidable. I bet I spent well over $100 on solvents to clean up spray guns alone. $50 rolls of sandpaper and $12 cans of etch primer add up quick. Then your time.......

I know a really top quality paint guy and watched while he did a black paint job on a mid 50's Chevy pickup. The end result was just incredible, there was not a spec of dust or a single visible sandpaper scratch anywhere and it was like looking at a mirror. He said that one cost 20k and that was 15 years ago.

 

[Chapap]

My dad had an old van painted for $600 about 10 years ago. They did an initial sanding and took out the lights and door handles. It was a one coat deal and just didn't have the sheen of a good paint job with clear coat. It was better looking than it was though.

 

[Lefty]

I had about $1000 into just paint for my stepside truck. That was kinda cheap paint too from TCP. I used urethane base coat/clear coat.

There are so many little things. Sandpaper, blocking tools, spray guns, mask filters, tape, seam sealer, various types of primers, body filler, etc.......... I bet I had another $1500 into that stuff. In a shop the cost of tools would wash out pretty quickly but some is just unavoidable. I bet I spent well over $100 on solvents to clean up spray guns alone. $50 rolls of sandpaper and $12 cans of etch primer add up quick. Then your time.......

I know a really top quality paint guy and watched while he did a black paint job on a mid 50's Chevy pickup. The end result was just incredible, there was not a spec of dust or a single visible sandpaper scratch anywhere and it was like looking at a mirror. He said that one cost 20k and that was 15 years ago.

So, isn't it interesting? A rattle can paint job for a few hundred bucks? A MAACO paint job? Ten thousand, or tens of thousands? It all depends.

It also depends on the body and fender shop as @Broosedamoose mentioned. These days a lot just don't want to do an entire car. They want a fast turn-around, pulling dents, painting a panel, and collecting insurance.

It's hard to find a good shop that is willing to do an entire car for a reasonable price.

Keep shopping.

 

[Curious Hound]

It really is labor-intensive. The prep work is most of it. Removing trim, masking, repairing dents, sanding, sanding, sanding, sanding…

 

[bobbywalter]

i have noticed the trail obstacles and trees dont care at all about how nice the paint is or rusty the rig is ...



the paint thing is on the agenda. and good criminy....its looking like its worth it to buy an inflatable spray booth.

to wrap bobbys tire burner is 5 grand....for something worth doing....

the summit single stage with a second coat mixed 50/50 with clear is looking real good at this point....probably have 2500 into it with a booth....

a cheap paint job was 6500. pretty much all the prep work to paint it has to be done to wrap it and that was 2 k of the wrap price....if it was scratch and dent free the colorchange wrap would be 4 g.....that seems reasonable to me...

so wrap isnt too bad.

 

[don4331]

Funny around here the trail obstacles ignore the rusty rigs while patiently waiting to scratch that nicely painted one.

My daughter and I were about $100 into repainting a replacement door damaged by a break-in (and it had nice dent from previous owner). Sandpaper, bondo, 8+ rattle cans for self etching primer/colour/clearcoat.

Doesn't quite match colour and we could have done a better job sanding (I ran out of 400 and 220 left swirls) but its a 15 year old truck. The door now closes and locks and it looks just fine from 5 meters in the dark.

And yes, my daughter was shocked by the amount of disassembly, taping, sanding and re-assembly time. The time to prime/paint/clear coat was a let down for her.

A restoration shop is thinking of their reputation - they aren't going to let a 1/2 @$$'d job out the door.

Hail storm last week peeled the wrap off an Audi in the 'hood. Has me a little nervous about how well they'll last.

 

[Curious Hound]

i have noticed the trail obstacles and trees dont care at all about how nice the paint is or rusty the rig is ...

trail rigs just need protection against rust. If I ever consider painting the Ranger, it will be a coating of good bedliner. Durable protection but not pretty.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

A mediocre paint gun is $1,500.

 

[Broosedamoose]

I found another local shop that is willing to paint a whole vehicle and they said for $30k they could give me a “show quality” paint job. There are only a few rust spots and one small dent but I think what is making it so expensive is that it needs to be stripped to bare metal. The current paint is cracking and peeling. I also want the glass removed so the paint/clear coat doesn’t start peeling at the weather seals. The woman I spoke to said they really need to see the truck to give a realistic quote. But at least I found someone willing to work with me. I’ve budgeted $10-$12k towards body work and paint. Everything under the body is either new or has been painted with bed liner and I have two new fenders. I’m not sure if I want the engine bay painted. I know that will increase the costs significantly! I’ve got about $15k into it so far. It will all be new when it’s done.

 

[Lefty]

Funny around here the trail obstacles ignore the rusty rigs while patiently waiting to scratch that nicely painted one.

My daughter and I were about $100 into repainting a replacement door damaged by a break-in (and it had nice dent from previous owner). Sandpaper, bondo, 8+ rattle cans for self etching primer/colour/clearcoat.

Doesn't quite match colour and we could have done a better job sanding (I ran out of 400 and 220 left swirls) but its a 15 year old truck. The door now closes and locks and it looks just fine from 5 meters in the dark.

And yes, my daughter was shocked by the amount of disassembly, taping, sanding and re-assembly time. The time to prime/paint/clear coat was a let down for her.

A restoration shop is thinking of their reputation - they aren't going to let a 1/2 @$$'d job out the door.

Hail storm last week peeled the wrap off an Audi in the 'hood. Has me a little nervous about how well they'll last.

Sometimes it is better to scout the U PULL yards. I follow them on Facebook and watch the Ranger fotos. When I see one the same color I go and pull. I've pulled a hood, four doors and a tailgate in just one summer. Sometimes it's cheaper to buy and replace than it is to buy all those paint and body supplies.

 

[don4331]

We've been scouting the U-pull lots for 6 months now. Not many gold Rangers/Mazda b-series out there with pristine doors....

I did swap just about all the panels for a red one - much easier to find.

 

[Broosedamoose]

Sometimes it is better to scout the U PULL yards. I follow them on Facebook and watch the Ranger fotos. When I see one the same color I go and pull. I've pulled a hood, four doors and a tailgate in just one summer. Sometimes it's cheaper to buy and replace than it is to buy all those paint and body supplies.

Unfortunately there are no more pick-n-pull yards around here. Insurance to cover people getting hurt out in the yard put a stop to them! I do have two new fenders so that's a start.