Paint Job costs!

Cost me a hell of lot more then that for my Transtar and I did about 75% of the body work. Sure you can get a Maaco for a hell of lot less, but what are you really getting? Ask yourself these questions. . .

Are you keeping the car? Are you keeping the car protect in a garage? Are you planning not having your car repainted when sign of paint aging shows up, like fading, spider cracks, dulling of paint etc.? Do you want your car to a have a show room shine with out much work to get it to shine? Do you like Orange peel in the paint? Have you seen allot of other Maaco cars that have been painted and look at them a few years later? Why are their paint jobs cheaper? Is it the paint cost? And if it is what is the difference between Maaco paint and the other guys? What kind of labor are they using. . . day labor? Do you want people to ask where you got it painted and do you really want to answer them?

These are just a few question I asked myself before I went a spent my retirement fund.

Rick (glad I did too) Courtier

In defense of the Maaco's, Earl Shieb's, Paintarama's, etc. I paint like schitt BUT if I prep, strip, etc. for $600.00 I have had some really nice paint jobs. P.S. add $50.00 for tips to sanders and maskers ($10.00 a pop, usually 3) and the painter ($20.00). up front before the work!

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I had a 62 Ply***** Savoy that I used as a driver for several years. It was a solid car but the original paint looked ragged. So I removed all the brightwork did a decent wet sand and took it to our local Maaco. I tipped the painter, who by the way the day I was there was doing a 40 Olds. It came out looking much better. I drove it another two years and it sat outside. I did give it a twice yearly wax job. I then sold it and the buyer could not believe that was a Maaco job. I found out that Maaco is a franchise so it all depends on the shop. Some do very well while others do terrible jobs.

A $3500.00 paint job is not unreasonable nor the most expensive in todays market.The comment was made that the car would be "stripped", was that of trim or paint? The car has how many prior paint jobs or just one over 45 years old? Todays body shop rate is $80.00 per hour average, that equates to 44 hours of labor. I'm sure the body shop planned some prep, did they need to sand the old paint, primer, fis small dents, fill paint chips? Then add in the price of paint today, spray the car, wet sand, buff, spray clearcoat, wet sand, buff, and then wax.

When all is said and done people look at a paint job and ask ......"who did it". The finish on the car is the signature of the body shop/painter who did the job. I'm covering my butt in that case if I am in the business of painting automobiles. My references are my previous jobs.

My wifes car was in an accident and for insurance reasons we used Maaco. The car was totaly repainted at the premium cost, we paid for the toal paint job. at 15 feet it looks great, at three feet, bubba did it.

Paint jobs are truely one of the things "you get what you pay for".

My Golden Hawk project is nearing completion, I stripped the car of all trim prior to delivering the body and frame to the body shop. I have written several $3500.00 checks. Each panel has been painted inside and out, then assembled. 245 hours of work and counting!

Looking back don't you wish, when you purchased that car new, that you had purchased TWO and placed one in controlled storage? ;)

mike

$4000 invested in a new Golden Hawk in 1957 would be $28,000 today. If you add, say $1000/year for climate controlled storage, you be in for another 50K, or $78,000 total.

If you put the 4K in the stock market 50 years ago with the average return of 12% a year for the 50 years you'd have $1,156,000

I'll take the 4K in 1957 stocks over the extra Hawk .

Mike Hunter wrote:

Perhaps IF you had bought GM stock, and not Studebaker stock, with the other $3,000. Remember you are restoring a pre Jimmy Carter car that cost around $3,000 with 2007 dollars, not 1956 dollars. Today the average car cost $30,000 not $3,000..

I recently spent $2,500 to do the engine top end on a 1971 car, that only cost $1,895 new. In 1981, when I decided to add it to my stable, I spent $2,500 for an Amron paint job.. At the time I purchased all of the chrome, cooling system and suspension parts, while they were still available and cheap. I even purchase two cases of Freon cans for less than $3 apiece. So far I haven't needed to put much it on the car however. ;)

mike

Ah, but the Studebaker stock rose after the automotive division went away. It went even higher when Worthington merged with them. Converted to Worthington stock when they dropped the Studebaker name. Doubled in value when Eddison-Meguire bought Worthington. Talk about rich! Hmmmmmmmmmm!

Bo

The shop that did my 61 quoted $5000.00. In my estimation, they did a hell of a job. I just removed the interior and glass and delivered the car. They took their time, removed the chrome, bumpers, headlights etc.., took her down to bare metal, filled and sanded all the ripples and dimples, even pulled the rain gutter chrome, polished it and put it back on. And although the owner says it's "only" a $5000.00 job, I have to say she looks fantastic. I have asked around, and 5000.00 is about the base price locally. I was told by one used car lot owner that he knew of a guy who would do it for 2500.00, but I saw the finished product and decided I would have it done right. Of course, ran out of any funds for the 62.....

Dan Kay

thanks for all the enlightenment. I am trying to visualize the 63 Cruiser in Allis Chalmer orange at this moment. Jim

A large percentage of the cost for sure, but most of the cost of everything else we buy today includes the cost of their attorney(s,) as well Between all the governments regulations, and the trial lawyers, no wonder we have trouble competing in the word market ;)

mike

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