Friend of mine is asking me this but may apply to me if I ever get round to it: Is it worth it to take a vehicle outside of California, or at least the areas with restrictive EPA regulations, high labor wages, rent, overhead, etc. (SF Bay Area in this case) for bodywork and paint? He's thinking Reno Nevada. What might one expect in savings, 20%, 40% ?
Don't know about California but it's gotten expensive everywhere and the EPA has clamped down on the paint and chrome shops here in South Carolina in recent years. HRP
I really haven't shopped around for bodywork in awhile, but not to long ago I got a couple scratches in the front fender of my O/T daily. I got a few estimates just to get an idea of what paint work was going for these days. To sand down 2 scratches, a total of maybe 2 1/2", and paint the only the fender without blending into the hood and door because it's straight black (color and clear) averaged $450.
some guys refer to "paint jail", where a car gets stuck at the paint shop for months or years....imagine how much fun this would be, if you lived in a different state?
Paint jail, that's good (er, or bad). Yeah, one has to consider the scope of the work. My pal's truck is just a sand and shoot, no bodywork, no custom, no parts, (and still the estimates are ridiculous) so it would I think be a good candidate for an out of state job.
Our wagon was in Paint Jail for 3 years,I finally took matters in my own hands and payed the bond and took it to a different painter,3 months later the car was painted. HRP
There are still a few guys here to take them across the Mexican border. But it's a smaller place than Tijuana, by a long shot. Whatever you do, you'd want to triple check several references for the shop.
I quickly learned in the 60's that if I ever wanted a painted car I'd have to do it myself. At 16 y.o. I got an estimate to paint my '55 Chevy. I looked at the estimate and told the guy I couldn't sell my car for that much after you paint it. I did a driveway job with lacquer, looked okay. Over the years still shoot in the driveway, just had to roll with changes to paint tech. HVLP guns are your friend. I live outside city limits so am allowed legally to paint two cars a year.
What is ridiculous? Almost no vehicles require no body work unless he has he done the body work himself. If he has that alone could account for high prices as very few painters want to put their reputation over top of someone else's work and may just be giving your buddy the "I don't want to do it but if you pay me this huge amount I will" price.
Unfortunately there are too many horror stories out there about "paint jail". I personnaly know of several three year paint jobs.
For you my friend your best bet is to find out where the Latinos live and go make some friends. it may take a while but you aren't ready to paint today anyway. Years ago I would either have gone to the Mission or later to Bernel Heights I wouldn't know where to tell you to go today. When I was in San Mateo in the '80s my place was right on the edge of the barrio, I started shopping in the local Bodego and it wasn't long before my bike was getting painted by the same guy that was painting all the local low riders. Show winning paint for the price of a Maaco job. LOL
Actually this started with a call from him asking if I would do it, as I did one for him years ago (as well as a dozen or so of my own). It's an OT Suburban probably 10 years old, yards of sheet metal and though it runs fine it's not even worth the $8K he's been quoted for a quick sand and spray, more for protection than looks. For one I have my own **** to deal with (and may paint my much smaller truck myself when the time comes) and secondly it's not like it used to be around here when you could splash on some Centari in the driveway. My garage I doubt would even fit his barge, let alone the prep it would take for a makeshift booth. Basically I'm trying my best to worm out of it, he actually came up with the Nevada suggestion. My first advice to him was to call Maaco since looks aren't imperative. Get a few years guarantee and hopefully he'll move on by then.
I don't know what Maaco charges there but here he could get it shot for about 400 give or take. The cost of gas alone makes that too good a deal to p*** up. LOL
Look at my avatar I painted my 1961 Ford Econoline myself with Hotrod Flatz. It will be selling it soon. It cost me 300.00 plus my labor. Back to the subject at hand. I am in Minneapolis and we have a couple of Maaco Paint Shops here in Minnesota. The shop I have used is in Burnsville. They will paint a car quick right cost you a little more. They always say grease the palm and it will get done fast. They will paint a car reasonable. I saw one that was finished for 4k and it was stunning. Just my 2 cents worth.
If all the body work is done and he doesn't want anything real special, what about a shop like MAACO? I'm in Clark County WA with similar AQMD restrictions as CA. We have been going to our local MAACO then taking the cars to a local detailer for cut & buff. So far they have come out pretty good. But if he wants the $$$ job, then "paint jail".
I read this earlier and figured an Arizona or Nevada painter would jump on it. Shooting over his bodywork would **** if it was driving around your town all week. But this one's gonna live in another state. Not saying do a **** job, it just won't come back to haunt you if the owners not as good as he thinks. Factor in a heavy coat of sealer and a quick block scuff. I've got a couple painters in IL that would jump on it, 1-4 man shops that do mostly insurance panel jobs, no major collision, and restoration jobs. None of these shops have tons of space so the cars don't hang around.
Given the back story I would guess you are getting the just go away price. No reputable paint shop wants their name on a scuff up some beat up old vehicle and paint it job. The first thing someone will ask your friend is who painted it and no matter what he says people will think what kind of shop would do such a half*** job. As mentioned above go somewhere like Maaco.
His Suburban has original paint (silver), no dents and no previous bodywork, it's just slightly rusting through the worn paint. I'll find out the year, it may be during the time when they were having trouble with factory paint.
If the factory paint is failing it's no wonder no one want's to tackle this. Without stripping it right down it is a recipe for an issue down the road.
Geez who said no one wants to take it? He got one estimate, more than the truck is worth, then started wondering about taking it somewhere possibly cheaper. I have no idea if the paint is failing or just worn, I have never really taken a good look at it. It's a modern car to me, I rarely pay attention.
Stop voting for liberals and no one has to worry about this! Lol Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
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