Bodyshops and Their Estimates vs Cost in the End (Paintjob)

illapino · Post by **illapino** » February 27th, 2007, 9:04 pm

Well, I took my car in with my insurance estimate from the accident I had which dented in my rear left quarter panel. The estimate from my insurance company was around $750 CDN. So then I ask the bodyshop how much more would it be to paint the rest of the car (minus the hood) plus the removal of the hatchkey slot, and he said $1,500CDN on top, which I find very reasonable ...

What I want to know is where will this estimate of his be once the car itself is finished in his bodyshop? Will it turn out to be $1,832.14? $1,320.00? $2,400? Those here who've had their entire car painted and paid it out their own pocket: how does the estimate fluctuate by the time the project is complete? ... thanks.

justin22_22 · Post by **justin22_22** » February 27th, 2007, 10:49 pm

If they need to remove other dents or fix rust spots, the price will go up. An other note have you seen work this bodyshop has done befor. I've see rust come though the paint 3 months after it was painted. But as for a price, I paid 1200 to paint my mx6, door jams included. Couldn't of asked for a better job. Same color mind you, but I think 1500 with out the hood, and that there painting a 1/4 already its a bit high.

PATDIESEL · Post by **PATDIESEL** » February 28th, 2007, 12:36 am

I think it sounds pretty fair for a very good quality job, especially considering the keyhole deletes. As for the estimate, I'd ask for a firm price so that you know you are not getting in over your head. Probably tell him you are ready but cannot pay any more than the estimate. All the body work I've ever had done was the same final price as the estimate. I also knew all the body guys before I let them work on my car...

hgallegos915 · Post by **hgallegos915** » February 28th, 2007, 1:22 am

it costed me 200 dllrs parts only to paint my car. Uncle who is a pro did it. Imagine all the money shops make (here in the border tho)

illapino · Post by **illapino** » March 1st, 2007, 7:49 pm

$1500 sure is tempting, and I sure this opportunity was going to come about so I only laughed at my good fortune when someone smashed my left side, but I think I have to set a full paintjob aside for now ... The guy mentioned that the new cars have triple coats of paint on them like the new Hondas, and that's what I'd much rather have, especially for Red. I want a thick deep red on my car, not stock Blaze Red, or any sort of equivalent. And a thick layer of clear coat ... so I think I'll still put it in for the keyslot delete, the fender fix (no i didn't mention this one to u guys), and the rear quarter panel ... then in comes the $1200CDN carbon fiber hood, so all of this would be in my budget, instead of splurging on the paintjob and not having any left for sudden repairs or that Tanabe sound that I want out my rear end ...

import_fan7 · Post by **import_fan7** » March 4th, 2007, 6:52 pm

If you get that fixed and painted for only 1500 cdn thats amazing..becuase a guy on my friends street backed into my fender pretty good..he paid for it but just for that fender fixed and re painted (just the fender) the estimates were from 1000 cdn - 1300 cdn..so if you got that for 1500 cdn the whole car re painted thats awesome!!!!

illapino · Post by **illapino** » March 4th, 2007, 7:27 pm

darn u hector
u bought ur mx3 for, what was it, $1000 and got it all painted for $200

now ur The hector of the 915

darn u hector darn u !

tehbrookzorz · Post by **tehbrookzorz** » March 4th, 2007, 11:15 pm

I'd like to know what shop you use in the end and how their work is. I might be moving back to town in the next couple years and inevitably I'm going to need a paintjob myself.

illapino · Post by **illapino** » March 5th, 2007, 1:57 pm

lots of people say good things about PARKERS off of Gorge ... but they quote me alot. but definitely not as much as PRANCING HORSE ... all this quoting was done at PERFECTIONS, but it's only one guy running the front (who goes back in to paint when he's done with the customer) which makes me weary ...

Tempus · Post by **Tempus** » March 15th, 2007, 11:41 pm

You'd be good to ask them a lot about how they would go about painting it.

Paint jobs depend a lot on two things
1) quality of the paint, thickness and number of layers applied
2) detail and extent of prepwork.

the typical 'maco' paintjob is an example of going cheap on both items.. I don't personally think their actual paint is very good. prep wise they don't generally re-work the car much, and tend to just mask off everything.

The other extreme is a place that uses multiple coats of high quality paint (e.g. PPG, or factory paint which is NOT cheap stuff) and multiple coats of clearcoat (with wetsanding and such) over the paint. The full out job will also involve taking ALL the trim off the car. eg remove windshield, all weatherstripping, all lights and handles and badges. re-working everything to be super smooth, and then painting/priming the whole thing. (think of the kind of job you see them to on a show like Overhaulin)

A high quality job of the second type will often run a few thousand dollars, but if done right will look better than it did when it came out of the factory.

Also if you are changing the color expect the cost to go up, because they will have to paint places like inside of door-jams, under the hood, etc that they would not normally paint if you are just repainting in the original color. All of that results in extra work and prep which adds to the cost.

OROutdoors · Post by **OROutdoors** » March 16th, 2007, 10:43 pm

Tempus wrote:Paint jobs depend a lot on two things
1) quality of the paint, thickness and number of layers applied
2) detail and extent of prepwork.

the typical 'maco' paintjob is an example of going cheap on both items.. I don't personally think their actual paint is very good. prep wise they don't generally re-work the car much, and tend to just mask off everything.

About 15 years ago, I took my 1986 Sentra to Maaco for paint (similar color). I was very disappointed. Upon careful inspection, I noticed where they masked over paint, and I could tell where the old paint was showing at edges. Other places, I could see where they missed msaking some of the weather strip and there was paint on the rubber.

The paint did seem to be a high quality though, and it seemsed well cured. If I use them again, I will remove certain trim and running lights, mask the screw holes myself and have then have them paint over the tape. This should give a great looking result with no paint on the trim, and no visible edge.

I may also inquire about the tape they use and mask the weather stripping myself -- I know I will care more about the accuracy of the tape on my carethan the mask technician will.

illapino · Post by **illapino** » March 16th, 2007, 10:59 pm

well, don't bodyshops include in their paintjobs some form of customer satisfaction guaranteed? why didn't you go back and complain? if a bodyshop repaints my entire car for a couple grand or 6 grand, don't i have the right as a customer to say "hey look, it may be a little thing, but i don't like how you masked the car to paint it. could you please put my car back in your shop and correct it?" ... isn't there something governmentally legal in paper that says this for any pricey hiring of services???