Hello. Im new to the board obivously, but I look forward to this becoming quite a popular site for me. Anyway, I'll get to the point. Im a proud owner of a 85 2M4 with 90K. Just finished installing a new clutch, and now enjoy 32MPG in the city and the thrill only a fiero provides around every corner. The only thing I have left is a new paint job. Im very impressed with some of the new colors Cadillac has been coming out with (more specifically, Xenon Blue), and would like to repaint my car (especially since after 20 years, it could use it).
I went to a very reputable shop today but was blown away by the price. Here's the breakdown: Please comment and suggest any alternative. Thanks!
Subl ADD JAMBS COLOR CHANGE $300.00 Refn EXTERIOR COMPLETE SMALL 25.5hrs -paint labor Refn CLEAR COAT 2.5hrs -paint labor Rpr DETRIM FOR PAINT 10.0hrs -body labor Rpr DENTS DINGS 7.0hrs - body labor Subl HAZ. WASTE REMOVAL $5.00 Lifetime Warranty
Of course I jumped! Even after a $2300 paint job, I couldnt sell the car for $2300, and it's in great shape!
I noticed it's 38 bucks an hour,and I cant expect it to be much cheaper, but there's a few estimates I question.
First of all, does anyone know if it takes $350 worth of paint to paint a car the size of a fiero?
Secondly, does it really take 10 HOURS to take the emblems off my car?? If so, I'll do it myself and save $380!
Also, there's obivously a $300 charge for changing the color of my door jambs, hood area, etc. However, if you notice, (well, at least on my car) most of the hood and jamb area is black! There's only a small area of body molding that enters the jambs area. Do you think that figure is also negotiable?
This will make my first complete car paint job. I've only had minor repair work done in the past and I thought I was being rather liberal with an estimate of $1000, but never $2300 !!
I own a shop where most of the paint work we do is custom paint, total resprays and restoration work.
Here are a few things to consider and think about.
What kind of work does this shop do? When you said they charge $38/hour that sounds like a collision shop. In most states that is the most insurance companies will pay them so that is the most they can charge. *Most* body shops specialize in collision repair. While there is absoutley nothing wrong with that, it can skew the numbers for someone looking to get a car completely resprayed. This is because collision is a "in and out" business, and requires high dollar special tooling. Shops that specialize in custom work, resprays or restoration do not carry this overhead and can adjust accordingly.
the ammount they quoted sounds very readonable for quality paint. Figure around $100 or so for a quart of paint, takes two quarts to paint the average car. $40 for a gallon of reducer (again for the paint), and anywhere from $80 to $150 for clearcoat, plus a little more for the activator.
As for the door jams did they actually open the doors so they know that they are mostly black inside? There is a supprising amount of labor involved in completely changing the color of a car, inside and out. Even just painting the jams can add up in the form of labor for masking properly.
I would say that if their work is good quality the quote is not unreasonable. It can certainly get more expensive than that that's for sure. Did they mention if the quote includes buffing?
A great way to find a good painter in your area that might not charge as much is to go to the local paint supply store (quality paints like PPG or DuPont) and ask the people who work at the store if they know of anyone in town that does a reasonable job in the price range you might be looking to spend. These guys deal with a lot of painters, from top quality collision to the one time sprayers painting their own cars. They may know of a painter that does work on the side or weekends who could give you a better deal, or a retired painter who does some side work. There are a lot of good painters out there who are not working in shops anymore.
Hope this helps,
Brian
IP: Logged
10:56 PM
PCGamer Member
Posts: 540 From: Livonia, Michigan Registered: Mar 2004
The above post is a good explanation of why the cost is so high. I guess a big question would be if you are only going to be happy with a quality job of it you would settle for less. There are a number of people on here that have Mayco jobs and seem to be happy with the quality of them. I have seen many cars that people are beaming with pride about a low end job. Personally, I have never once seen a low end job that I would have allowed on my car, but that is me. If you would settle for less you can get the car done for under $500.
IP: Logged
02:36 AM
carolinajoe Member
Posts: 822 From: Spring Hill,Fl. Registered: Feb 2005
I stopped at a paint/body shop the other day. Now mind you me doing all the prep work, I have the Frnt and rear fascia off and the hood and deck lid. I have my own paint too. $1500.00 I laughed at him and he also siad I would have to put the pieces back on and bring it back so they could wet sand it and buff.
I am going to attempt it myself for that kinda $$$
Hi Justin, Welcome to the forum, To answer a few of your questions, the collision centers make more money slapping on a Lexus front fender and doing the finish work, then getting a check from insurance company`s, than they would from a all-over paint job. So to be up front they don`t want the all over un-less you want to pay alot of $$$$$ for it, they are to time consumimg.. Brian is correct in saying to find someone on the side, there are alot of good painters "not" working in shops these days, Another Idea that I shoot accross to folks is what I did alot of years ago , when I too, thought that the shops where a bit to pricey, an that is --find a vocational school in your area ,, that offer night classes for adults, they let you bring in your project/car , teach you the basics, and let you paint your own car using their equipment. I think the basic cost today is around 300.00 plus materials and you have a good teacher to instruct you . You can of course leave it with their students for a while to learn on , pay a small amount for material and let them have at it. All-in-All its really kinda up to what your looking for in a paint job, I`m a perfectionist, so I do all the prep work, depending on which of my painter buddys are around , may or may not have them shoot it for me, or shoot it my-self, then I insist on doing my own finish work (time taker). Again its really up to what you are wanting. I`d try to look for a "off the clock" painter, they will usually do it for 1/2 or less of what a regular shop would, and you would get a desent paint job for your Fiero. If you look real close on the Fiero --allthough they say the jambs are black--there is a little color/paint around your door skins, front fender tops, both deck lids, ect and for a complete nice job those areas need attention too. And yes your right --why do you want to pay more for paint than you did your car?? If you got to have it --you got to have it---. If you want to save a pile of $$$ Pm me and I can show/help you with how to do prep/finish work. Hope this helps out .............Good Luck
I stripped/sanded the car myself, and brought it to Maaco. Paid them $1,000 for base/clear, color change, with sills etc. When i got it back, it had occasional runs, and was maybe a 5-10 foot paintjob. Looked awesome if you were that far away.. If you were closer you saw dust specs etc, and overspray everywhere. Took a lot of effort to make it look decent afterward. I say if you have the money for a"good" paintjob, do it!
Wow, thanks for all the insight! I'm going to look for an "off-the-clock" painter. And, man I wish I had more time, I'd take a course and do it myself . When GM introduced the Fiero I was in complete awe. I was a kid at the time and couldn't drive anyway, but I made it a personal goal to own one. Now I do, and I don't think it's leaving me until I write it down in a will! Im sure many of you share the same passions. All this in mind, I don't mind paying for quality. I want to be *very* proud of my car. So if a paint job's $2K, then it will just take more time to save...much more time .
BTW, anyone an "off-the clock" painter near North Carolina? ...hell the Eastern TIme Zone is close enough for me.
I usually spend anywhere from $400-600 for materials, unless there is a special color involved. Then the price goes up depending on the cost of the color. $2300 isn't out of line for a proper paint job by a shop. When I paint a Fiero, I pull the car apart so I don't have to mask, and that allows me to spray the black door jambs, the undersides of the hood and decklid, the headlight areas, the engine areas, and other spaces that need a little black touch up. When the car is reassembled, it looks new because all of the surfaces you see have been redone. It's a very labor intensive job, and you get a top notch paint job out of it. Yeah, you may not have a car that's worth what you paid for a top of the line paint job, but if you are just spraying for resale you go to Earl Sheib or MAACO.
Good luck with your paint job, and if you do try to do some of the work yourself, we'll be happy to offer any help we can.
We are in the process of painting an 86GT. I have a neighbor that does custom painting on cars out of his garage. I have seen his work and it is beautiful! Anyway, he shot me a price of $400.00 plus materials. We have spent $400 dollars for the paint, about $300 for the primer. We have done all the sanding work, taping and leg work to get the car ready to go.
Working on weekends, it took 6 weeks just to get the sanding and priming done!
I know that $2,000 may seem to be over priced, but if you do the work yourself, you can understand where the labor comes in.
The car will look great when it is completed (hopefully, weather permiting, it will have it's base coat this weekend).
Just remember that you get what you pay for...
IP: Logged
07:09 PM
PFF
System Bot
May 5th, 2005
rogergarrison Member
Posts: 49601 From: A Western Caribbean Island/ Columbus, Ohio Registered: Apr 99
You do know the clearcoat must be applied within 24 hours of the basecoat to adhere right ? (assuming its urathane). I use Evercoat primer/surfacer and 1 gallon is plenty (makes 2 gallons) and costs me $25. A normal OEM color in BASF/R&M paint usually runs me $200-250 for base and clear.
. When GM introduced the Fiero I was in complete awe. I was a kid at the time and couldn't drive anyway, but I made it a personal goal to own one. Now I do, and I don't think it's leaving me until I write it down in a will! 
