A show of hands please of anyone who has had issues using "America Body Shop of horrors" Maaco to paint their car?
I took my 80 vette into the local franchise last March for minor body work, a new bumper which I provided and a paint change. Several lies later, 2 new front bumpers (neither of which fit) they ended up fixed the original bumper (iI was told of course wasn't fixable when I had the car estimated) and 3 months later out rolled my beauty with one of the most flawed paint jobs even I could see.
Orange peel, runs, the paint was cloudy, I imagine from either not enough paint or poor prep, the front bumper was off a half inch, the hood wasn't aligned and would't stay up, the T-tops still had scratches and grooves in them. I paid extra for the door jambs to be painted, they didn't even take the doors off, just taped them and no sanding, they sprayed over what looked like a clump of chewing gum, and the paint was wrinkling and cracking.
An hour after I picked up the car a stress crack popped out.. A huge fischer popped out on the hood and it had to be repainted this summer, and thats just the short list.
It's back at the shop for the 5th time, and the owner sat on it for 2 weeks before he ever started working on it... needless to say we have had a few words. It has now been a month and I still don't have my car. I had to get Maaco national involved.
Similar stories anyone??? Oh any by the way just for clarification should my car have been gel-coated? Maaco said no. Everything I have read and have been told is yes it should be to allow the fibers in the car to contract and expand in he heat and cold. Good thing I have the 5 year warranty...lol
Thanks everyone.

 

I have a paint job from them with no problems

 

Thats what you get taking your car to "MAACO" to begin with !!!

I wouldnt bring my car there if they supplied the materials & PAID ME to paint it .............

You would be MUCH better off painting it yourself with a paint brush

 

Shoulda taken it to Earl Scheib's.

 

I had my daily driver painted at Maaco 3 and 1/2 years ago with their mid price job looks good typical small trash in paint but no complaints

 

how does that old saying go.



YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR.

 

I've had quite a few cars painted at Maacos with no issues. They all were nice driver quality jobs that still looked good. Got lots of compliments on the last truck I had them do. Some of their shops are better than others so the best thing to do is look at the cars they've just completed before making your decision. I have never seen anything near the God awful disaster you have described. Hopefully the corporation will force that shop to do the right thing.

 

sounds similar to how my car was done.....except it cost me $3800 and it wasn't maaco....just a local shop.

Point is, it pays to shop around and ask plenty of questions no matter who you deal with

 

I guess it would be good for a daily driver or commercial fleet, and who the painter is..I have dealt with our local Maaco numerous times and they have a painter that's great, At one time the company I work for was going through a nationwide image change, we had 57 vehicles that needed to be painted within a 3 month period and Maaco had the contract to do this.. now considering they had an average of 20 vans to paint a month, I had only 1 that I had to send back for a bad paint job, and to find out that they used it to train a new painter that they were bringing in. Of course we had to do all the prep and body work.. But like everyone says.. It's all in the prep to get a nice paint job..
Now would I let them paint my vette...I don't think so..

 

Some of the better ones provide good driver quality paint jobs.

 

A company nationally advertises it's ability to offer complete vehicle paint jobs at 20 to 30% the full price of reputable bodyshops!

How do you think they are able to offer this price?

Expectations have to be somewhat in line with pricing, don't you think??

 

You couldnt have said it better!!!

 

In order for maaco to offer their cheap prices they use the worst material and the cheapest laborers they can find.

THE CUSTOMER GETS WHAT THEY PAID FOR.

They stay in business because there are a lot more people who dont care about what their cars look like (or just cant tell the difference)than there are that do.

The material (my cost) for one of our paint jobs costs more than three of their complete paint jobs . There is a reason for that!! Never mind the bodywork aspect of it

This is why everyone uses "MAACO JOB" when they describe lousy work.

 

I had an 84 vette painted by Maaco back in the early 90's...the paint wasnt superb, but it looked fine for what it was. I wouldnt take my 78 there to be sure.

By the sound of it, you ran into a really bad Maaco. for even if you follow the axiom, "you get what you paid for" you clearly paid more than what you got was worth.

 

I looked over their previous work. talked with the MANAGER for a year before i decided. He knew a month before i was coming to save his best paint guy for me. Now FAST81 is driver and i paid/expected driver quality. FAST81 also was born mahogany but is now the brite red you see right <----here. It wasn't perfect, BUT after 7+ yrs ( and FAR fewer waxings than average on CF) she still turns heads and looks good.
Will i will any shows with the MAACO job.......NO -- but i only spent $500 not $5000, plus have 7+ yrs and counting of

MAACO = mod money for AFR heads, cam, and AIRGAP intake.

 

Should have gone to Rustoleum.

 

Better yet........... how about a show of hands of people who wouldnt even think about giving their Corvette Maaco to paint for FREE !!!!

 

I have gotten some trucks in my fleet done by Maaco, and when I was sixteen my first truck was painted there and I was happy. I would NEVER think about taking a vette there. Maaco produces good 10 footers.

 

KEY WORDS:

FLEET
TRUCKS
CHEAP
FAST
10 FOOTERS
SLOPPY
DIRTY
OVERSPRAY

AS I ALREADY STATED, YOU CAN DO A BETTER JOB YOURSELF WITH A PAINT BRUSH !!
ENOUGH SAID............TAKE A CORVETTE THERE & YOU GET WHAT YOU DESRVE,
SHOW CAR QUALITY & STEVIE WONDER IS THE JUDGE !!

 

It's like everything else, each shop is different and you can't tell unless you check the one out that is doing your work. I have had several cars that were fixed in different shops throughout my live and I could find issues with all of them. The only time I had the Vette fixed was after someone decided to hit my PS fender and leave. The shop I took it to did a great job on replacing and painting the fender but he would not do a full repaint. He said it was a lot more work then he wanted to do anymore. He worked at a shop that did a lot of Vettes when he was younger and new what to do. I need to start thinking about it now that the car is 14 years older.