Shocked at Paint Job Prices . . .
#21
Team Owner
Member Since: Jun 2000
Location: Southbound
Posts: 38,928
Likes: 0
Received 1,468 Likes
on
1,247 Posts
Cruise-In II Veteran
#22
Le Mans Master
Holy crap!! These prices are crazy!
I think that when I am ready for paint on my 78 there are only 2 options:
1. Get a great deal from my friend who has his wrecked/salvage Volvos painted (this is his business)-he has a regular paint guy who does all his work at much less than retail OR more likely:
2. Find an elder someone who no longer paints for a living but still does occasional jobs on the side with experience with fiberglass. First 5-6K gets the job-CASH. No disrespect but this is not brain surgery.
I think that when I am ready for paint on my 78 there are only 2 options:
1. Get a great deal from my friend who has his wrecked/salvage Volvos painted (this is his business)-he has a regular paint guy who does all his work at much less than retail OR more likely:
2. Find an elder someone who no longer paints for a living but still does occasional jobs on the side with experience with fiberglass. First 5-6K gets the job-CASH. No disrespect but this is not brain surgery.
#23
Race Director
I never called you a sucker. Although, after re-reading your first post, I see that I was a little hasty. You did mention that he color sanded, polished, and completely disassembled and re-assembled your car's body. Doors, bumper covers, mirrors, headlight covers, and a few things that I can't even think of if he got 20 separate pieces. So, I apologize. For misjudging the contents of your post. Not for calling you a sucker, because I didn't. I made a comment about how many people in many service industries view us all as suckers to be fleeced.
Also, I gotta say, it sounds like you have found a great body guy, don't lose his phone number!
Anyway, in the theme of this thread, yeah, having a car painted can be expensive. If you drive down to Mexico, you can have a car painted pretty cheap, I've heard, because they have a lower standard of living down there.
Scott
Also, I gotta say, it sounds like you have found a great body guy, don't lose his phone number!
Anyway, in the theme of this thread, yeah, having a car painted can be expensive. If you drive down to Mexico, you can have a car painted pretty cheap, I've heard, because they have a lower standard of living down there.
Scott
The paint shop didn't disassemble/reassemble. We dropped off a bunch of pieces, then picked them up painted and reassembled the car.
The shop charged me $1,800 labor (+$1,200 materials). At the shop rate of $45 that's only 40 hours. Thinking of the time it takes to mask, shoot, color sand and buff all those separate pieces 40 hours is very reasonable.
I counted again, and here's what I came up with. I think I'm forgetting a piece or two, though. Still, I get 21.
2x Headlights
2x headlight bezels
1x hood
1x wiper door
1x wiper grill
1x wiper door molding
2x windshield side moldings
2x gills
2x doors
2x t-tops
2x rear deck grills
1x exhaust filler panel
1x gas cap
1x car
Last edited by zwede; 07-07-2014 at 02:01 PM.
#24
Team Owner
My Vette was 8 or more layers. black base coat then aqua green, then clear then polished, then a ghost flame job with another clear coat, then gold metal flake then 2-3 more coats of clear and the final polish. I get a discount on paint etc. and it all adds up
#25
Race Director
$3K for the materials to do that job is quite cheap. Seems some forum members are still in the 1970's or something?
My simple BC/CC in solid red was $1,200 just for BC/CC. That does not include primer. It's done with PPG paint, which I know from experience is extremely durable. Previously I've had that same paint sit in TX sun 3-4 days a week for 10 years and had no fading at all.
My simple BC/CC in solid red was $1,200 just for BC/CC. That does not include primer. It's done with PPG paint, which I know from experience is extremely durable. Previously I've had that same paint sit in TX sun 3-4 days a week for 10 years and had no fading at all.
#26
Le Mans Master
$3K for the materials to do that job is quite cheap. Seems some forum members are still in the 1970's or something?
My simple BC/CC in solid red was $1,200 just for BC/CC. That does not include primer. It's done with PPG paint, which I know from experience is extremely durable. Previously I've had that same paint sit in TX sun 3-4 days a week for 10 years and had no fading at all.
My simple BC/CC in solid red was $1,200 just for BC/CC. That does not include primer. It's done with PPG paint, which I know from experience is extremely durable. Previously I've had that same paint sit in TX sun 3-4 days a week for 10 years and had no fading at all.
Great price!!
15-20K is ridiculous for painting a corvette though.
#27
Race Director
No disrespect, but it doesn't sound like you have done it. After getting a C3 ready for a nice paint job; stripping to 'glass, replacing panels or repairing old bondoed damage, glassing the seams, getting everything straight, glassing and cutting door gaps, primer, and blocking everything.... I can tell you I wouldn't do it again for a measly $15K. No way. It's hundreds of hours of work.
But like I said earlier: If you just want paint, that's easy.
But like I said earlier: If you just want paint, that's easy.
#28
Drifting
A lot of folks do not want to face the truth that stripping and repairing and then finally painting a Vette the right way is neither cheap or easy. Everyone wants their car to look like it came from the factory or better and are amazed at how much it cost. I must have more than 500 dollars in materials not parts already spent on my Vette and I haven't even bought the paint, clear and all the solvents yet.
I retired from auto body two years ago and it has always been an uphill battle to explain to people that you get what you pay for.
I retired from auto body two years ago and it has always been an uphill battle to explain to people that you get what you pay for.
Last edited by persuader; 07-07-2014 at 02:49 PM.
#29
Le Mans Master
I am totally on board that you get what you pay for with materials. Labor charges are all over the board, that is the problem. I am very aware of what's involved in painting a car and no I have not done automotive painting but just about everything else on our cars and many others…. as a hobby.
Here is a great case in point:
I had my house painted 8 years ago by an established local painter. He used Benjamin Mooore paint-1 coat and charged me X.
I am about to get my house painted again by a Gentleman from Portugal who has painted numerous houses of my friends-I have seen his work-for the SAME price as 8 years ago with a better paint-Sherwin Williams Duration and here is the kicker--TWO coats-which is like painting the house twice for the same money 8 years ago. Why? He wants the business, works hard which I highly respect, and does not want to get paid like a neurosurgeon.
See the difference?
Here is a great case in point:
I had my house painted 8 years ago by an established local painter. He used Benjamin Mooore paint-1 coat and charged me X.
I am about to get my house painted again by a Gentleman from Portugal who has painted numerous houses of my friends-I have seen his work-for the SAME price as 8 years ago with a better paint-Sherwin Williams Duration and here is the kicker--TWO coats-which is like painting the house twice for the same money 8 years ago. Why? He wants the business, works hard which I highly respect, and does not want to get paid like a neurosurgeon.
See the difference?
#30
I called every "Corvette Shop" in the Kansas City area, and with NO bodywork, they all wanted 12-15k. I found someone who runs a dealership body shop and also does side work. He had my car about a year, but she needed a couple hundred hours body work, including the front clip removed and re-glued. I paid about $1800 in paint and clear (myself), and $5500 for the work and spray. Couldn't be happier.
#31
Le Mans Master
No disrespect, but it doesn't sound like you have done it. After getting a C3 ready for a nice paint job; stripping to 'glass, replacing panels or repairing old bondoed damage, glassing the seams, getting everything straight, glassing and cutting door gaps, primer, and blocking everything.... I can tell you I wouldn't do it again for a measly $15K. No way. It's hundreds of hours of work.
But like I said earlier: If you just want paint, that's easy.
But like I said earlier: If you just want paint, that's easy.
Last edited by jb78L-82; 07-07-2014 at 03:20 PM.
#32
Instructor
Member Since: Aug 2013
Location: Johnston Rhode Island
Posts: 234
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes
on
2 Posts
Wow! There are some crazy quotes floating around. Fortunately my buddy owns a body shop. He told me last fall 3k to do my 71. Jams, gutters, bodywork etc. he said it would be less if I prepped it and he shoots it. I did ask how much for an average guy and he said around 5k.
I think some of these high prices are for 2 reasons.
1) you have a Vette so you are rich...pay up
2) they don't want to do the job so if they want to pay 10k I will do it.
I think some of these high prices are for 2 reasons.
1) you have a Vette so you are rich...pay up
2) they don't want to do the job so if they want to pay 10k I will do it.
#33
Le Mans Master
I called every "Corvette Shop" in the Kansas City area, and with NO bodywork, they all wanted 12-15k. I found someone who runs a dealership body shop and also does side work. He had my car about a year, but she needed a couple hundred hours body work, including the front clip removed and re-glued. I paid about $1800 in paint and clear (myself), and $5500 for the work and spray. Couldn't be happier.
Attachment 47810334
Attachment 47810334
#34
Le Mans Master
Wow! There are some crazy quotes floating around. Fortunately my buddy owns a body shop. He told me last fall 3k to do my 71. Jams, gutters, bodywork etc. he said it would be less if I prepped it and he shoots it. I did ask how much for an average guy and he said around 5k.
I think some of these high prices are for 2 reasons.
1) you have a Vette so you are rich...pay up
2) they don't want to do the job so if they want to pay 10k I will do it.
I think some of these high prices are for 2 reasons.
1) you have a Vette so you are rich...pay up
2) they don't want to do the job so if they want to pay 10k I will do it.
That to me is the target price-5-6K. Any higher on a pretty basic paint job-not crap-I would walk away. Most people don't NEED to paint their cars-not everyone- BUT they want to, which gives you tons of leverage on price.
Last edited by jb78L-82; 07-07-2014 at 03:16 PM.
#35
Race Director
I am talking about a basic strip, fixing the front fender seams, and a basic paint job like the car came from St Louis in 1978-NOT a Concours paint job which none of our cars had from the factory-5-6K is what I consider reasonable. A top flight paint job-to me-12K- no more-to me.
Door gaps:
Panels blocked together to create an even suraface:
#36
Le Mans Master
Member Since: Mar 2008
Location: Oxford MA-----You just lost the game!!!!
Posts: 5,948
Likes: 0
Received 62 Likes
on
52 Posts
No worries. We just need to consider that "a paint job" is not a known quantity. A quick scuff-n-shoot job by someone working out of his garage in a make-shift booth may be great for one person, were someone else will not be happy unless it's done to show car levels. Were the first may be $1K, the second can easily be $15K or more.
The paint shop didn't disassemble/reassemble. We dropped off a bunch of pieces, then picked them up painted and reassembled the car.
The shop charged me $1,800 labor (+$1,200 materials). At the shop rate of $45 that's only 40 hours. Thinking of the time it takes to mask, shoot, color sand and buff all those separate pieces 40 hours is very reasonable.
I counted again, and here's what I came up with. I think I'm forgetting a piece or two, though. Still, I get 21.
2x Headlights
2x headlight bezels
1x hood
1x wiper door
1x wiper grill
1x wiper door molding
2x windshield side moldings
2x gills
2x doors
2x t-tops
2x rear deck grills
1x exhaust filler panel
1x gas cap
1x car
The paint shop didn't disassemble/reassemble. We dropped off a bunch of pieces, then picked them up painted and reassembled the car.
The shop charged me $1,800 labor (+$1,200 materials). At the shop rate of $45 that's only 40 hours. Thinking of the time it takes to mask, shoot, color sand and buff all those separate pieces 40 hours is very reasonable.
I counted again, and here's what I came up with. I think I'm forgetting a piece or two, though. Still, I get 21.
2x Headlights
2x headlight bezels
1x hood
1x wiper door
1x wiper grill
1x wiper door molding
2x windshield side moldings
2x gills
2x doors
2x t-tops
2x rear deck grills
1x exhaust filler panel
1x gas cap
1x car
Scott
#37
Le Mans Master
And there's the rub. Neither of your examples would be an acceptable job to me. I must have perfect 3/16" door gaps. All panels must be blocked to each other. Not to mention hood gaps, headlights and on and on. So we have different expectations.
Door gaps:
Panels blocked together to create an even suraface:
Door gaps:
Panels blocked together to create an even suraface:
Unfortunately, none of the C3's came from the factory that way-none of them. The 81/82's have better paint jobs since they came from the new Bowling Green plant but prior to 81 the St. Louis cars were never show quality, even brand spanking new. I appauld your making the car much better than new.
You are correct. I was talking about bringing the car back to "factory" original.
Last edited by jb78L-82; 07-07-2014 at 03:37 PM.
#38
You can see my gaps pretty well here. They were TERRIBLE when I took it in to him (aftermarket front end, aftermarket door skins, aftermarket hood). Some were almost 1/2" before.
She might not be perfect, but a gorgeous 10 footer, and I like to drive and enjoy it also.
She might not be perfect, but a gorgeous 10 footer, and I like to drive and enjoy it also.
#40
Le Mans Master
I am happy with scuff and shoot .When you put a car on the street you will get stone chips.let it sit and there have been cases where it gets scratched or worse.i don't need perfect. that I expect to cost .I just want a driver .having more in paint than the car is worth, just does not work for me.If you tell me the paint is going to cost 10 plus then I have to assume you don't want to do it.