I know that this question must come up often and that it is really relative to what you are looking for. But I will ask it anyway with some qualifiers. I have a 2000 coupe that is black. I bought it in 2008 and at the time it had apparently just been detailed for sale and looked very good. Although there were swirls and a couple of chips on the hood and a small chip on the driver’s door edge it was nothing that did not look like a good paint correction could not cure. Fast forward 4 months from purchase and the passenger side door is hazing over with a milky color. It’s my fault for not looking closer when I bought the car but now I can make out where the door had been taped and the spears were re-glued, meaning the door had been repainted. Now I can polish the door with a non-aggressive pad and it brings back the color, but this has to be done almost monthly even with sealant and wax applied after polishing. So long story short (I guess I have gone way past short already) I want to have the entire car repainted the original color, black. So the question finally is “what is the cost of a good paint job?”. “Good” meaning no less quality than the factory job (which I know some may say is not good) as at least a reference point. Also, “good” meaning that all proper preparation is done, again realizing this is also a subject of much opinions, so I would say that the preparation must again be as good as the factory work. I have looked at several shops in my area and the prices range from the ridiculously low to the astronomically high. I am admittedly no expert and other than looking at paint work they have done don’t know how to judge their work. Just for a reference point, one shop has quoted $10,000. It is a custom shop and his work looks great but $10k for a daily driver would be a stretch. Any input/opinion is welcome as I am just trying to gage the cost I should anticipate. Thanks.

 

A good paint job for the entire car is @ 7K, which in my opinion is not worth it for your car. You never are going to recoup that money.What I would do is, give the car a nice detailing job and just repaint the door in question.

 

Cost of a job is OFTEN relative to the TIME being spent on it. And knowing that the prep is a very important part of a paint job. This is often times the procedure where time will be "shaved-off" to make a job less expensive.

Previous repair work is a concern to many painters...because you NEVER KNOW what the "other guy/gal" did before they painted it....which is relative to what they were being paid to do to it. So when I notice previous repair work...this is when "red flags" get raised and "bells and sirens" go off in my head...letting me know that I could run into an issue that can shoot my time invested all to heck....thus causing me to call the customer and let them know that more $$$ WILL BE required...or they can get the car and take it to someone who is willing to "jump through hoops" to save them $$$... because poor quality will and can directly effect my reputation....which is something I treasure and have paid my dues to obtain and earn.

The reason you are getting different prices is much of what I just mentioned. AND knowing you want at least a factory type paint WILL be directly related to what the shop sees and how they can "work-around" any issues that arise. If you are planning on getting it painted after this post. You might want to consider finding as shop that will take the time required to provide you a good paint job. And this may cost some $$$, but HOPEFULLY you will get a guarantee/warranty on the work so if anything arises...you have something to fall back on. I know that you plan on driving it...which means that it is going to be subjected to the environment...more so than a garaged/"trailer queen". If panels and parts are not removed for proper prep to be performed...then the chance of a delamination, peeling, etc can occur. So as you stated...how picky are you going to be IF something goes wrong a short time AFTER it has been painted...and you still paid some $$$ for it? Because if you expect to pay little to nothing for it versus a much higher price...it boils down to ...you get what you pay for. Commenting on a price is subjective to the condition of what I see at the time. But as a rule of thumb...prices can EASILY start at $5000.00 and go up from there.... and they usually do go up. And this is for a factory finish...if not a bit slicker due to the clearcoat flowing out better than the factory in some areas.

"DUB"

 

I appreciate the recommendation but I am not concerned about resale value of the car. I am close, very close, to retirement and this will be my last vette. So while a good detail and reshoot of the door may suffice for a while eventually it will have to be repainted, so I would rather sooner than later, when I wont be able to enjoy the ride.

DUB thanks for the comprehensive reply and tutorial it is appreciated. I am willing to pay for the work I desire and was searching for some expertise as to what a "ball park" figure would be and what to look for as far as prep work. If a starting point is $5K and up then at least I know what to expect, and again if it is quality work then I am not reluctant to pay that or a higher price. I also will drive the car. It may not see more than 4 to 6 thousand miles a year, but that is not exactly a "garage queen" and she is due shortly for some major suspension and engine upgrades. I enjoy driving my vette but also take pride in its appearance so I will be getting the full car repainted. However I also know that it will be subjected to the environment and a chip, wayward rock, and other nasties are always a potential happening. And I will deal with them as they come. A last question as to prep. I would expect that the panels would be disassembled to be prepped and painted. As far as the door goes it it is the only panel that has been repainted. What should I require of additional prep for the door as opposed to other panels that still have the factory original paint on them? Again thanks for the information and time spent.

 

Ah, the dreaded milky haze. Comes from moisture. It will never go away. Paint must be either sealed over or stripped off to correct it.

As you intend to enjoy your car on the open road, here's a thought: you're going to get stone chips, it's inevitable. If you're a DIY kind of guy and can dab on paint into those chips, think about this: don't get it repainted with the factory basecoat/clearcoat system. Cause the chip usually goes right through the clear and into the black. Dabbing on just the black without leveling on clear will stickout like a sore thumb. BUT, if you get the car painted with a single stage paint like acrylic urethane with the gloss hardner, those repairs will be invisible. Think about it. Ask your bodyman/shop.

 

Concerning ONLY your door that has the problem of this "milky haze"

QUESTION: When the door was detailed/polished. Did it shine and NOT SHOW this milky effect and look good? IF it did...and then this milky haze started to appear a short time later. Then what has more than likely occurred is that the amount of clearcoat has been lessened to the point that it can not fight against the UV's of the sun. When/if it is polished again...and looks good for a short time again...but only to have this milky haze reappear. Then the door will have to be prepped and re-shot so the clearcoat can be applied to better fight the UV's of the sun. SOMETIMES...the clearcoat can be applied only. But this is ONLY if when it is polished to match the adjacent panels...it does not show that the color has been effected. Such as fading...due to the clearcoat allowed the sun to more directly effect the basecoat color. If this all comes to be...and it seems that the door only needs clearcoating...and not applying basecoat color...then the prep on the door will need some special attention to make sure that when it is being prepped...the one prepping it does not sand or prep INTO the basecoat color by sanding though the clearcoat.

"DUB"

 

After polishing the color and shine are back, but after a week (even if sealed and waxed after polishing) the haze returns. Living in Florida the UV index is almost always high. At this point I dont see an alternative to the finish that I desire except for repainting the entire car. If that is my direction what should I insist on as way of prep for the car and considering the particular door? Also, I am not sure about the recommendation in a post above about a single stage paint. Again I am not an expert at all in this area. Thanks again for your time.

 

If the rest of your car is fine...and NOT "milking" or hazing-out"....and still hold a good shine. AND it is only the door. Then the door can be painted and/or re-cleared...(as I mentioned in my above post). IN MY OPINION...single stage paint would be out of the question...and I would apply basecoat/clearcoat paint instead. BUT...IT ALL DEPENDS on how well the door comes back to a shine ( like I previously mentioned). If the door comes back to a very good shine...and the color matches...then the door would be prepped and re-cleared and NO PAINT would have to be applied. Thus "pretty much" ensuring that the car would look correct ...and you would not have two-tones of black on it. BUT...( as I mentioned)...it all depends on how well they prep the door and NOT break through the clearcoat and IF they did break through the clearcoat and sanded/prepped too much on the black...and did not check it before re-clearing...then you could possibly have an issue in color match. BUT...if these painters have any skill...they should know all of this.

AS for me...when I paint a door like this. The side view mirror is removed...along with the door handle. If is has body side molding "spears". they come off also...and are re-applied with 3M double sided tape ( like they were form the factory). They are NOT and SHOULD NOT be glued on. But this door body side molding you have that was glued on is the "problem area". If the previous person did not properly prep the door for paint. And all they did was barely scuff it. Then the chance of the door body side molding pulling off paint CAN OCCUR. SO it is a "catch 22". Either leave it on and carefully work around it and re-clear the door if that is what can be done. OR... have the shop spend the time (which could take some time) and carefully with the 3M adhesive remover..and slowly get the door side molding off WITHOUT pulling paint.

DO NOT be surprised if the shop calls you...and when you go out to look at your car. That there might be a place or two where the clear came off. AND under that area where the clear came off...the paint underneath is shiny as the day it was painted. THIS is an INSTANT INDICATOR that VERY POOR PREP procedures were performed...and this situation...could create another hurdle (future paint delamination) for the shop to handle. A PROPERLY PREPPED PANEL should have ABSOLUTELY NO SHINE and be a consistent dull sheen to it. Any shine on a panel before painting means paint will not stick. Because the chances that they use a clear adhesion promoter is HIGHLY UNLIKELY. AND I honestly do not rely on these types of adhesion promoters to give me adhesion...versus proper prepping procedures. There is too much at stake.

"DUB"

 

My recommendation for single stage paint was if you intended to get the whole car repainted, not just the problem door.

BC/CC is put on at the factory because it is the cheapest way to do the paint job. And pass EPA regulations using waterborne paint by robot. Again I say, ask your bodyman/painter what he recommends for a last paintjob of your lifetime on your car. Then get another opinion.

I have nothing against BC/CC paint. But it is not the 'be all, end all' of automotive paint. Especially for nicks and stone chip repairs. Be an informed customer.

 

Sorry about this...but I just "had" to.

I have to politely dis-agree. If the entire car needs to be re-painted...It should go back basecoat/clearcoat.

Basecoat/ clearcoat was out back in the mid-80's. It was a "blessing" to us painters....even though there were a few problems with it...until it was figured out what caused the delamination/peeling that would occur. It made it so when many of the new metallics that were being painted from the factory...with clear... could be presented in a condition way better than a factory job. And yes...I know that there was clear available back then to do what was needed to provide a nice job... versus factory single stage paint both solid and metallic. Heck, Iwas shooting custom candy and pearl paint jobs long before the factories began shooting them on the new cars...now know as a "tri-stage". And clear was required for all of them.

I have to politely dis-agree again. Regardless of nicks and stone chips. In my opinion... because I shoot it...and also have shot single stage and about every type of paint you can think of. Paint that has clear on top of it provides the painter with much more control and flexibility in presenting a paint job to a customer that is "stellar". YES, a SOLID color in single stage CAN be presented just as slick. Metallic single stage paint is another issue entirely. But the clear offers two things that the single stage does not offer. Clear is a protective layer that can aid in keeping "stuff" from damaging the color coat. Single stage is exposed to "whatever"...and I have seen and repaired many single stage cars that could have been saved if it had clearcoat. And that is a fact. Secondly...the clearcoat can provide depth to a paint job that the single stage can not achieve.

The one major problem that single stage has going for it...if you are trying to achieve a super slick paint job. You have to apply so much if it...so when you go back and sand and buff it. That you still have enough mil thickness to give it a fighting chance against the sun's UV rays. And...there is a high possibility when sanding and buffing...that you could buff through and edge of a panel and begin to see your undercoat.... because there is no way of knowing how much you have sanded off. Even if you are someone who REALLY KNOW how to buff/polish a car out. The chance is there. And I know I am not the only painter out there that would agree with me on this. And it is often practice...depending how well the FIRST paint job goes. Is to sand down the single stage and re-apply it again so you know you have enough material to sand and buff/polish. If it a "squirt" and go. then it is was it is. And some painters add clear to the single stage and even apply a coat or two on top of it. So why do that when BC/CC is less expensive ( in many cases).

I put it to my customers who ask the same question (in regards to BC/CC versus single stage) even if the car came with BC/CC.

I say to them: " If you had a coffee table, that was made out of rare carved / inlaid wood that can not be obtained any more. And you use this coffee table in your living room. Would you not want to protect this coffee table with a piece of glass that was padded to protect the surface of this coffee table...or would you leave it unprotected and allow drink glass to leave condensation marks in your wood...or have some grape juice spill onto it...and then NOT be able to repair is easily?"

And this is my view/opinion from someone who paints Corvettes for a living.

"DUB"

 

I disagree with everything 69 Chevy says and agree 100% with Dub. I've painted both SS and BC/CC. There really is no comparison between the two.

Jim

 

Slick? I'm not familiar with that industry term.

And when I made my single stage recommendation I wasn't concerned with making it easy for the painter. It was made regarding the OP's desire to have a 'once-and-done' paint job done on his black car. And looking forward to the ease in which stone chips and paint dings can be DIY repaired on a single stage paint job.

I admit to not specializing in Corvette paintjobs. Is that a prerequisite to giving one's opinion on this forum? But I do have credentials.

 

I did not mean to start a debate over technique here. I think I got my answer regarding the direction I will take in having the entire car properly prepped and repainted in black. Yes, I am looking to have this be the last paint job on the car, at least during my life span, so while it will see a lot of drive time it will also be cared for properly. I also will deal with the eventual chips as they come. Again I have no credentials in auto painting and take the recommendations here as from experienced pros. I will investigate both BC/CC and SS options just to be as informed as I can be, but I am inclined to believe that a BC/CC would give me more depth, just based on the logic behind its application, and that if done properly repairs can be effected without too much issue. So again I truly appreciate all that replied and thanks again to all for taking time to do so.

 

A "slick" finish versus that of "orange-peel"....when dealing with texture of paint concerns. In regards to knowing how to alter the products in the mixing of components of the paint to better allow it to "FLOW". Thus a SLICK FINISH. Sorry about that...I guess that is a term I use...and no one else does.

If all your point was making it "easier" to fix stone chips and other issues. The process to fix a chip in a black basecoat/clearcoat job is NOT that much more involved....unless you feel adding a drop of clear on a chip is so hard to do.

And as you now...being certified. Single stage is NOT the normal standard. And I am quite shocked with your credentials...that you would even think of suggesting putting single stage on a new Corvette.
Especially when you go and look up formulas for your current paint jobs...I bet 98%+ are all BC/CC. Corvettes that came with single stage paint on them should be painted back with single stage paint...IF... the owner is more concerned about ORIGINALITY than what is better or best. Especially when going for an NCRS certification. But that is also subject to another debate.

Just because you do not specialize in Corvettes...means absolutely nothing to me. I am glad you are here. BUT...Commenting on issues that deal with GM's flagship automobile of performance and styling...does. Certain repairs and procedures are commonly used to TRY to keep the Corvette spirit alive and well....along with its value. Whenever an opinion is expressed that conflicts with the "normal consensus" of what is common practice...a reply may be given to contradict an opinion stated.

It is often been said that...
"Corvettes are not just a car...They are a LIFESTYLE". Once you own one...hang out with others that have them also...you will see what I mean....if you have not already. And when you repair them for a living...you will REALLY see what I mean.

"DUB"

 

Thanks alxltd1 for at least being open-minded enough to consider other options.
Best of luck with whichever paint system you choose.