Cheap places to get my car painted?

[flot]

Wondering if anyone has actual experience with the cheap "chain" places to get my car painted?

I'm selling my 300ZX, it is in desperate need of paint. I can do basic prep (will prob sand it down w/3000 grit, remove foglights and front turns, etc before taking there) but what can I expect to spend, and still get an "okay" paint job? (IE one that will help me sell the car, not hurt me)

 

[Eli]

Cheap?

Your back yard.

 

[flot]

Ok, more expensive than that. In the $300-$900 range.

Last car I got painted (my old 280ZX) I think I paid about $350, which was dirt cheap, and it came out looking really good... for the first year.

Since I'm selling the car, my first priority is to make it look good "right now" but I also don't want to completely screw over the buyer. Can I get a "decent" paint job for cheap? I had priced out "real" paint jobs in the past and I was looking at $1500-2000.... which is a third of what I'm selling the car for, so obiviously that's TOO MUCH

 

[Vette73]

If you do GREAT prep work, then look for at LEAST $800. That is for some decent paint and a decent booth and sprayer. Do NOT go to Earl shiebs(sp?) or get a CHEAP macco paint job. I think most Maccos CAN do good work, you juts havw to pay for it.

 

[flot]

Ok, I guess my question is - what happens if I go to Maaco? I always hear people badmouthing them, but why?

 

[Yossarian]

It's mostly because people don't spend money on a quality paint job, then bitch when it doesn't look all that great.

 

[Lvis]

You're going to be there a while sanding it with 3000 grit. Rubbing compounds start around 1500.

Be sure and ask what the shop wants it sanded with.

Macco did a good job on my neighbors car. It was white though, an easy color to make look good. If you just want to sell it, it doesn't matter how long it lasts, as long as it looks good.

 

[flot]

<thinking> On the previous car, I was pretty sure my final sanding was with 2000 or 3000 grit... it was absurd.... I ended up being able to see my reflection in the primer when I was done. But will keep that in mind when I go sandpaper shopping, I may have been off by a factor of 3. ;-)