How much does a new paint job cost?

[James Bond]

I've always heard that a full paint job cost like >$5K.

A friend of mine got a new car recently (new to him), and is getting it painted. He was telling me how Maaco or some company can do the entire car for like $450...

I didn't bother debating it with him, but I know that I have paid like $150-$200 per part on my own car.

 

[nakedfrog]

Yes, Maaco or Earl Scheib will give you a really cheap paint job, sometimes starting at $200. Prep work is lacking (but I hear if you do that yourself, they actually do a decent job). A GREAT paint job will cost thousands.

 

[Sniper82]

If thats to prep it and all then I'd say it will be half @$$ed job. If the cars ready to be painted it might not be bad. But anything more then a couple grand had better be NICE with custom gfx.

 

[James Bond]

Then why is painting one part so expensive? Getting my bumper painted cost me around $150... Which is "average" I've heard.

 

[nakedfrog]

Originally posted by: Tizyler
Then why is painting one part so expensive? Getting my bumper painted cost me around $150... Which is "average" I've heard.

It's tough to color match. If you're painting a whole car, you don't have to worry about that.
And there's also probably a minimum amount they charge for labor.

 

[NutBucket]

To paint a car correctly you really have to strip all the exterior trim and such. The pro places are gonna paint you engine bay, door jambs, etc. That's where Macco differs. They'll just mask and paint the outside, like those cars you see driving around where the muffler has tons of overspray on it.

Naturally with prep and such, a pro paint job WILL look better than a factory paint job 9 times out of 10.

 

[jtvang125]

I was quoted $4k to do mine. That includes fixing all small dents and deep scratches.

 

[FeuerFrei]

I had my car painted from the front edge of the front doors back to the rear bumper at a cost of $1500. Prior removal of lights and trim, rather than masking, would have added $800. I also got both the side mirrors painted to match the body for $50 each.

 

[thedarkwolf]

Originally posted by: NutBucket
To paint a car correctly you really have to strip all the exterior trim and such. The pro places are gonna paint you engine bay, door jambs, etc. That's where Macco differs. They'll just mask and paint the outside, like those cars you see driving around where the muffler has tons of overspray on it.

Naturally with prep and such, a pro paint job WILL look better than a factory paint job 9 times out of 10.

They do a pretty sloppy job masking too. I've seen cars where they painted right over emblems and trim.

 

[shocksyde]

Originally posted by: thedarkwolf

They do a pretty sloppy job masking too. I've seen cars where they painted right over emblems and trim.

Are you use Maaco did that? That's just plain wrong.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

The difference between a $250 paint job and a $10,000 paint job is the difference between your neighbor who drives his riding lawnmower over your flowerbed and sprinker heads vs. the guy who does greens at a golf course

 

[CtK]

i would like to get my G35 coupe painted a matte black!!