Partial respray?

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Insomniator

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Oct 23, 2002
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Hey everyone, I debadged my car a little while ago and noticed their is a clear outline of 'Cooper S' where the letters were and also the clear coat is peeling. I took very fine grit sandpaper to the area to try to clean it up but alas... it remains terrible looking.

This is a 2004 model, Silver paint that is in very good condition overall so I would not want to get a whole new paint job (I could never choose a color!). My uncle said he could fix that area, just get him the paint code so he can get paint, strip all the wax/coating, wet sand the area and then 'blend' in the paint to the rest of the area to mask differences in color due to fading.

He did restore a 1957 Chevy from the ground up so I guess he knows what he's talking about. Does anyone know what this kind of thing would cost from an autobody? Does the blending technique actually work? I'd also like to get the bumpers (rear mainly) resprayed (same color) if possible as was an NYC car so there are a lot of blemishes. But now we're talking bumpers and tailgate... getting close to new paint job territory?
 

skyking

Lifer
Nov 21, 2001
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It is a PITA to match up both color and clear. Not saying it can't be done, it is done all the time with variable results.
 

theeedude

Lifer
Feb 5, 2006
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I had good results with matching silver paint on my Mazda3 hatch door repaint to rest of body. On my dark green Maxima door repaint it looked bad under sunlight. I am guessing silver is easier to match, so go for it. You could have just put the badges back on before you sanded it :)
 

DeviousTrap

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Jul 19, 2002
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$400-500 per panel in labor costs should be a rough estimate, depending on where you're located.

I just had a quote to repaint (and slightly repair) my front bumper and left fender after a woman hit my car backing out of a parking spot. One estimate came in at $1130 and another came in at $955.

This nowhere close to the cost of repainting a car. You could easily be looking at upwards of $10k for a complete repaint, if you want to do it right. I'm not saying the $300 Maaco one-coat paint job, but actually stripping everything so that you can repaint the whole exterior and all of the doors jams, etc.
 

vshah

Lifer
Sep 20, 2003
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just curious, how much should a full body repaint cost? i know the $400 maaco jobs are crap, but how much for a quality job? does the 400-500 per panel still hold?
 

manimal

Lifer
Mar 30, 2007
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just curious, how much should a full body repaint cost? i know the $400 maaco jobs are crap, but how much for a quality job? does the 400-500 per panel still hold?
400 a panel is about what I pay. A complete respray if my guys do the prep costs me about 1k. 1500 if it needs prep and a few hours of misc.
 

ElFenix

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Mar 20, 2000
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i've had both sides of my car resprayed (pass due to sheet metal that flew off the truck in front of me and sliced the side of my car as i dodged, tie your shit down people, and driver's door due to dent bodyshop put in it just prior to me picking it up from the first thing - at least the guy owned up and said, 'well that wasn't there an hour ago'). both turned out pretty well. i suppose a professional could see the difference but i sure can't.
 

theeedude

Lifer
Feb 5, 2006
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OP, Why don't you just rebadge it? Is the clear coat only peeling in the area where the badges were? Honestly, it's a 2004 car, how much money do you want to put into an 8 year old car?
 

Insomniator

Diamond Member
Oct 23, 2002
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OP, Why don't you just rebadge it? Is the clear coat only peeling in the area where the badges were? Honestly, it's a 2004 car, how much money do you want to put into an 8 year old car?

I just think it looks so much better without it! I just bought the car and it only has 40k miles. I have no problem putting money into it... I know I probably won't resell it until its worth next to nothing anyway.
 

theeedude

Lifer
Feb 5, 2006
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I just think it looks so much better without it! I just bought the car and it only has 40k miles. I have no problem putting money into it... I know I probably won't resell it until its worth next to nothing anyway.

I thought you said it was "terrible looking" after the debadge.
Your options are, aside from leaving as is are:

1. Return to stock badging:
costs essentially nothing, preserves resale value

2. Repaint rear hatch:
costs $500-$1K to do a good job, could mismatch, effect resale value (if I notice something was repainted, I assume it's because of accident, plus used car buyers usually like stock look)

If you are obsessing about the badge vs no-badge look, or over badge outline, mismatching paint after spending a lot of dough may be too much to bear...
 
Sep 7, 2009
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In my experience, the paint blending techniques seem to work better with new paint. 1-2 years old and they match it with paint codes and there are no issues.

However, at 8 years old your paint has faded significantly whether you notice it or not. Even if you had some of the original paint stored in a sealed can, it would look different than your 8 year old faded paint.

I've found that at that age you have to do an entire panel, at least. With an 8 year old car it isn't worth painting the entire thing.

If I were you, I would just put the badges back on. Otherwise have them do the entire rear panel and just the front bumper. Personally I wouldn't even pay them to blend it since it's just the bumper.
 

Insomniator

Diamond Member
Oct 23, 2002
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In my experience, the paint blending techniques seem to work better with new paint. 1-2 years old and they match it with paint codes and there are no issues.

However, at 8 years old your paint has faded significantly whether you notice it or not. Even if you had some of the original paint stored in a sealed can, it would look different than your 8 year old faded paint.

I've found that at that age you have to do an entire panel, at least. With an 8 year old car it isn't worth painting the entire thing.

If I were you, I would just put the badges back on. Otherwise have them do the entire rear panel and just the front bumper. Personally I wouldn't even pay them to blend it since it's just the bumper.

I understand the cost isn't worth it, my uncle said he'd do it just for the cost of materials (I did give my little cousin my old car so he owes me!).

I figured the entire panel would have to be done, I think I'll give it a shot... nothing to lose really. Putting the badges back on is an option, but the sanding already took the layer of clear coat off and would look bad even with the badge.
 

Insomniator

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Oct 23, 2002
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Hmm well the local guy my mechanic recommended quoted 150 per panel... that sounds a little tooo cheap if you know what i mean. Thats blending the color + clear coating the whole panel.
 
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