new paint job

[lucky ric]

want to repaint my emerald grn 95mtx. pricing is all over the board $400 - $4000.

there must be some difference. how do i know what to ask for to determine the quality of the job?

 

[luigisho]

That's tough. Alot of the cost is the time needed for the prep work and then material cost and number of coats including clear coat. In my experience, unless you know someone in the biz, stay away from really cheap paint jobs if you are particular about the outcome.
If all you care about is it doesn't look like faded crap for the next 12-18 months maybe the cheap route is more cost effective. You'll probably be removing overspray from a few places but you could save lots of money.
I like to find an experienced person who's just going into/ or is building a small business for themselves. Usually a good job with a lower price to lure new customers.

 

[Leon]

ask lots of questions,like what type of base coat/clear coat they use(DuPont is the choice of many expert painters)...tell them you don`t want to see orange peel,but you do want the base to be put on fairly thick(this is the mark of a good painter)...and you don`t want to see "fish eyes",which are caused from not letting the clear dry long enough between coats...if they start to hum and haw, say bye bye and go to another shop!

 

[Dave Ladely]

Remove trim as best you can, do as much prep work as you can, and offer to mask it.
Have them use epoxy primer by all means, as it provides the best base and is thick enough to even out the finish. Adds a small amount to the cost, but the paint's foundation should be strong.
I
The best paint is Imron, no doubt, but there are other good paints. Get a two part paint as they cover better, resist runs, go on smoother, are more resistant to fading and chemicals, don't orange peel, and are worth the extra cost. Labor is what kills you and that is why you will save oodles of dough by doing that yourself if you can.
If you do, you should get a very good paint job with good paint for around $1,500.00 max. I paid $1,800.00 for Imron and 3 coats of Imron clear, after I did almost all the prepping. The shop did a once-over with sandpaper and cleaned it well.
Imron is such great paint that it resists car wash swirls, sun damage, and has a great shine. Looks better than new. Great metallic colors!

 

[91 SHOplus]

Jay97SHO used to be a body man, maybe he'll chime in with his knowledge.

 

[JaySHOguy]

Thanks Kevin
It seems that Dave Ladely knows a lot about paint and bodywork.
Stay away from a cheap job. Chances are that the quality of the work and the paint will not be up to par. Of course, going with the most expensive job isn't always good either.
If you want a good quality job, find a shop that will use DuPont or PPG basecoat/clearcoat products.
A paint job that requires no bodywork(maybe a little) should cost between $1400-$2000(all depending on the shop).