Professional Paint jobs?
 

Seeing as how the Mazda paint will last about 3-4 years :rolleyes: before its either A) Completely chipped or B) starts rusting, how much would it cost to get my car painted the same color with good quality and extra thickness?

Chris

Where did you get this information? I've had my Protege for 3.5 years and the paint is about 4 years old. I have a few chips and scratches, but not anything out of the ordinary. I have no rust. Heck! I don't even have a clear coat.

This reminds me of my roommate's trying to force the dealer to repaint their Focus under warranty because a rock chipped their paint. What did think would happen when a small rock get's thrown at their car on the freeway at 80mph? It's part of owning a car. That's what touch-up paint is for and why it's been available longer than I've been alive.

-Jerry

Re: Professional Paint jobs?
 

well....to actually answer your question....it all depends on the quality of the paint job you want......if you want it done RIGHT....cut no corners....it could easily set you back $3000 to $5000 US dollars. YEP...thats right....that is to end up with a show quality...flawless finish that is EVERYWHERE...not just a tape job and spray. if you REALLY want a total paint job....you take out ALL the glass...you remove ALL the trim....remove the inner fender wells. you paint inside and out...as in under the hood, the trunk lid, the door jams, everywhere. but...in about 4 years...just how much do you think your car will list for?

SOMETHING tells me you would opt to cut corners....and get a cheaper paint job.

of course...you COULD just get the touch up paint.....keep your car washed and waxed ALWAYS....get a bra or some other protection for the front while you are doing highway driving....and just take better care of it than most people.

Aww come-on... that's no fun... how much for a really cheap paint job... you know, where they promise you primer, paint, then clear-coat, and when you get the car and open the door you realize that the door wells are still blue and the rest of your car is red... ditto for the trunk and the hood... And you obviously don't have a clear coat because when you start waxing, the paint comes off on your buffer?

I bet you could get that done for about $300.

Seriously though... I think if you invested in the stock Mazda paint that your car came in, you could probably skip the extra detail (trunk, under the hood, engine compartment, wheel wells, etc.) And for that you could probably come away with a decent job for under $2000. Now, I'm not talking a perfect job, and obviously not show, and you'd better have a damn good match on the paint.

I personally want to paint my p5 in a metallic mint green, so I'm going to have to go for the whole shebang.

I am about to paint my accord, I am doing all the prep work, the paint is $195, thats paint, clear coat, and primer. I am paying a local body shop $200 to paint the car and put clear coat on it. Not a bad deal, considering that It will be a complete paint job. Its worth it to take the weekend off and prep your car, save yourself a lot of money.

and the prep work is THE MOST IMPORTANT PART....if its not done right...and not completely....well I don't care how good the painter is....the job won't last.

to give you a little perspective on cost....in 1985 I built a custom....when I took it down to have it painted all the prep work was done....the car was totally stripped too. I mean there was NO interior in the car....NO glass....SO wiring...nothing....it was a bare body and the frame.....a painters dream...nothing to mask off. ANYWAY.....the paint job consisted of 12 coats of polyurathane lime green metalic and it was all rubbed out by hand....the job ran me $2500 in 1985.

Damn you plan on taking that thing off-roading or what? 12 coats? wow :) Yes, Prep work is everything. I use to work at a body shop so I have experience doing this, and it does save YOU a lot of money, and the painter a lot of hassle.

nope.....the guy that did the paint job has an antique restoration business....they would spray a few coats...and rub it out....then color sand...then a few more coats....

it was slick as glass and totally flawless when finished.....I not only drove the car for the years that I had it...but showed it too....I have quite a few trophies for it.

Not that damn green bug or whatever the hell it is again...

Go ahead... dig out the picture again. We've only seen it twice. Let's see... once in the fuzzy dice thread, and then, was it the funnest car thread?

Here... I'll save you the trouble: http://www.protegeclub.com/forum/att...=&postid=43293

Sir Nuke: I don't doubt the quality of the paint job, If I wanted my paint to last longer than 2 years (when Im selling it) I would do the same, however I am just painting it to last til I get my Mazda6. I know how important paint is on Show cars, I showed my Civic that I had and also won many trophies, however most people don't show their car and don't find it necessary to put 12 coats on their CAR :D But I am with you, the 12 coats does make a difference, especially if they were using the technique you described, that is truley an absolute flawless paint job, how many years did you drive it around after paint job?

well dude...I wasn't going to post the pic...there was no point....if he wanted to see the car he would have ask.....and I would have pointed him to the thread....SO....there ya go.

:{D

Ten years....that picture was taken 7 years after it was painted.

damn $2500 for 10 years of driving, thats a badass deal. When I had my 89 Chevy truck that I drag Raced for a while we had them add numerous amounts of paint coats and clear coat on it. It turned out great and didn't run into any problems with it. I have thought about adding a few coats, but I dunno, I will talk to them when I get my fender on and car prepped. Very cool looking truck might I add, its worth showing people.

well I will tell you...I didn't drive it everyday...it was my Sunny sunday driver....it was my toy. I don't remember how many miles exactly were on it when I sold it....but it was NEVER trailered to a show...I would take it up to the dallas area at least twice a year to a show/races there...and always drove it up....ya get lots of "thumbs up" and smiles from people on the road like that when you are driving something different and eyecatching. It was a blast.

oh and Travis...I didn't think you doubted the quality of the job...you made the "what ya gonna do go off roading" comment..and thought I would explain why I got that type job done.