What would it cost to paint my car??

[1990lumina]

Hey, has anyone had their whole car painted, and if so, how much did it cost you?

 

I'm at the crossroads with my Lumina. If I decide to keep it, it's gonna get painted this summer. Basically, the paint on every panel on the car needs to be repainted, with exception of the roof which is fine right now. i'm just looking fora general price range i'd be looking at. I want something that won't flake off again in one or two years.

 

Along with paint I'll do all the other repairs to the car, and try and track down some better seats for the front at least since mine are terrible nowadays..

 

Anyway, thanks guys! Depending what it would cost me to paint this thing I way or may not keep it..not point in driving a car with no paint on it

[J]

you don't want ot know. cost me with body work ($4500)

[IRONDOG442]

if you lived closer to me i could get it done for you for under $1000 including taxes, The Alero I had redone needed some body work and the bill was $1,000 and it looks as good as factory..

 

[88Regal Limited]

Go to the local store and pick up an issue of popular hot rodding or car craft, they both have paint and body issues out, very good information.

[J]

mine is much better than stock!

[Psych0matt]

if you lived closer to me i could get it done for you for under $1000 including taxes, The Alero I had redone needed some body work and the bill was $1,000 and it looks as good as factory..

 

 

hmmm, could i perchance take you up on that sometime in the future?

[GnatGoSplat]

Your Life Savings + $3000 + Your First Born.

 

[88Regal Limited]

car craft subtitle- paint your own car for 1000

 

this includes primer, filler,paint, clear, paint+primer gun etc. The only thing that you would else need is an air compressor

[Q-Ball]

Body work costed me more than paint. Best thing to do is take it in for a estimate.

[Crazy K]

I calculated that my lumina wouls have cost more than $50 to paint... using rattle cans. so I never bothered.

 

how bad is your paint actually Jeff?

 

Whenever someone asks me about paint... I tell them to claybar buff and wax and see if the paint still looks bad afterwards. A re-paint is always soooo obvious to me.

[IRONDOG442]

car craft subtitle- paint your own car for 1000

 

this includes primer, filler,paint, clear, paint+primer gun etc. The only thing that you would else need is an air compressor

 

I have always said at the prices my body man charges me it doesnt pay me to learn to do it myself and that issue totally proves my point, especially considering he did body work as well for that $1,000.

[5speedz34]

Irondog, I definetly want to get my car painted by your guy. Does he do custom work? I'm seriously interested. PM me some info and I'll tell you what I'm interested in.

 

I want to tear the car down to just the unibody and go from there.

[1990lumina]

I calculated that my lumina wouls have cost more than $50 to paint... using rattle cans. so I never bothered.

 

how bad is your paint actually Jeff?

 

Whenever someone asks me about paint... I tell them to claybar buff and wax and see if the paint still looks bad afterwards. A re-paint is always soooo obvious to me.

 

If the car was clean enough to take pics of the issues I would post some...but I'm scared to take it to wash it since the high pressure will blow a bunch of paint off ImO...waiting to hand wash it this spring.

 

I'm pretty sure a claybar and wax will help..but the underlying problem is the surafce of the paint is perfect..it's the issue of the paint is peeling off because the primer or paint isn't sticking to the metal anymore..

 

Damn seems to cost a lot to paint this...I dunno if it'll be worth my time/money. I could see it if the car was in other wise immaculate shape mechanically, etc...but it isn't.

[gimper]

Sorry to say it will cost you an arm and a leg, that if you want a very good paint job. Sure you can probably find cheaper (IRONDOG442 managed) but most of the time you will not. Taking a car down to bare metal, primer it (several times) smooth out all body panels and then a 2 stage paint with following wet sand and polishing is to put it simply very time consuming task.

 

The paint it self is not cheap either. You will need nearly a gallon of base and gallon of clear when painting all areas (trunk area, under the hood, engine bay, doors jabs, and the body it self) – that if you taken a part your car for a complete body job.

 

You can make shortcuts such as not taking it down to bare metal (but you need to do this on your car since it peels), but the end result will not be as good since you have a build up of paint which will be too thick.

 

One thing you can do is to do all the prep work your self. Then leave it to the body shop to spray the base and clear along with the wet sand and polish. There is a very good website on paint jobs and how to do it. Not that I agree what everything he says but if you follow what he says you will end up with a pretty good paint job. Note that he is painting it him self too but I would not recommend that if this is your first paint job. On a side note read the rest of his articles it’s a fun read and full of good advices…

 

 

Cheers Gimper

 

Ah the link http://imperialclub.com/Repair/Body/Painting101/

 

PS: One thing with paint jobs never use power tools – only use arm power…

 

[3pt1lumina]

Cost me $3k to paint my Chevelle (that was with body work).

 

I'd imagine between $2-3k just because it's so labor intensive..unless you have connections. On a car with no rust or body work needed, my dad's friend will paint my car for $1500 with materials.

 

 

I just wish my 90 didn't need body work, or else I would have already done it. Still waiting, someday.

[ToroToro]

My '66 ran me 1500 total, including welding on new rear quarters and doing door jams, etc. But this was at Rod's across the street, whom I naturally became friends with when I moved here. Painters are always the best friends to have.

[1990lumina]

My '66 ran me 1500 total, including welding on new rear quarters and doing door jams, etc. But this was at Rod's across the street, whom I naturally became friends with when I moved here. Painters are always the best friends to have.

 

Probably the only type of friend I don't have lol...shit!

 

Well I'll say now this probably won't be happening...been car shopping and something new will be purchased in the next few months..