Quite a few times I have had to pass up s types because they were silver or red, etc.

Has anyone re painted their s type, how much did it cost you altogether?
thanks

Note: This was originally posted by CarSmartNot

 

Cadillac, how much a car costs to paint is like asking what your favorite color is. There will be a wide range of answers with this. Sure, you can go to say Maaco (famous for cheap cost paint jobs) and get their $299 car repaint service done. But, what you are getting is just what the cost is. They are going to mask off the windows and tires, maybe the trim and then run a layer of paint over the car, never opening up anything (ie, hood, doors, trunk, etc). So, as long as everything is closed, it will look ok for the first year or so. Please note I said nothing about sanding out scratches or even washing the car before hand.

On the flip side, you can get the shop that pulls all the chrome and non-painted items off the car, removes the edge of the interior and peels it back, spends a week just sanding and prepping the body, etc. Then when they paint, they are sanding between each layer, using a higher end paint, etc. But then, you can plan on a job like this costing over $5000. But, when they are done, you don't be able to tell that the car had ever been repainted.

How much are you willing to spend to get the car repainted. As long as you are going with the same color or from a light color to a darker color, you can probably get away for around $1500 for a good quality job. The best advice that I can tell you is to select whether you are wanting what is called a single layer paint applied (ie, has the clear mixed in with the color paint) or with a dual layer setup (separate color and clear layers where normally multiple layers of each are applied). Obviously the single layer will be cheaper due to less time, but the look of a single layer can't be matched to that of the dual layer job. Most cars coming off the assembly line are single layer paint jobs just to give you a reference of what a single layer job looks like. BUt, if you are looking for something that people will be impressed with, dual layer all the way.

 

I've also been quoted as much as $12k to change the color (a 2004 Dodge Intrepid from white to black, with the clear coat, as Thermo mentioned). This was a custom paint shop that would have done what Thermo said - pulled the doors, rubber, trim, glass, and everything out of the car. Hood off, trunk lid off, lights pulled out, the whole 9 yards. Simply put, they said they would make the car look as if it had come out of the factory as that color. Obviously I didn't go that road (since the car itself wasn't even worth that much), but there ARE places that charge out the wazoo for a great looking paint job.

 

I was quoted $2500 about 5 years ago to paint an XJ6. This was for a two stage paint job, color coat and a clear top coat. This would be about $3000 or better now would be my guess. This is for the same or similar color though.

Mike

 

I had to get a quote on a repaint this past week for my Vanden Plas (in OKC) due to a scrape from the blizzard here on the 24th. Over the phone, they told me that the dual layer job (like Thermo mentioned) costs an average of $200 per panel. So front fenders, rear quarter panels, doors, front end, rear end, trunk, hood and roof all together should be around $2,600. When I brought the car in, the quote went from $2,600 to about $4,000. He tried to tell me that Jags like mine cost more than most vehicles because of the aluminum body panels. I don't know enough about it to challenge what he said, however, I will get a couple other independent *** quotes and let you know what I find. I should mention that this price includes replacing the exterior door moulding on the left rear door and repairing a very minor dent on the rear quarter panel.

BTW...No, I was not out driving my VDP in a blizzard, I was moving it to get my truck out and the combination of ice, 50+ mph wind and a sloping driveway pushed me into my fenceline. Nothing I could do but cry

 

bcdave, yes, painting aluminum panels is a bit more time intensive because you need to get the aluminum very clean. Even then, sometimes the paint just doesn't want to stick. So, there is some truth to the painting aluminum bit. If you want proof, look at a lot of the chevy and dodge vehicles. Ever notice how the paint is always coming off of the hoods? They don't do a good job of keeping things as clean as they need to be in the paint booths at the factory.

 

Very good point Thermo. He seemed very straightforward and earnest and it is a fairly reputable shop. I was just taken aback a little when the price jumped almost $1500 when he saw what the car was. To be fair, he did not ask over the phone what the car was, he just gave me an average cost of $200 per panel and after he saw the car, he explained the increase was due to the aluminum panels. I have learned that many shops tend to have a Ford/Chevy price and a special Jag price. I recently went to a local shop to have my front rotors turned. Their regular posted price was $59 per axle, however, the Jag price they gave me when I got there was $129 per rotor. Even after I explained to them that I could replace the rotors and pads myself for less than that, they would not come down on the price. I've learned to be very weary of only getting one quote. Does $4k for the repaint and minor repairs seem about right to you? Thanks for the input.

 

bcdave, based on the work that you are having done, $4000 isn't too far off. Part of it depends on what color you are wanting to paint the car. A color like red tends to get a higher price because the paint used costs a little more and also it is a color that everyone wants, so, if the demand is there, the price reflects that. Also, black will tend to run a little bit more because painting it can be a PITA due to the paint showing all the defects.

I won't even get into the exotic paints. Some of those can run upwards of $1000 a quart just to get the paint. Neat paints, but way too much for what I am willing to spend when you figure a car like ours will take 4-5 quarts of color alone.

For example, I picked up a quart of British Racing Green from a decent manufacturer for like $80 a quart (would have been $250 for a gallon). So, once you figure in clear and whatnot, you are probably looking at about $500 in paint stuff alone. The rest is simply spending time with the car. If you have painted small car parts, you can see where a lot of time can be eaten up to make the paint look good. Not to mention the time needed to just let the car set and not be moved. This all factors in.

 

Thanks again Thermo. I'm just wanting it painted the original indigo blue like it is now. Sounds like $4k is about right then.

 

Last time I checked, I was quoted $4K, IF i had pulled the engine out already. Not to be undertaken lightly...

 

A reputable shop in my hometown looked my jag over and then quoted me $5000. They take the body off the frame, take out all scratches and dents, call you down before they paint it so you can look the whole thing over, also at this time they point out if any part of the quarter panels need to be replaced(no bondo)with metal because of rust. The price can go up to as much as $6,000 if there is alot of repair work to the quarterpanels, but if no work is need and they are just fixing scratches and dents then it remains $5,000. They will also replace any parts, but that is not part of the $5000. It takes them 3 to 4 months to make your car like new.

 

I recently had a minor collision on my daily driver (Lexus IS), and the rocker covers and front bumper cover were repainted. There were still a number of small scratches all over my car. When I inquired on what it would cost to repaint the whole car, the body shop owner informed me that no body shop in town will paint a whole car--they just repaint individual body panels. He said painting whole cars tie up their spray booths and employees--and car owners demanding perfect paint jobs cause problems.

I sent my car out for professional detailing on the scratches. Full paint jobs seem best left to small independent body shops--without multi million dollar facilities and a dozen or two employees to keep busy 40 hrs. per week.

 

Slightly off topic....I've heard black cars are generally sold for higher prices than any other color, is this true?