Absurd quote. Just wanted to share.

Here in Phx, I was quoted 3800 for the whole truck and topper. Been doing business with the shop for many years. 8k is stupid

 

Damn, it would be worth it for me to drive to that shop in Arizona and have it done. I live in Elk Grove Ca. Could do the drive in a day.

 

not apples-to-apples but i got a quote to install Katzkin leather and armrest covers for $1,800. This is just labor. I found a shop to do the same work for $700.

in Rome this past spring and saw some random graffitti, 'anticapitaliste'.

 

yes, I will!

 

Have you thought of a body shop at you local high/trade school you might be with out a car a bit longer but they do a darn good job and they will be cheaper then Earl Scheib. I used schools several times before for jobs like that. I guess I just gave my age away.

 

that's not a bad idea
do those usually guarantee their work and your satisfaction?

 

The trash truck driver at my highschool wanted us to spray his 240z. Lead time was over a year lol. Kids wanted to work on their own cars more than one they werent being payed for.

 

Try getting reasonable Paint and body quote on a classic car !!!!! . Every shop wants a high quality paint job as their shops name is being mentioned or referred and they want it at the highest quality . Plus not to mention how long it'll be at their shop

My friend has had his street rod at a body shop now going on a year , He calls it Paint Jail !!!!

 

The schools I dealt with back in the days did a very nice job and never had to go back to twice.Of Course every school does it a bit different. It could not hurt to look into it. Since it is on the top of the roof if there is some imperfection you can,t see it anyway without a step stool

 

My classmates were great painters, some even went to skills competitions for it. I was more into the metal fab/welding side of collision repair, so I sprayed some, but never an entire car. The instructor owned his own shop and taught on the side so he made sure things were done right.

 

you'll never achieve an oem quality job after factory.

 

Lol. With enough money, anything is possible. Likely gonna get a paint job that far surpasses the oem quality. I mean, I can scratch my paint down to the primer with my fingernail. Wouldnt be very hard to do better than that lol.

 

no one wants to spend "enough money" to make that possible.

I didnt say it was a big deal.

 

This. A lot of shops only want insurance work. Easier to deal with, quicker turnaround, and guaranteed to get paid.

 

what I've been told by friends who are both professional detailers and professional painters is that oem quality paint surpasses the majority of aftermarket paint jobs.

 

I dont disagree with you...which is why I imagine its hard to get oem quality. Unless the person doing it is a professional painter and has the time to do it properly.

 

That kind of depends on what you value, but would agree with that "majority" statement. Most people can't tell a good paint job from a bad one. I delivered cars that I was embarrassed of, but the owner thought they looked great. This was usually when they were in for a repair and had already been repainted with a non-factory color and didn't have the paint code -- guessing and matching some colors can be a pain.

OEM in most cases will be more durable because it is a more controlled and automated environment, laid down to specific and calculated thicknesses. They also do opposite electrical charges on the body and the paint so the paint is attracted to the surface (this is also done to reduce paint waste, though, the paint would adhere fine without it). But, to me, OEM finishes these days tend to appear more orange peely in spots and not as glass smooth. But, functionally sound.

Painting over an existing paint job results in a much thicker layer of paint. This makes it more susceptible to chipping and cracking, and if not prepped well, possible peeling. Any spots with filler (if there were dings to repair) on the top surface are likely to get crows feet over time if the vehicle is left in the sun a lot. Thicker is not necessarily better, there is a "right" amount of thickness for optimal function. Usually not much of an issue until you get to the third paint job, though.

The quality of the paint is usually not an issue -- shops have access to products that are the same or better than what was used at the factory. Most aftermarket jobs, if done well, will look as good or better than OEM. If using quality paint, durability can even be better. It's just thicker now.