Planning to repaint my car. Please advise. (1 Viewer)

[spongebob281]

I've been wanting to repaint my Bimmer from its original color (midnite blue) to Metallic Silver or black. I have not taken on a project as massive as this so this will be a trial and error experience for me. I suppose I need to sand the entire car and strip it down to bare metal with sandpaper. How do I go about doing this? By the wax on/wax off technique from Mr Miyagi? How many days do I need to commit from start to finish? Where can I get supplies such as paints, brushes, primer etc.

 

[flipside]

Wow... I would leave this one to the pros, spongebob281. You don't need to take it down to the metal, but you have to sand all the imperfections out, and sometimes fill in pitting, holes, dings and dents. It really is a costly job to perfect; and by the time you are done, you'll wish you just paid someone to do it for you. It's cheaper in the long run.

1. Sand (takes forever if it's just you)
2. Fill in imperfections (I used a welder most of the time)
3. Got slide-hammer? Dents...
4. Tack rag the whole thing down
5. Tape off everywhere you "don't" want paint
6. Primer (yes...)
7. May need to tack rag again...
8. Paint coat one
9. Paint coat two
10. Clear coat
11. Clear coat
12. (if you're like me) Steps 10 and 11 again.
13. Wax
14. (I'm sure I missed a few things)


One guy... it could take a month. I haven't even included all the tools you'd need, but some are in the list. If you're determined, a week of solid 12-16 hour days... mainly because you have to calculate dry times. At a shop, they'd bake the paint on, which is faster and safer on the overall finish.

HTH,
Leo

 

[BigRick]

When I was a teen, we picked up two cans of airpaint stripper went to the self car wash and 30 minutes later his Mustang was looking like a delorean lol. Next morning he was taking it in to get painted. It was halirous, overnight it surface rusted lol. Went from silver to brown

 

[spongebob281]

I haven't called in for an estimate but I'm guessing it could run anywhere between $1500-3000 if I were to bring it in.

 

[spongebob281]

I just called a shop and they wanted $5k to have it repaint. YIKES!!!!!!!

 

[flipside]

That's why most people get new(er) cars when they get tired of their old ones. It really isn't feasible to repaint a car these days... unless there's some "major" emotional attachment.

5K is a good price, IMO. A d@mn good one, too! If you want it done right... blah, blah, blah...

Rick, !!!!!!!

 

[spongebob281]

I understand it's tedious work but for $5k ...Cmon man :0)

 

[trb]

I painted two cars way back in my early days, simply because I wanted to. I spent a good two weeks on each after school and on the weekends, but they needed minimal body work. Cost me about $400 for each for supplies, and that was back in the 80's.

If it is not a car you plan on keeping forever, and you are bound and determined to repaint it, I would check with Maaco about one of their better paint jobs. There are a couple of locations that do decent work that I have seen. I would remove everything that you can remove from the exterior and transport the car to them after fixing what you can. They will do as much work as you want to pay for, but will at least scuff the finish, clean, spray a sealer/primer and then the paint and clear coat if you get that kind of paint.

Here are a couple of pics of one-

before paint - during bodywork:
http://i329.photobucket.com/albums/l393/90LXstang50/1994 Chevy Truck/P7030927.jpg

http://i329.photobucket.com/albums/l393/90LXstang50/1994 Chevy Truck/P1011005.jpg

http://i329.photobucket.com/albums/l393/90LXstang50/1994 Chevy Truck/P8110958.jpg

http://i329.photobucket.com/albums/l393/90LXstang50/1994 Chevy Truck/P1011010.jpg

Also, if you live in a neighborhood, there are all kinds of rules against painting in your garage, even if you could do a decent job. I may end up painting my Mustang myself, but that is only because I want to do it myself and really can't justify the expense on a 25 yr old car of a pro job. Hopefully a friend and I can rent a paint booth and do the painting on both our cars on one weekend.

 

[emixa]

Let's also consider the weather if you dont have the enclosed baking facility. Let's factor all the tools required: compressor, impact sander, impact spray gun (and you will need a good one as paint has a tendency to clog your nozzles if not mixed right.

Spend the money and get it done professionally. They have the time and capital.

 

[padanky]

You don't need to take it down to bare metal, fix the dents and sand down the filler to atleast 320grt, prime them areas and then wet sand the complete car to 600grt and then base coat clear coat it. If I was you I'd leave it to the pros, there is a reason they charge $3500+ for a paint job.

Paint alone will cost you upwards of $1500 for decent paint, not including sandpaper, etc.

The 5k paint job you were given an estimate of includes all paint and material, body labor, paint labor, skilled bodyman and painter, Paintbooth and warrantee. Not just body labor for dents, includes removing all door handles, moldings, mirrors, etc. If these items are left on, a few years down the road you will most likely have paint flaking problems for underneath the left on items.

I do bodywork for a living, not interested in doing it on the side either. Sorry.

Chris

 

[BigRick]

Back in High School some cheap Iranian friends had taken there cars to a place on 59S by Westpark. A Messycan spray painted the 30)Z gold with I ************ you not Spray Paint from Walmart. Wonder why he only spent 400 lol.

 

[padanky]

If it's in decent shape figure about 65 paint hours 50 body hours. $40 for each of them hours and another $20 for each paint hour for materials. Give or take a few bucks per hour and them add tax and cost of replacing broken clips and possibly non reusable parts. Take it to a BMW dealership and double the above price values.

 

[flipside]

That's what I'm saying, and I'm glad you showed up on this thread, Chris. TRB, great points, too! It's not as simple as many think... recycle that bad boy, and get anutha'!

 

[flipside]

Back in High School some cheap Iranian friends had taken there cars to a place on 59S by Westpark. A Messycan spray painted the 30)Z gold with I *censored* you not Spray Paint from Walmart. Wonder why he only spent 400 lol.

Dayyuuummm... that's a kick in the niz-utz!

 

[padanky]

What year and model is the BMW? Not worth repainting unless it's really old or new.

 

[spongebob281]

'05 328xi with no body damage. Just a few minor scuff and scratches. But none too visible from a distant. Unless one has a pair of super keen eyes.

Saw some dude on youtube repainted his car like it's no big deal. Took him like a day or so to sand and paint.

 

[spongebob281]

I painted two cars way back in my early days, simply because I wanted to. I spent a good two weeks on each after school and on the weekends, but they needed minimal body work. Cost me about $400 for each for supplies, and that was back in the 80's.

If it is not a car you plan on keeping forever, and you are bound and determined to repaint it, I would check with Maaco about one of their better paint jobs. There are a couple of locations that do decent work that I have seen. I would remove everything that you can remove from the exterior and transport the car to them after fixing what you can. They will do as much work as you want to pay for, but will at least scuff the finish, clean, spray a sealer/primer and then the paint and clear coat if you get that kind of paint.

Here are a couple of pics of one-

before paint - during bodywork:
http://i329.photobucket.com/albums/l393/90LXstang50/1994 Chevy Truck/P7030927.jpg

http://i329.photobucket.com/albums/l393/90LXstang50/1994 Chevy Truck/P1011005.jpg

http://i329.photobucket.com/albums/l393/90LXstang50/1994 Chevy Truck/P8110958.jpg

http://i329.photobucket.com/albums/l393/90LXstang50/1994 Chevy Truck/P1011010.jpg

Also, if you live in a neighborhood, there are all kinds of rules against painting in your garage, even if you could do a decent job. I may end up painting my Mustang myself, but that is only because I want to do it myself and really can't justify the expense on a 25 yr old car of a pro job. Hopefully a friend and I can rent a paint booth and do the painting on both our cars on one weekend.

Heard too many horror stories about Maccoo. Word on the street their paint peel off in a year or so.

 

[padanky]

The car looks to still have some value to it according to nada.com, I wouldn't cheap out too much on it.

 

[spongebob281]

Macoo is asking between $799-1100

 

[padanky]

Don't do maaco, they will knock a ton of value off the car and you will not be happy with the work. Clear will flake and bake off later. The reason it's so cheap is because the skip the step of removing all needed parts, all they do is scuff, tape and shoot.