Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Modifications Aesthetics Paint

RM/Glassurit are good paint but they are more for factory refinishing (same color factory paint jobs)in my own opinion. RM/Glassurit is great for doing blends. I prefer Sikkins or Dupont and Valspar. I have been painting for a while and i have used just about every kind of paint. RM/Glassurit, Valspar, Xotic, Dupont, Sikkins, House of Kolor, Nason, and i am sure there has been a couple more. Besides Nason being just cheap ass colored water the rest of the paint brands are a lot alike. The only difference is how they cover. Like Valspar or RM it might take 3-4 coats of base to achieve desired color. With Sikkins it might only take 2-3 coats to achieve desire color. But with Valspar and RM at $35-60 a quart. Sikkins and Dupont is more like $60-95 a quart. House of Kolor is made by valspar only difference is house of kolor has Kandies, Pearls, flakes all the cool colors. Same as Xotic which is a HOK copy. Regarding the price if you take it to a body shop he is right it will be more expensive because they have overhead, employees, and so on. If you go to a local paint store and ask them if they know any body that paints cars. I have been painting for about 4 years and my complete paint jobs are under $2000 include color sanding and buffing. I do agree stay about from single stage paint if possible. 2 stage or 3 stage is by far better becuase you can sand down the clear coat for scratches, blems, and so on.

Wow thanks for all this info.. im surpised at the amoutn of professional painters on here.

but to be honest, im thinking about redoing the color i already have. so thats gotta cut down on the price of painting EVERYTHING. if i just have the original color refreshed how much would i be set back. im looking at 2000 MAX but anything less would be great. i mean im planning on buying bumpers and side skirts... i just need to see hwo much to set aside for painting.

-Stick

Well repainting your car the same color saves you a little money because you don't have to paint the door jams, and so on. Besides that the price really wont differ. If you paint it black or white the labor portion wont differ just the cost of the material. Reds and yellows are the more exspensive. The only time labor changes is if you step up into pearls, kandys and so on.

I have the same thing happening to my paint, just not as bad. I've had it priced at many places for the whole car around $3200 to $3800. But I just had a offer come across me the other day, that a guy I know that works for Viper Racing already went over with me that if I can strip the car down my self or have a shop do it for a good price, then he will get my car done for me in the viper jet black paint with 3 coats of clear for $300. But I need to do the prepwork. Its the toughtest paint. Ive already seen it done with two other cars that he did for his relatives. There amazing paint jobs.
-mike

There is a guy in Newark, OH (don't remember the shop) who does painting for $500 if you prep it. I don't like the sounds of it, becuase of the simple fact that if you don't prime it right, your paint will not hold. I have a buddy who said he'd do mine for free who used to work at a reputable body shop and has won a few car shows himself... He told me if I prep, he'll do it free. He'll also make sure I prep it right, but he's wanting to teach me the ways of the painter so to speak.

What exactly does prepping entail? if it cuts down on the costs THAT much sounds like i dont wanna risk it by doing it myself...

-Stick

It's all about labor...the cheapest I would go... I had a buddy of mine that has a paint shop (he's way good) tell me if I take all the handles, lights etc off, then he will do the rest for 1000, but he only charges like 35/hour for labor. I consider that a sweet deal.

HMMM labor price VS. quality..Go with the best job you can afford. And when you are talking paint in california that changes everything. I use house or kolors/valspar but on low bases due to most ppl wanting factory colors. RM seems to be the best quality by far from everything Ive tried over the years a different shops. Sikkens,Dupont,PissPoorGloss and a number of others that thank the paint gods I cant remember . California has some screwed up regulations that forces them to use different paints as far as chemical make-up even as far as forcing them to use water bourne. I dont envy them a bit.