85 LaSabre paint job.

[Guest alleyyooper]

Finding some one to paint our Buick has been an adventure. First place recommended to us the fellow was rude and didn't evewn look at the body just said 6500.00 and come some time in Sept. to see if I am ready for it. Never even tyold us what we would get for that 6500.00.

 

Next fellow quoted us 4500.00 and told us all chrome would be removed all door rubbers as well. It would get chemical stripped to bare metal as the paint on it was dead with cracks and pits full of old wax. 3 coats of primer, wet sanded between coats and 4 coats of color and 5 clear coats. We liked the fellow and said OK paint our car, he said he couldn't get to it till August or Sept he would call us no need for us to csll him.

 

Decided once we were past Oct. 15th he really didn't want the job or low balled the job his self and was to ashamed to let us know he would have to raise his price.

 

Once again we are on the road to get qoutes from 7500.00 to 10,000, and one guy who said he would E mail us a quote.

I felt the 7500.00 guy was to wishy washy saying he would chemical strip the car, then later after the quote he said he didn't like chemical stripping and would probably DA the old paint off. Also said the sides didn't look all that bad, I expect he would just prime it and paint, said some chrome would just get taped off like the drip rails, door mirrors and door handles.

 

For 10,000 all chrome gets stripped off, the frone nose cone is removed as well as the rear panel, doors will be removed so they can be painted inside the jams, also the door openings will get painted. all new door rubbers as well as the trunk rubber. He said would media blast the real bad small parts, nose cone and tail panel. will Da the hood trunk lid and roof. will have the car 3 months work & paint guaranteed for 10 years.

 

 

    Al

 

 

 

Edited October 25, 2017 by alleyyooper (see edit history)

[lancemb]

 That's quite a variety.  Do you plan to keep it forever?  How much are you comfortable spending?

[Guest alleyyooper]

Yes I plan on having the car for ever. Think my daughter will keep it for ever after I die.

 

We decided yesterday and booked the services of a painter to do it.

I have seen 3 of his paint jobs in person, a cuda done 18 years ago looks like new last summer, his wifes car a Tempest he did 26 years ago and it also looks brand new and his own GTO done 8 years ago.

 

The paint job comes with a lift time warrenty, All chrome removed door and trunk seal rubbers also. doors are all painted and clear coated even the inside edges under side of the hood also. 5 coats of clear coat. We have also discussed a stripe being done on the wheels, but that isn't finalized . 

 

New body side mouldings as well.

 

Dropping it off in the next couple of weeks and he is keeping it 3 months.

 

https://imgur.com/Np6uhVm

 

   Al

Edited October 27, 2017 by alleyyooper (see edit history)

[lancemb]

Sounds nice, please share the results!  You should also stop in and get some progress pics...

[JZRIV]

$10,000 seems cheap for all that work. I hope it works out. I am very skeptical of most shops sticking to their commitment.

How is the contract written relative to how/when he gets paid? Do not pay for anything until work is complete just like the rest of us. Most of us go to work, then we get paid a week or 2 later. Some shops want a decent amount up front so be wary of that. Once they have the money, they have NO incentive to work. If he does everything he says, he isn't going to make much money especially if he has a business with normal overhead. If he is doing it as a side job without overhead then $10k is probably realistic. With a few exceptions usually minimum body shop labor rates are $80/hr. Unless he works really fast, there's no meat on the bone.

[Guest alleyyooper]

He gets a 1500.00 start up fee. 

We would not be allowing him to paint our car if he didn't have the best referances of all the people we went to for quotes. 

We have seen his work and talked to outers who he did work for.

He is also a small town bussiness owner so Word of mouth can make or break him. 

 

I fully trust what he said he is going to do and yes we will stop in on occation to see progress as he invited. He is also going to document the work as it progresses.

 

Some of the places we got quotes for lesser amounts I would'nt trust. They even talked wishy washy.

 

 

       Al

[lancemb]

23 hours ago, JZRIV said:

$10,000 seems cheap for all that work. I hope it works out. I am very skeptical of most shops sticking to their commitment.

How is the contract written relative to how/when he gets paid? Do not pay for anything until work is complete just like the rest of us. Most of us go to work, then we get paid a week or 2 later. Some shops want a decent amount up front so be wary of that. Once they have the money, they have NO incentive to work. If he does everything he says, he isn't going to make much money especially if he has a business with normal overhead. If he is doing it as a side job without overhead then $10k is probably realistic. With a few exceptions usually minimum body shop labor rates are $80/hr. Unless he works really fast, there's no meat on the bone.

Overhead and labor rate can vary quite a bit by geography too.  That may be helping his cause?