Hey,

So I have a LOT of rock chips on the front end, so i'm gonna get it redone. This includes hood, bumper, both fenders. I'm also going to get one of the doors redone since its rusting from a car backing into mine. I'm thinking about the rear bumper too because its really messed up..

At the end of all this I'm getting a clear bra put on to prevent future damage, to the front at least.

Any idea how much this might cost? I just got an estimate for $950 not including the rear bumper. I have a mechanic friend who said that's too high and he's gonna ask around. Just wanna see what others have paid.

ash

 

If done correctly and depending on the color with the 3 stage paint, hood, bumper, fenders, door, $1500 and it will be a match, plus rear bumper to be prepped and sprayed, $400.
Uh, oh, Better get Maaco and maybe $500 for everything.

Was the car ever repainted, or spot painted before? If it was and the incorrect paint was used, especially on the bumper, there will be chips.

 

why not just get the whole car repainted when you're at it, that would guarantee paint match and you can feel like driving a brand new car in different color. In Photography sub-forum, there's a member just repainted his car for $1,300 from A-Z.
https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-tl-photograph-gallery-96/tl-repaint-body-work-821854/

 

$1500 is a good rough estimate and maybe a couple hundred less. If you're getting this done don't try and find your cheapest place to get it done. Go to a good quality shop and when it's done it should last and hold up well. If you're wanting a cheap paint job hit up Maaco.

Remember the bulk of your cost is the labor itself. I'm not sure where you live, but I bet you labor is a good $45 to $50 on repair/refinish times.

 

Its not so much that I'm going cheap, my friend can get me a deal through people he knows.

I've thought about redoing the whole car, we'll see.. I wouldnt change the color, and i'm not really ready to drop 5k into it..lol

And the car has never been painted before.

 

Out of curiosity, what's the color?

 

True...BUT the door jambs and engine bay was not done. I sincerely doubt the lights, and other things were taken off as well. Still- a very nice color though.

 

Remember, the more pieces you paint the more it looks like the car was in an accident and it reduces it's value. As well if you don't go to a quality shop your car will look like a rubix cube with different color panels!

Refinishing and repainting a front bumper by itself is going to be 250-300 dollars. The hood and fenders are probably going to be about the same because it involves taping up stuff properly and as well it's a bit of work esp if you want it done properly where the panels are removed, painted edge to edge and then new bolts are carefully put in and painted so it looks like no work was ever done.

A rear bumper is probably going to be another 200 dollars to repaint. Is there any reason why you would want to repaint it? They don't get a lot of damage from road debris and even if there is, it'd be much easier to get a rear aspec kit to cover up any of the damage.

I'd say 1000 dollars for a REALLY GOOD job on the front end is a good estimate, 1200 for the front end and back bumper.

FYI you will need to wait at least 30 days after a repaint to get the clearbra to be put on since paint needs time to cure and gas out!

 

Royal blue pearl. This color has really grown on me over the years.

Back end has a LOT of rash around the tires and seems like plenty of people bumping the car when they parked behind me. I do wonder if the aspec kit would cover it.. would be nice.

I'm not worried about repainting reducing value. I'm having it repainted so it'll be good for the next 100k miles No intention of selling.

That being said, I do want it done well. I"ll ask my friend if he knows a better known shop. A while back I got into an accident with my old car. He referred us to a shop that did a REALLY good job. Maybe I'll get a quote from them.

 

Don't ask people on the internet for paint pricing, as it's the one car related thing that varies to a ridiculous degree.

FWIW, I paid around $650 for the bumper, hood, fenders, mirrors. I know the owner pretty well and it was a cash deal. It was done right.

 

If you're doing this.. I'd highly recommend getting armorcoat over the clear bra. It a spray on harder clear coat that is alot stronger than the clear bra. The best time to apply this product is when your applying fresh paint and substitute it for normal clear coat instead.

 

Hoping to not get flamed but I say $500 a panel for a top quality job so ~~$2k.

That's roughly what the top quality guys charge in the Tri-State

 

I just wanted to get an idea of what people have paid for a good job.

About the armorcoat, i like the clear bra over a clear coat because if there's any damage to the clear bra, it can just be peeled off and a new one put on fairly easily. I could do both

 

Welp left it with my friend who went and got a quote from a buddy of his. He was able to negotiate $800 which includes 2 doors, rear bumpers as well as the front bits. AND he's gonna take care of all the other nicks and marks on the rest of the car. So I'm happy.

This mechanic has been a family friend of ours for as long as I can remember, so I trust him with having it done right. He one of those few people that I can hand my keys to without checking the mileage

 

I believe it's called Cerami-clear by PPG or Ceramic Clearcoat as known by others, it's a LOT harder than regular clear and is a bit harder to get right with regular polishing and detailing. But then again it doesn't scratch as easily as regular clear coat.

Either way, remember that you have to wait for the new paint to out-gas for 30 days before putting on any sort of wax or clear-bra's.

 

Can I put painters tape over the front during that time?

I've heard of folks having it on there for months with no issues.. I'll have it on there for about 2-3 weeks until I can get the clear bra on.

 

new paint is VERY soft; I mean you can press your thumb into it and it'll leave a mark of your thumb in the paint. After it cures it usually is much harder than the paint that the car left the factory with. The best thing to do is try to leave it at the shop outside in the sun for a day or so in the sun at the least and try not to drive your car too much in those few days afterwards.

 

well we're actually going on vacation for a couple weeks and I'm having this done while I'm gone so it's going to sit for a while after the painting. I'm just worried about that 30 gassing period and if I can put painters tape on it until the clear bra can be put on.

 

After the 30 days you shouldn't have an issue with painters tape on the paint. Just don't leave it on for too long. If you plan on leaving the car outside, consider also putting cling wrap over the painters tape to keep the tape from getting wet; once it gets wet with water it can become a handful to take off.

 

what about during that 30 days, can I have the tape on it over that period? Sorry dont think I was clear of what I was asking.

The car would have sat and cured for about 2 weeks before I add the tape. I'm really worried that during that 30 day curing it'll get rock chips as I HAVE to be able to drive the car.

 

You will have no problems putting painter's tape on the TL after it has been painted.

I know this because I put painters tape for a week on the bumper right after I got it painted after my accident awhile back. If the shop paints the car right, then you should have 0 problems. Only thing they don't advise is to polish it (for a month-- which isn't needed anyway) or cleaning it for 24 hours.

 

ok awesome, thanks!

I'll be sure to take a picture before/during/after the tape. Should be interesting

 

Ask whoever paints your car for the best advice, but my car was fine.

 

welp I got the car back. Oh man it looks GOOOOODDD. Cant tell it was painted, nor are there any rock chips. I spent a couple hours taping the front, then I put a 1 mil plastic sheet over the tape to protect it from water since it'll be on there for a couple weeks. Hopefully the plastic doesnt tear.

 

How much did it end up costing?

 

lol I"ll get pics up in a bit. Total cost was $800 which I cant complain about at all. And there's a guy around here that does clear bras for whole sale at about $300.

 

damn where the hell do you live? lol I need to get my front bumper (mainly aspec) repainted but I got quoted like 400 just for the bumper

 

Well I got a deal because it was through a mechanic friend who knows a body shop.

 

here's the car as of now. Man the plastic is annoying on the highway lol

[IMG][/IMG]

 

you seriously drive that thing out there

 

i dont think i could bring myself to drive that thing.. id take the risk of chips and marks in the new paint rather than be seen in that

 

lol ya it sucks, but I figure its only for 2 weeks. I would rather be seen in this than waste $1000+ by having it chipped up.

 

Wise choice for sure. 2 weeks of a covered car beats having the car chipped for the rest of the time you own it....unless you are going to repaint again.

 

I don't know, it's still a couple notches above a '92 Integra or a '99 TL.

 

i have to laugh a bit when i see that picture

 

Yea so... What's the point of this? You can't wax for 30 days, because your supposed to let the paint fumes gas out, so in this case, the tape is doing the same thing the wax is; preventing it to gas out.

The clears I use are hard as a rock the next day, no need for this. You don't get chips from the clear coat, you get chips by what is prepped under if done incorrectly. It is best to use a urethane or even epoxy sealer to prevent chipping.

 

My thoughts exactly. Its not worth it.

I have to agree, it looks really funny, but man do I get a LOT of people looking at my car lol. But like my cousin said. Anyone who's had their car painted knows what I'm doing lol

Eh, I think the tape breaths better than a solid layer of wax/clear bra. Might not be ideal, but I drive the car a LOT on the highway.. Around here lots of pebbles to get kicked up, I just didnt want to risk it. The paint had a chance to sit for 2 weeks before I put the tape on..

 

Well you defintely won't have any chips when you take it off, but eventually you can't go around them, they just happen =(

 

Well I'll be putting a clear bra over the front in 2 weeks. So hopefully no chips at all after that (in the front at least).

 

ohhh ok, well tomorrow I'm getting the clear bra put on. So I pulled the tape off today. man I forgot how good the new paint looks. I did change the lower grills. Pulled out the old slats and replaced them with a black mesh. I kept the center bar and painted it chrome/silver. Accents the LEDs well.

Tuesday the aspec kit comes in