Maaco paint job?

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mbaird said:
Its ashame that our society doesn’t encourage hands on vocations anymore.. no wonder jobs go over seas ! Most guys dont know the difference between a tire and a piston anymore .
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unfortunately its that way in a lot of trades, carpentry, drywall, painting.
There's still quite a few good electricians and HVAC around but those are common classes at community colleges
Try finding someone to do plastering, good luck!
A few weeks back we accidentally cracked an 8 panel leaded glass window while glazing it, we lucked out and there was a stained glass guy about 20 miles away, but we had to take it to him, and I don't mean the whole window frame, just the leaded panels, that was so much fun, I hope to never have to do that again
 
I had a terrible experience at Macco. I paid 500 to do a hood. I expressed that I wanted it straight in hot rod black. Went to pick it up, and it was not even close to being straight. They said they would fix it, and failed again and painted it in a glossy back-different color! got most of my money back
 
I've read that there is a wide range of quality between Maaco shops (some are good, some are like yours). Best thing to do is go to the local one and see what kind of work is being turned out!

(I might have gone that route but it's 100 miles to the nearest one).
 
Any shop, ANY, is only as good as the employees, and the boss that sees over their work.

Best approach is always have a car that needs NO rust /panel replacement, either came that way or YOU fixed it, and pretty darn straight. YOU take it to bare metal unless you are comfortable with what is there already. Most any shop guarantees nothing unless it is down to bare metal.
 
One of the guys I used to race with works at MAACO in Hampton, VA. I've seen his work and it's really nice. Don't know much about their pricing structure but if I needed a paint job without a lot of body work, I'd take it to Chris without a worry.
 
j par said:
That would be a miracle! They're taking the stuff out of schools as fast as they can and adding computers... They just rebuilt my old high school and the auto shop and metal shop are long gone now...
Actually they were put long out of commission before they even started Construction...
in a couple years I would like to get my car done as well and I'm interested to see more of these reasonable cost paint jobs...:thumbsup:..
The last thing I want is to have my car caught in a three-year $10, 000 paint job purgatory...
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Bobacuda said:
I was at a car show this past year and saw a nice looking 67 Camaro that had body panels and rust repaired, then painted. All done for little more than materials at a junior college. Check the JUCOs and VOTECH schools around you.
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Some of the state prisons have auto body and paint shops and take in outside work.
Usually WAY cheaper too.

I think The Restoration Shop stuff is pretty good, and a gallon of single stage acrylic urethane from them is about $125 shipped for basic colors and comes with the high gloss hardener, paint sticks and filters.
It can even be ordered from Walmart with free shipping right to your house.

This was done outside in my back yard with a cheap 10 gallon compressor.
Whole car cost me about $350 and this was after a light cut and buff.

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I think chances are that I’ll do all the prep work and take it from there. My school would be a good option only that it would take FOREVER. I think it would be nice to do it myself and take my time. But I guess it all depends on the timing. I mean I have an education and sports and work to worry about lol.
 
Maaco paint, will last at least as long as your last years of school, get the sealer they try and upsell everyone to buy, to me that is what makes their paint last, most of their shops have decent painters, just not body guys
 
StevieC124 said:
I think chances are that I’ll do all the prep work and take it from there. My school would be a good option only that it would take FOREVER. I think it would be nice to do it myself and take my time. But I guess it all depends on the timing. I mean I have an education and sports and work to worry about lol.
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I've had three vehicles done by Mako and every one of them turned out super. One they had to replace a door and a fender and some running boards and they painted the whole truck and it still looks good today.

As for lasting till you get out of school that would all depends on if you pass each year to the next grade. If you're like some people that are career students is not going to last that long.
 
Jadaharabi said:
As for lasting till you get out of school that would all depends on if you pass each year to the next grade. If you're like some people that are career students is not going to last that long.
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hehe lol might go for the 6 years of high school lasting maaco paint special.
 
TrailBeast said:
Some of the state prisons have auto body and paint shops and take in outside work.
Usually WAY cheaper too.

I think The Restoration Shop stuff is pretty good, and a gallon of single stage acrylic urethane from them is about $125 shipped for basic colors and comes with the high gloss hardener, paint sticks and filters.
It can even be ordered from Walmart with free shipping right to your house.

This was done outside in my back yard with a cheap 10 gallon compressor.
Whole car cost me about $350 and this was after a light cut and buff.

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Yes it an be done!!!!!!! Put enough single stage for the cut/buff deal is a key. I have used TCP Global stuff right along with DuPont and PPG for quite a few years, great buy I have never had any problems.

I bought my first HF thing last month, their 21 gal oil compressor, I forget the hp but it was like $320 on sale. Worthless to run a DA for sure, but it will run the gravity guns, palm sanders, no problem. I did single stage and I was happy.
 
StevieC124 said:
I have a 69 dart slant six that needs paint badly. I'm on a strict budget and don't know whats the best way to go with paint.
Should i just do all the work myself and spray it in my garage? I got a suitable compressor and sprayer, just never painted a whole car before.
Or possibly a cheap maaco paint job? (Anyone recently gotten one? If so post a pic or two)
Also the car has a vinyl roof with bubbling underneath it.
The paint job really only needs to look better than it is now and last me through high school atleast.
Lastly I'm 99% percent sure I want a different color. Right now it is a peachy orange color. Will get pics later probably. Thanks.
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I live in Canada, so my experience may be different than yours.

I COULD NOT find a shop that was willing to take my car in and shoot it after I had done the bodywork.
It wasn't that my work was bad.... they would not even look at it.

Also.... I painted my shell in my garage. Built a tent out of vapor barrier, had ventilation, and a high quality organic solvent vapor mask.

I NEARLY DIED> DO NOT TAKE IT LIGHTLY
My diagnosis was chemical Pneumonia. Permanent damage done by VOC. I will never be the same and have an increased chance of developing cancer.

In the end, I paid a shop 10,000.00 to take my car down and paint it.
 
rustyswinger said:
I live in Canada, so my experience may be different than yours.

I COULD NOT find a shop that was willing to take my car in and shoot it after I had done the bodywork.
It wasn't that my work was bad.... they would not even look at it.

Also.... I painted my shell in my garage. Built a tent out of vapor barrier, had ventilation, and a high quality organic solvent vapor mask.

I NEARLY DIED> DO NOT TAKE IT LIGHTLY
My diagnosis was chemical Pneumonia. Permanent damage done by VOC. I will never be the same and have an increased chance of developing cancer.

In the end, I paid a shop 10,000.00 to take my car down and paint it.
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Some people, me included, are very sensitive to these chemicals. You don't know until you are exposed to them. Yes the stuff can kill people and damage their lungs.
I use a fresh air system. A good respirator does me NO good.
 
StevieC124 said:
I have a 69 dart slant six that needs paint badly. I'm on a strict budget and don't know whats the best way to go with paint.
Should i just do all the work myself and spray it in my garage? I got a suitable compressor and sprayer, just never painted a whole car before.
Or possibly a cheap maaco paint job? (Anyone recently gotten one? If so post a pic or two)
Also the car has a vinyl roof with bubbling underneath it.
The paint job really only needs to look better than it is now and last me through high school atleast.
Lastly I'm 99% percent sure I want a different color. Right now it is a peachy orange color. Will get pics later probably. Thanks.
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When I was in high school, I hung out with several friends all with hot rods that went to auto shop. Somebody's car always had some body work goin on. We were approached by a teacher who wanted her car painted. We brainstormed and took her car in and prepped it and did all the necessary body work, got it slap ready to spray. Nobody wanted to step up and shoot it. We was skeered. lol So I came up with the genius idea to take it in to Earl Scheib in down town Macon. They would spray a car for 99.95, any of their colors. So we let them do it. That sumbitch looked GOOD. After that we suddenly had a lot to do, because everybody liked it. Our second year doing it, Earl Scheib closed down, so we lost our sprayer. Nobody in the group wanted to step up so I grabbed the gun and went to town. We made some decent money doing that and it was a barrel of monkeys worth of fun. My point in all this rambling is, as long as the prep work is RIGHT and GOOD, you can just about let a chimp spray a car and it'll turn out. Man we had a lot of fun doing that.
 
Buy a decent gun and practice. I have been painting for 40 years now and learned everything the hard way. Just take your time and try to avoid runs. For a full spray, blow the car apart, also paint backsides of everything, materials alone will cost over $2,000 if you use decent stuff (lots more if you use name brand). I use Restoration Shop brand from www.tcpglobal.com. Their paint is excellent and costs about half of what PPG or Dupont will cost. You will need at a minimum epoxy primer and hardener (assuming the car is stripped to bare metal), filler, sandpaper, high build primer, paint, clear and hardener, thinner and polishing supplies. I painted my 69 Barracuda 5 years ago, and the materials added up to about $2,000 and it's gone up.

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Maaco used to get a bad rap, but Maaco is just a name . the work is as good as the prep and the guy laying the paint Maaco has some excellent spray men and I've seen them lay some beautiful paint. Their prices seem to be quite competitive
 
Agreed.........there was a Macco in Manassas, Va. that painted a 2004 Camry for me. It didn't come out right but I figured I got what I paid for. That store went out of business and when I took it to the Chantilly , Va location even they said it was all done wrong, but it was still under warranty and heard of numerous complaints with the other shop. One should note that it is up each individual shop to decide if they are willing to correct another shop's mistake. Corporate approved the warranty and man, that car came back like a brand new paint job. In turn, they also painted my duster in which I was also very pleased. I have recommended this Maaco to everyone.
 
Only Maaco job I ever saw was up near Des Moines, Ia years ago. Bud took his horse trailer in for paint, plenty of paint, it was well covered, even had runs!!! Guess it was "just" a horse trailer.
 
In addition to Maaco and Earl Schieb, there's also Electro-Bake.

My advice would be to drive by any of those shops in your area and look at the vehicles sitting outside after they're done.

In addition to seeing the quality of the work, you may get lucky and find a shop that likes to do old cars.

Ask the name of the painter that did cars you like the work on, then specify that guy when you take yours in.

Sometimes the painters move around, so make sure they are still at that shop.
 
YY1 said:
In addition to Maaco and Earl Schieb, there's also Electro-Bake.

My advice would be to drive by any of those shops in your area and look at the vehicles sitting outside after they're done.

In addition to seeing the quality of the work, you may get lucky and find a shop that likes to do old cars.

Ask the name of the painter that did cars you like the work on, then specify that guy when you take yours in.
At the local Maaco they always park the finished cars out front for anyone to walk by and see. They must be proud because I usually don't see those high priced paint shops do that. I think it's a good suggestion to go by and check out their work before you commit. Maaco could pull the cars out it the back shop even though they have a large area behind the shop. As you can see my son's car was parked out front close to the sidewalk. It drew a lot of attention!!

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Here's the mostly finished product although a little dusty....LOL:

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I took my '9 Ram 3500 to a shop other day for some work I did not want to tackle lying on my back! This area has zero mechanics. I did find a shop with two retire GM mechanics, they work on autos and mostly tractors just for "fun" as they say. Well their fun still costs me $70/hr. but this is Tx not Mo. One guys is also a good body man. They had pics of several cars they not and bolt restored! Great work it looked like but it was NOT cheap!!!
Funny how bodywork is so expensive.. and how people looking for an old Mopar in general, on the lesser models, they will not even pay for the costs of materials. Then if they do consider the car, IF the see one small flaw they will go nuts. lol
 
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