What is a reasonable price for a good repaint of the entire body? I know Rayden got his painted for ~$4000 but he also had a kit.

 

I think a great deal depends on the type of paint you select...is it a clearcoat/topcoat? Meaning a single application? Is it a irridescent paint with color flake that looks different colors from different angles? (VERY expensive!) Are you looking for an exotic quality finish? All this can hugely affect your cost...some guys who are perfectionists might have up to 8 or so seperate applications with wetsanding in between...with numerous clearcoats making orangepeel nonexistant and a glass like finish. You need to qualify what you are looking for before anyone is going to be able to give you valuable feedback.

 

I have a Silverstone..I'd like to upgrade the finish with a better clear coat with several applications to inlcude wet sanding in-between, lets say 3 coats plus the wet sanding. How much would that go for? I'll have to add my on guestimate on top of what you quote, seeing that I live in CA and everything here is over-priced or overstated.

 

It's been a while since I was involved in body work etc., but I don't think I'd be too far off base to suggest (around here in the Midwest) you could get that done for around $1,500-2,000. That is if you don't need any body work done...and don't need any basecoat/color repainted. Biggest thing is the prep work you're paying for and I would think two coats of clear would get the finish you desire...also would give you a little forgiveness if you ever have to buff future surface scratches, etc.

 

I am thinking of repainting my Z to a deep navy blue; the blue would be similar to that of the 360 Modena and 911 Carrera. I don't believe that these colors are irridescent or have any color flake.

I am not knowledgeable about paint jobs, but I am assuming there is some sort of "quality scale" roughly corresponding to the number of paint applications made. Somewhere near the lower end of the scale would be Nissan paint (it's depressing ) and somewhere near the upper end would be exotic quality paint.

On this scale, I definitely want a paint job that is superior to the Nissan OEM. I can't see myself paying thousands of dollars for a repaint and still having to contend with paint chips and orange peel. I want paint quality that is roughly on par with, say, a BMW; not exotic quality, but definitely good enough to not have to worry about it on a daily basis.

In your opinion, how many paint applications would this require? How much would such a job cost?

 

Read the quote at the end of your post...LOL. It seems my car has been used as a bus on occasions when we've been out drinking and our judgement has been less than admirable. I've gotten five people in my car (with all extremidies "IN" the car) and transported them from party to party. Myself (@ 6', 200lbs), a buddy (@ 5'10, 165lbs), my wife (@ 5'6, 135lbs), her friend (@ 5'4, 110lbs, and another girlfriend (@ 5'6, 130lbs). Buddy and girl in the passanger's seat and believe it or not, TWO girls fit over, under, and somehow around the strut bar...with the hatch closed over them!

Anyway...back to your question. I'm not the best to be answering this, but I'll give a little information and don't take it as gospel. A buddy of mine used to own a body shop, and his "typical" repairs could be done with one part paints where the color, shine, and hue matched in one application without requiring a topcoat. It is my recollection from a long while back that our beautiful Zs have this type of one coat application from the factory. So....if this is true, and if the factory paint is thick enough to allow direct wetsand without thinning out too badly, you can remove most if not all orange peel this way, and then go for the finish you want with clearcoats over. As you suggest...going to a different color altogether adds that step, and changing color rather than just improving finish is quite a bit more detailed...do you want to have the entire engine bay match? Do you want the end result to be so that no one can even tell your car started life a different color? Now you are talking some serious bucks...and my idea of price would be way off. Anyway, I think you could get the finish you want a basecoat and two clearcoats with sanding in between. Surely someone will chime in with more knowledge than me. Good luck.

 

Doesn't sound too much different than trying to cram 5 people in a G35 .

I fundamentally distrust the OEM paint. This distrust, along with the desire for a unique look, is the reason I want to repaint the car to a deep navy blue. I would prefer that my engine bay be painted as well, but I understand that may be cost prohibitive, considering that the engine needs to be dropped. My priority is having a high-quality exterior finish for a reasonable price. I am wondering if $4000 or less would pay for it.

Thanks for the info,
Shiva

 

Yes...you should be able to get a quality shop to do this for you for $4,000 or less. We have a company around here called MAACO who would paint an entire car for around $300! Now before you laugh...I've had a number of people tell me that these are exactly the people they would trust even with an expensive car repaint. You need to realize that this is all they do day in and day out...most of the painters are VERY skilled. The trick is making sure some highschooler isn't doing the tape and prep. Another large variable is "how" they prep. You want to be sure that all parts within reason are dissassembled...tailights removed, moldings pulled, etc. This can be the difference between a good job and a great one. Anyway, my point is that if there is a place like this by you...you may want to check it out..they may be the best value. Just get to know the manager/owner and make sure he understands you want the skills of their best painter...and you are willing to pay for the extra mile when it comes to prep and quality of the paint being used. Just an idea. To support my story...I redid all the bodywork on an old 88 Toyota 4x4...you know, the ones that had **** boxes and rusted out so badly. Well, I did all he main body work, and had MAACO do some little body fills and a paint job for under $400 and was very pleased with the results...not the finish I'd want on my Z...but remember, I only paid $400 including all materials!

 

4k sounds about right. Its ALL in the prep! You must make sure that EVERYTHING is removed! Also make sure that your painter uses good paint. I like to use PPG. Also ask them if they cut and buff. TELL them from the start you dont want any orange peel and you want everything pulled! Where are you located? If you need any advice just ask. Ive been painting for a little while now and know a little bit.

 

I am in Pittsburgh for school, and I live in the NYC / North Jersey area. Rayden2001, who repainted his Z to an amazing-looking Lamborghini Orange, just replied to my PM on the topic. He said that he paid more than $5000 and that most shops were asking $6800! Fortunately, his paint required a 3-phase application process involving pearl and metallics, which I believe deep navy blue does not; he also got 13 layers done including 5 layers of clearcoat ; he predicted that I would only need 8 or so layers.

I'm not entirely decided on the shade of blue, but I'm thinking that it would be somewhere between the Porsche midnight blue metallic and the Ferrari Tour de France blue.

 

Or this -

 

Color changing will always cost more if done right. The doors and hatch needs to be removed. All the bumpers and glass will need to be removed. All trim and rubber stripping will also need to be removed. This is so you get a good looking paint job. If you just want to paint the car the same color again it should cost you about 3k. With a change of color I would say the cost will jump to 5 to 6k.

Also make sure you use PPG Global paint. Not just PPG paint.

 

NOOOOOOOOO!!! Do NOT take your car to Macco!!

 

Thanks for the help. Just a few questions - what is the difference between PPG and PPG Global paint? Also, how many paint/clearcoat layers define a "good looking" paint job to you? I am asking this because $5000-$6000 seems a bit out of my reach.

 

Just to clarify...my point was you MAACO probably has some of the highest quality painters out there "for the money"...and if you can get them to do an "uncustomary" prep job...cause their typical job is just masking everything...the shortcut and unacceptable way...you may want to consider. But they also typically use lower quality paints so that's another issue. ****...it's your Z...so just go to the local Ferrari or Porsche repair shop...and have them paint it like they would if you were asking about repainting your Enzo. Price is never a consideration anyway...right?

 

I know a hell of a painter in NJ. But hes kind of slow!
Global?? Why would you use Global? Global is wayyyy too new to use. I sprayed it in PPG tech school. It was pretty cool stuff but still too new to use for me. For those of you that dont know about the PPG Global line, its a mixed with distilled water. Rather then a reducer.

 

My car will be painted next week using PPG Global. I will post the pic's when it's done. Lamborghini's and Ferrari's are painted with PPG Global.

 

Thats cool, but its not like its a "show base" or anything. Ive seen your car pics and the bodywork looks great! You can also get those colors in DBU PPG. Its just something that is good for the planet. They use Global in the UK alot! Im sure thats why Lamborghini and Ferrari use it.

 

Mazzoo, how much are you paying for your paint job?

 

Bump for mazzoo.