BLKFLSH

It went in Black, and came out Blue. No, I never want to do it again. When the local painter said it would cost $4500 to paint my car, I decided the only cost effective way to paint my car was to do it myself. It's not a $4500 paint job, but I saved $4000. Ever started a job, and 30 minutes later, you regretted it? This was one of those.

GoLowDrew

I know how you feel. Sometimes when we add a mod, we changed our mind.

In your case, I think this paint job looks good. Maybe it's the lights. Either case, from this pic, the only thing I can say is the color. Unique, but does not look OEM. But that's my taste.

Look at it another way. You car is 10 years old. I would be happy with it (again, looks good to me). Spending $4,500 is not a good investment. So you did the "right" thing there.

BLKFLSH

Spending that much on a paint job, on a ten year old car, is not wise. Anything looks better than peeling clear-coat on a Black car. Now I get the joy of replacing all the parts I took off. I think the color is a Blue Ford had years ago, but don't know the name of it. Single stage Acrylic Enamel looks way different than Acrylic Lacquer and clear-coat. I'm sure it's the only Accord I'll see with that color/type of paint on it.

BLKFLSH

It hasn't even been washed yet, but my son took a couple pictures anyway. It's not a professional job (couple runs, and a little trash in the paint) but I am pleased with how smooth and shiny it came out. Wish it had come out darker (could have tinted the primer or used a darker primer), but it looks closer to what I wanted when it's in the shade. I'm satisfied.

slomob18b

Looks almost like the OEM blue in those daylight pics. Great job man!

BLKFLSH

It's not OEM. I think it's some Ford color, but don't know the name. I just picked a color off a chip book. I might stop at the paint store during the week, and find out exactly what the name and color code is. Everyone seems to want to know the name.

GoLowDrew

Yes, it looks great. .

Just wondering, some color don't have clear coat, like some solids. I get that.

Can you still add it? Why or why not? I would think it would make it "extra thick" looking, no?

BLKFLSH

I don't really like clear-coats. I know that's what every other car on the road has now, but I don't want my paint to reflect so much, like a mirror. You could see the swirl marks from a mile away, on the Black, with the clear-coat. You can see the actual color better IMO, without the clear. With the right activator, Acrylic Enamel has plenty enough shine for me. I don't think I will meet up with another Accord, with this type of paint job, so it will stand out, and people will notice it. I was thinking about a metallic, but my brother tried that once, and it looked like glitter, so I Xed that idea too. You have to apply metallic a certain way, and I don't have the experience to try that. The look takes a little getting used too, but the more I look at it, the more I like it.

PS: By the way, I did check on the name of this color, and it is simply known as Ford Blue. It's been around a while, at least since the 70s.

london ritzler

Looks pretty good!

GoLowDrew

I would do something like that too.

My Accord is "Mystic Green Metallic." If I was to repaint it, I would choose the "green" from a 68 Plymouth Barracuda. I would want to use the OEM code. My uncle had one when I was a kid.

BLKFLSH

The guy at the paint shop said Ford used this color for everything, from cars, to trucks, to tractors, engines and logos (the blue in the oval). Don't know if they still use it, but it has been used on basically anything Ford made. I'm sure when it was used on cars and trucks it was either a matallic, or clear-coated. I had no idea where it came from, and was just picking a color out of the chip book.

BLKFLSH

More pics. The paint looks one color in the shade (Navy Blue) and quite another in direct sunlight (Powder Blue?). Except for the continuing references to Smurfs, and Blue Man Groups, the response has been positive LOL.

GoLowDrew

In this light, I've seen this Ford color on Fords before. Just wondering, did you do something else? Meaning, I don't recall the Fords look all that different in different shade of late.

Yes, the paint job is well done, and the fact that it reacts differently to shades of light is cool.

BLKFLSH

I don't know why it changes shades with the light. I thought maybe it was because I didn't use a clear-coat, but back in the 70s they didn't use clear either. Maybe back in the 70s paint did this too, but I don't remember much from when I was 15 years old. I'm sure an expert painter could tell me, but I've yet to find an expert and ask. I saw a Ford truck the other day, with a color very close to it, but it had clear on top.

GoLowDrew

Don't Ford use this for the Mustang now? Or maybe 2010? One of the current ones.

BLKFLSH

yes, they still use the color, but they will all have clear over them now, and probably some metallic or pearl added too. I guess I could always add clear, but I like it the way it is because it's unique.

builthatch

an eibach pro-kit and some 19" HFP wheels like these (wrong car but whatevs):



would COMPLETELY pull a nice look together for very little cash without straying far from OE parts and look. i think the car looks great from here, from afar. i mean, i'm super picky about paint so i'd probably be fretting if up close on it but i understand why you did what you did and i think you are better off with it this way.

when someone has a bone stock appearing honda in a weird color like this i never forget it. there are a few in this area - bone stock older hondas that are some odd non-honda color and it isn't that it doesn't look good but it just looks different and memorable.

Arthas

Your car looks good!! I dig the color man. It looks different without attracting too much attention.


But seriously, $4500 to paint a car? What can they possibly do for $4500? I had a $350 paint job done on my 99 Civic from a local shop and it looked great. Granted the clear was mixed in with the paint, but for $350 I was more than happy.

builthatch

dude...$350? you are talking about the type of paint job the OP did...and he did it himself for more money than you paid to take it somewhere. i can't imagine what it looked like and/or what kind of prep/materials were used. as long as you like it, that is all that matters but i hope you don't think quality paint work costs anywhere what you paid for JUST IN MATERIALS, let alone the whole job! everyone knows a properly executed base/clear paint job without body work and without full primer is going to cost a few grand if it's done right with good materials. start adding in body work, priming, etc and it goes up from there mainly because the time invested goes up.

materials alone are really expensive if they are using good stuff. then prep...to truly prep it properly, prep, spray, etc., etc., wet sand and compound/polish, reassemble, dispose of stuff, etc., etc.

$4500 is high...but it depends on what kind of durability and final aesthetic result is wanted. if they were going to get it done to perfect better-than-OE spec with good stuff then $4500 sounds somewhat realistic.

GoLowDrew

If I still have my 97 Civic and it needed a paint job, I would go for the $299 special.

A lot of that is in the prep work. The best way to explain what a good paint job is, watch shows like Overhauling, or Street Custom, and see the details and time they put in.

I would not be surprise if their paint jobs (on TV) are value at $6-$7k. Or should I say $10K for the custom work?

BLKFLSH

$4500 was the PPG paint, and quality work, which means removing a lot more parts than I did. That was for painting it black again, and not for a different color (blue). I know there are cars out there with paint jobs worth more than the car, but I would have to keep a car my entire life, to spend that much on a personalized paint job. The main problem was, most of the shops with reasonable prices, didn't even want the job. They make more money on repair work, and are very busy with that. To get them to stop doing repair work, to paint your car, it would cost an arm and a leg. Another factor is the time a shop would have kept the car, which would be a couple months, vs the two weeks I had the car tied up.

saint_

I think you did an amazing job! If there's runs and **** in the paint then just take your time going over it and fixing it?
Use superrrrr fine sandpaper and wet sand, clay bar and cut polishing...
Taking your time.
When everything looks perfect then seal the paint and clear coat to protect all of your hard work.
Don't give up! Lalalalala

balbowskie

maybe not what you were aiming for, but looks really good. i had i guy want some 4wheeler parts powder-coated one time at my work. when the guy came to get them (once they cooled), to his surprise they were pink. i know the painter knew what he was doing when he put it on there, haha...had to soak in a acid bath for days till they could be redone, but yea looks great and atleast its not pink buddy!

accord0122

4500 is whay too much for a paint job. what you did looks good and with the cash you saved you can even repaint it again with a different color, if you dont like this one

autoexperts

Yeah, looks good!