I have an 88 dx and am looking at getting it re-painted. I am not doing it in the next week, maybe a few months down the line, but i am just wondering what others have paid to get their cars re-painted. And any tips on reducing costs would also be appreciated.

 

You want to reduce the cost, here is what you do.

Paint it yourself. Hell, you will learn how to paint, and with the money you save, you will be able to buy a sibian for your girlfriend.

fs

 

But if you don't wish to paint it yourself, i don't think there is much you can do to bring down the cost unless you go with a shop that will let you do some of the work and forgo the warranty.

No decent shop will spray over a prep job that they have no control over. Especially from someone who does not have any bodywork experience. Sorry.

fs

 

800$+ for paint, primer, sealer, clear, activator etc.
400$. to have it sprayed, jams, kit. no engine bay
-----------
1200$

that did not include: prep. the car (sanding, cleaning, body work etc)
wet sand/buff job afterwards (which is a must IMO)

 

you can pull the door handles, take off all the trim, pull the window rubbers, take out the tail-lights, turn signals, headlights, and plates. Basically anything you don't want painted. This will usually save you about $100. Get a qoute for the job first then ask how much you can save by removing the aboved mentioned parts.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by SIRX &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">you can pull the door handles, take off all the trim, pull the window rubbers, take out the tail-lights, turn signals, headlights, and plates. Basically anything you don't want painted. This will usually save you about $100. Get a qoute for the job first then ask how much you can save by removing the aboved mentioned parts.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Exactly what I was going to suggest. Remove everything that they will have to remove to paint the car. If you do it first then it will be about $100 - $300 cheaper in labour costs depending on how much the hourly rates at the paint shop are.

CRX Forum

 

^ i did that too

it was fun driving it like that too

 

Doing the prepwork yourself will save a lot. Warning though, many places will not give you a warranty on the paint if they don't do it all themselves.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by kurinto &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Doing the prepwork yourself will save a lot. Warning though, many places will not give you a warranty on the paint if they don't do it all themselves.</TD></TR></TABLE>

warranty, who needs warrantys anyways?

 

I did mine myself with a flat black, Wont post pics because they're huge. Took about 2 1/2 hours with like 1500 or 1200 grit to sand down the clear coat, then I bought some auto paint from a local paint shop for $65. Since I still had the original paint on, minus clearcoat, I just prepped with masking tape and painted. Took me about 4 hours to paint it myself, about 3 coats. I didn't want it glossy, but it is a bit glossy. And if I want, I can still go and clearcoat it and have a brand new paintjob. All for less than I spend on gas in 3 weeks. Also, If you have a body kit, opt for the chemical additive that lets the paint flex better, that way if your kit is poly eurothane like mine you don't have to worry about paint cracking. - Darrell

http://www.we-todd-did-racing....D.jpg

http://www.we-todd-did-racing....D.jpg

 

Your car looks sweet, i was gonna paint my CRX black too. Is anyone experienced in painting in the Cleveland area, if anybody experienced is willing to help me paint, Im willing to pay.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Matrix_Zero &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

warranty, who needs warrantys anyways?</TD></TR></TABLE>

You want to drop the money for a paint job then be stuck if it starts to crack and chip away in a few months? Your investment...

 

I got mine painted from a ex body shop owner for 1,000 bux. The job is very nice, and it has a warranty. I had to take it back once in the past 2 years(minor chip), no questions asked!!
Good guy, he is out of laguna seca ca.
Ryan

 

I painted my old eg. 600 bux for everything paint primer sealer all that good stuff, I even splurged and bought expensive paint (ferrari yellow) i tell u i wouldnt have traded the experence for anything. u learn so much if you diy. and plus if i decide to do it again i can do it with more ease and faster heres a pic.

 

Damn that looks nice!

 

Weird I just saw your CRX at walmart when I was in GF.

I work at a body shop and if you were to bring me your car and you wanted to save money I would say take out everything you can(windows, door handles, door/window trim,lights, tailights,rear wiper,mirrors and so on) anything you can do to make my prep and tape work easy will lower your price.

 

woah small world and yea if i decide to paint the crx ill sure do that

 

Damn that is werid 3 MN guys in a row..

 

Im going to pay around $350 for a guy to paint it. I just have to pick a stock car color (Any Make/Model) and as long as its not metallic.

 

i work at an autobody shop and although u will save urself some money stripping everything down, ur not saving alot..... if time isnt an issue, search for someone to do it as a side job.... i mean the same guy that does it at a shop will be the same guy doing it on the side... too bad ur not from the NY area, id help u out. If money is an issue leave it the stock color (or close too) that way u dont have to have the door jams and engine bay painted. also if ur gonna do it urself, dont. u'll spend more money on supplies and tools then u will if u give it somebody to do it (unless of course you want to paint all of ur friends cars, then u can make the money back).

 

This is very true. There's a lot of guys that work at body shops that run a shop out of their garage in their spare time, and will paint a car for a lot less that most body shops. Ask around, you'll be able to find someone. The catch is that it won't be done fast. It's like the old engineer's saying: Fast, Cheap, Good Quality - Choose two.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by GreenMachineRex &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">800$+ for paint, primer, sealer, clear, activator etc.
)</TD></TR></TABLE>

Thats VERY expensive, use house of kohler (sp?)

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by WayFastWhitie &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Thats VERY expensive, use house of kohler (sp?)</TD></TR></TABLE>

Ferrari Modena Yellow. . .for me and it was 4 hondo...he musta used house of kohler

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by LankorDie &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Damn that is werid 3 MN guys in a row..</TD></TR></TABLE>

And I lived in the ND counterpart citys(grand forks and fargo) both of you do, now thats weird, I still think its weird when i see anybody local but over the last few years the midwest scence has picked up, man up untill a few years ago I felt alone.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by filthy_shovel &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">You want to reduce the cost, here is what you do.

Paint it yourself. Hell, you will learn how to paint, and with the money you save, you will be able to buy a sibian for your girlfriend.

fs</TD></TR></TABLE>

i am taking an Autobody/Paint class through the local community college right now. I have done all the body work and painted all the jams so far. Not only is this going to save me sooo much money but I get the expeirence of doing it myself.

The teacher has made arrangements to have a local profecional, for $100, to tape off, the use of his booth, and to lay down the paint on my car. The class included all materials I needed to get the car prepped for paint, like tools, filler, sand paper ect...The teacher got me the paint and everything that goes along with that for $180!!! Thats at cost + 10%.

It has been very time consuming to get this done. All I need now is to wetsand the car and get the paint layed down. So far thats taken 13-14 weeks to get this far. With about 2-3 hours a week to work on it, it gets frusterating. The work isnt the best it could be because of being rushed the whole time, but in the end its going to be well worth it.