Would maaco sand off my orginal color of my hatch and paint it a different color? Or do they just paint right over it? I'm curious. Its red, and I want to go black, would it be a decent paint job if they sand off and paint or not worth it?

 

the original finish is never stripped off unless it has somehow been damaged. if you need body work done, the paint is stripped off of that area, the repair is made, and then new paint goes on top. if you are doing a ridiculous better-than-factory paint job on some trailer queen/Barrett-Jackson auction type of car then the paint is almost always stripped off by soda blasting or hot tanking the whole car.

Maaco barely even preps the car. usually they give it a quick very light scuff and just paint right over dents and whatever else is wrong with the car. Maaco should be considered to be your absolute lowest acceptable method of getting your car painted.

 

Well said.

 

Do all the prep work yourself and then hand it over to Maaco.