[64speed]

The manager of my local Maaco has a small paint booth and paints at home on the side. I chose not to use him because his estimate was obviously higher probably from better products and no warranty. If I can get out the door with all that needs to be done for even 2500 I am gonna jerk their arm off taking it

[77poncho]

It depends what level of job you want. My cousin works at Maaco. And been there for 15 + years. And been painting for 20+. Years total. He does awesome body work and paint. When I can afford to have them paint my car that's where I plan to go. I also think each maaco is a bit different. I know my local one takes pride in their work.

[Chief of the 60's]

Originally Posted by 64speed

The manager of my local Maaco has a small paint booth and paints at home on the side. I chose not to use him because his estimate was obviously higher probably from better products and no warranty. If I can get out the door with all that needs to be done for even 2500 I am gonna jerk their arm off taking it

Never pay anyone more money for a "barn job" than you would at a licensed repair facility reguardless of the quality of work or product.

Having no warranty is only the small part. That barn job guy pays no insurance, no licensing, has no environmental responsibilities which cost money, has no or minimal overhead and pays no taxes. He also may only be making $15.00 - $20.00 p/hr (less taxes) but thinks he's worth $50.00 or more at home tax free. It don't work that way.

I have an ASE mechanic from a new car dealership that does some of my mechanical work for me. He charges me $20.00 p/hr which is fair for me and equates to about $28.00 p/hr to him if he were working for a shop. So, at $20.00 p/hr in his pocket, he's not doing too shabby and may be making more at home than at his day job.

[MUSLCAH]

Originally Posted by Chief of the 60's

Never pay anyone more money for a "barn job" than you would at a licensed repair facility reguardless of the quality of work or product.

Having no warranty is only the small part. That barn job guy pays no insurance, no licensing, has no environmental responsibilities which cost money, has no or minimal overhead and pays no taxes. He also may only be making $15.00 - $20.00 p/hr (less taxes) but thinks he's worth $50.00 or more at home tax free. It don't work that way.

I have an ASE mechanic from a new car dealership that does some of my mechanical work for me. He charges me $20.00 p/hr which is fair for me and equates to about $28.00 p/hr to him if he were working for a shop. So, at $20.00 p/hr in his pocket, he's not doing too shabby and may be making more at home than at his day job.

Hope you pay that guy cash......even then he's screwing himself...at least up here in the expensive north east....don't know where your from.

[Chief of the 60's]

Originally Posted by MUSLCAH

Hope you pay that guy cash......even then he's screwing himself...at least up here in the expensive north east....don't know where your from.

Northeast

[NeighborsComplaint]

Don't let the warranty dissuade you. It's not worth the paper it's written on. They warranty the paint work. Should you have issues down the road, the answer will be "Sorry, we do not take responsible for the condition of the metal beneath the paint. The issues are not the result of our preparation or paint, they are the result of defects in the metal, pre-existing body work, or rust."

Forget about the warranty, it's meaningless.

[400 4spd.]

Originally Posted by NeighborsComplaint

Don't let the warranty dissuade you. It's not worth the paper it's written on. They warranty the paint work. Should you have issues down the road, the answer will be "Sorry, we do not take responsible for the condition of the metal beneath the paint. The issues are not the result of our preparation or paint, they are the result of defects in the metal, pre-existing body work, or rust."

Forget about the warranty, it's meaningless.

I wonder if that would include hand prints.

[MUSLCAH]

Originally Posted by NeighborsComplaint

You could do worse, like wind up in body shop jail like my current situation. Been in the shop since the week of Labor Day and is finally done but not how I requested. Shop refused to paint the roof so next stop is a new vinyl top.

"Body Shop Jail " ....I like that one. Having a Body shop myself....I have been guilty of keeping cars a wee bit too long.....we all know why they stay there longer than needed....Because there's no money in it....We takes these jobs in when we get slow ....then all of a sudden we get a 10,000 wreck....make 30% for just ordering parts.....can beat the labor times given,and make a buck or two. Just the Facts.

[red1975pacer]

Originally Posted by MUSLCAH

"Body Shop Jail " ....I like that one. Having a Body shop myself....I have been guilty of keeping cars a wee bit too long.....we all know why they stay there longer than needed....Because there's no money in it....We takes these jobs in when we get slow ....then all of a sudden we get a 10,000 wreck....make 30% for just ordering parts.....can beat the labor times given,and make a buck or two. Just the Facts.

My car is being done at a very reputable Cleveland bodyshop , Blue Ribbon Auto body. At 80 bucks an hour {plus materials, } its already 5 months past due. His factory warrantee work on BMW's comes first. I get it .bottom line, If I push it the 10k bill turns into 15. Let him take his time. Car in question is a 79 TATA, which went in in June for a "minor touch up" Guys take these jobs to fill in the gaps.

[NeighborsComplaint]

Originally Posted by MUSLCAH

"Body Shop Jail " ....I like that one. Having a Body shop myself....I have been guilty of keeping cars a wee bit too long.....we all know why they stay there longer than needed....Because there's no money in it....We takes these jobs in when we get slow ....then all of a sudden we get a 10,000 wreck....make 30% for just ordering parts.....can beat the labor times given,and make a buck or two. Just the Facts.

Yeah. In my case it was insurance work first and mine as fill in. I can't bitch too loudly because the guy did a first class job overall. I should post progress pics that the shop took. For the amount of work done, I was amazed he went just $200 over his initial estimate. His work didn't pass the 400 4spd white glove test but I'm not losing sleep over it.

I just wish he'd have told me it would be fill-in work and take 3 months. I wouldn't have been so pissy about it. When I got the estimate, they were slow. A week later when I dropped my car off, they couldn't even get it in the shop and it sat outside for 2 months but they always managed to keep it inside on rainy days.

[MUSLCAH]

What is a minor touch up ? I can see a complete paint dragging out....

[MUSLCAH]

Originally Posted by NeighborsComplaint

Yeah. In my case it was insurance work first and mine as fill in. I can't bitch too loudly because the guy did a first class job overall. I should post progress pics that the shop took. For the amount of work done, I was amazed he went just $200 over his initial estimate. His work didn't pass the 400 4spd white glove test but I'm not losing sleep over it.

I just wish he'd have told me it would be fill-in work and take 3 months. I wouldn't have been so pissy about it. When I got the estimate, they were slow. A week later when I dropped my car off, they couldn't even get it in the shop and it sat outside for 2 months but they always managed to keep it inside on rainy days.

Us body shop guys call those cars (like yours) ...Good Luck charms ....cuz soon as they come in...the phone starts ringing off the wall...and I kid you not !

[tom s]

My Judge was in jail for 2 years,have a friend that has had one if for 3 years!Tom

[MUSLCAH]

Originally Posted by tom s

My Judge was in jail for 2 years,have a friend that has had one if for 3 years!Tom

That's nothing .........had a 66 Chevelle SS 396 in my garage for 8 years.....and a 1970 Monte SS factory 4 speed Big Block car for 5 years....that one didn't end well....told the guy to call a ramp truck and get it outta here....it went to another shop for 3 more years....it's a wonder I have any friends left.

[tom s]

That just sucks!More than 2 month sucks IMO,Tom

[red1975pacer]

Originally Posted by MUSLCAH

What is a minor touch up ? I can see a complete paint dragging out....

The TATA went from a minor touchup, to a full blown repaint. The guy said its gonna be hard to touch up 40 year old Pontiac silver paint. And you know, in this care, I believed him

[Chief of the 60's]

Originally Posted by red1975pacer

The TATA went from a minor touchup, to a full blown repaint. The guy said its gonna be hard to touch up 40 year old Pontiac silver paint. And you know, in this care, I believed him

He is correct.

Metallics, especially the ones in silvers, tarnish. I don't know anyone good enough to have patina come out of their spray gun.

[NeighborsComplaint]

Originally Posted by 64speed

The manager of my local Maaco has a small paint booth and paints at home on the side. I chose not to use him because his estimate was obviously higher probably from better products and no warranty. If I can get out the door with all that needs to be done for even 2500 I am gonna jerk their arm off taking it

Don't fall for that one. I spoke with a guy who worked at a local collision shop about my car. He told me he would like to do it at home on his own. He had a buddy who did glass glass and a vinyl top guy, yada yada. Strung me along all summer with excuses so I gave up and moved on.

[Eric71T37]

In 1989, my senior year in high school, I restored a 1971 LeMans Sport hardtop. I found fenders in salvage yards, and did all the body prep and “rust repair” myself (no welding, just bondo and fiberglass...car was a solid Virginia car overall). As a graduation present my parents covered a Maaco paint job and new vinyl top (Interior was near mint when I bought the car). It was the standard single stage $300 job. Initially, it looked amazing. It had no overspray, as I had removed all trim/door handles/lights/bumpers etc. people would stop next to me at traffic lights in Charlotte and ask who had painted it. “Maaco!” I would say proudly.

But after just a couple of years, the GM Smokey Mountain blue (Cadillac color) began to dull, and rust bubbles started to appear in the fender doglegs and behind the rear wheels (where I did my “bodywork”). I sold the car at that point, so I don’t know how bad it got.

Fast forward to about 2009.. I own a repair shop and am fortunate to have a Maaco down the street from my shop. A good customer had her black Saab 9-5 painted there, with their top tier job (two stage base/clear) and “showroom finish”...I was amazed at the quality, finish and overall attention to detail. Since then I have sent countless customer vehicles to them, for minor bumper repairs up to full resprays. And you know what? You get what you pay for. Some of them were their cheapest level paint job, and it showed.

I have had three personal cars painted at this Maaco, including my current T-37. I learned to never rush them, and always ask for the best they’ve got. My cars are there for many months, but they are not my primary cars so I don’t care. They are not perfect, but I drive them so that’s OK. They weren’t $500 or even close, even with the discounts for sending other work their way. But they look very good, and people are always surprised they were painted by Maaco. You get what you pay for.

[cabhop]

Originally Posted by 400 4spd.

I wonder if that would include hand prints.

You forgot to mention filler over lead...