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By MARTY CLEARIn labor-intensive, high-end work, what's done before and after dictates how high the price goes.
Ralph Perez has no quarrel with the big chains that offer affordable auto painting. But a lot of people get the wrong impression from those ads that offer paint jobs for a couple of hundred bucks.
"We see it all the time," said Perez, the owner of Ralph Perez Body Repairs in Seminole Heights. "We give a guy an estimate for $3,000 (for a paint job) and he goes nuts because he's seen those commercials and he thinks it should only cost $200."
Perez specializes in high-end paint jobs for high-end cars. The average price, he said, is about $3,500.
It's possible to get a car painted for a whole lot less, Perez said. Maaco Auto Repair and Body Works, for example, offers full paint jobs for as little as $229.95.
It's not that one overcharges or the other does shoddy work, Perez and other industry experts say. For some people, and some cars, the bargain paint job is the best choice; for others, the higher-quality job is the only way to go.
"The high-end paint job is very labor-intensive," said John Wilson, the office manager for the Maaco shop on E Fowler Avenue. "That's just not what we do here. We use quality paint. We use DuPont paint exclusively. But we don't do as much prep work as the high-end places do."
At Perez's shop, the typical customer has a late-model Mercedes, BMW or Lexus. Maaco customers tend to be more likely to drive eight-year-old Hondas, Nissans and Toyotas.
"They've got the car all paid off and they just want to get another year or two out of it," Wilson said. "They just want it to look a little nicer."
The quality of the paint, and the process of applying the paint, doesn't vary all that much between the high-end and bargain jobs. It's what's done before and after that makes the difference in price.
Maaco and other low-cost paint shops typically tape the parts of the body that aren't supposed to be painted, including the headlights, the side mirrors, the bumpers. At Perez's shop, all those parts are removed and the body gets a thorough sanding before the paint goes on.
Once the paint is on, high-end places do a wet sanding and buffing; Maaco doesn't. Perez offers a lifetime warranty; Maaco's least expensive paint job has a warranty of only a year.
Whatever kind of paint job you're getting, it's a good idea to do some research first. If you're just looking for a bargain job, make some calls and ask some questions. Ask about prices and warranties. See if any specials are available.
But if you're going for the high-end paint job, shopping around is essential. The price is one consideration, but Perez said the most important thing is to look closely at recently finished jobs at a number of shops.
Perez advises his customers to inspect finished cars for runs in the paint, overspraying (paint that gets on places where it doesn't belong), peeling, dust under the paint, and tiny lines from the sanding process. If you're paying top-dollar, the paint job should be virtually perfect. If a shop seems reticent to allow you to look at one of its completed jobs, cross it off your list.
Color is an important consideration, especially in Florida, and especially if your car is going to be parked in the sun often. All paint fades, but some colors fade more than others. And some colors show dirt more than others.
"A black car is all clean and shiny on the showroom floor," Perez said. "But it's hard to keep it looking that way."
Perez says he has never owned anything but a silver-colored car. He finds that silver holds its color well and is fairly forgiving of dirt and grime.
After you've had your car painted, especially if you've paid thousands of dollars, you'll want to take care of the paint job.
Perez advises parking in a garage, or at least under a shelter; having your car waxed regularly by a reliable detail shop; and washing with a soap specifically designed for cars. If you don't have that, a few drops of dish soap in a bucket of water will work well; just don't use too much soap or you can ruin the finish, Perez said.