MAACO PAINT JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!

[nelson84]

Has anyone had a car painted by maaco? I have heard that some people got a good paint job and others say to stay away from it?

Anybody that has ben there let us know about the results of your paint job?

 

[vett boy]

I had a friend do one in Portland ,Maine and it's a show winner.I feel strongly that each Maaco shop is going to differ .I don't know where you live in Canada but in New Brunswick i've seen some of the best paint jobs in my life.

 

[lex luther]

I have had my truck painted twice by Maaco. It lasted about 3 years, and then had to be repainted on my dime. It did not include a separate clear coat (they say it is mixed into a single base). Each time it looked good for 2 years and then went down hill fast after that. Perhaps a separate clear coat would take care of it. Still the price was right.

 

[Sunstroked]

I used maaco before on the family mini-van. It was OK for its intended purpose. I wouldnt expect a show car quality paint job for $1000.00 though. I heard one guy at a car show mention he paid $28,000.00 for his show winning paint on a custom rod.
Honestly, a paint jobs quality is going to be in the prep. A lot of folks can use a spray gun well enough to apply the paint, but what you really pay for at a higher dollar shop is the prep work. I had my desert crawler 4x4 painted at earl sheib for $300 and it looked good until I applied the arizona pinstriping at no charge. (cactus and thorn bush scratches) I did the prep work myself to save money. I once painted my camaro in a backyard garage, we spent a month in prep work, bought some expensive lacquer candy paint, swept and wetted down the floor to keep the dust down and sprayed away. I learned a lesson about candy, make sure you have an adequate coverage on the base coat. But the paint was smooth, the body work was straight, and it looked very nice overall. It cost less than $1000.
So, in my opinion, pay for the extra body prep, go with a base coat/clear coat finish which will drive up the price over a single stage paint but you will probably be very happy with the outcome.

 

[BoeingMan]

For the love of humanity, stay away from maaco's!! They suck more than anything that has ever sucked before.

If you were to have a beater painted than I say OK, but not for a Corvette or anything you trully care for. I speak from direct experience.

Hope you make the right decision.

>

 

[BoeingMan]

Just to add to my post above. I did have a car painted by them. It came out looking worse than it did going in . I am not exagirating. I had them repaint it. It still was a bad paint job. I had them do it again and it came out fair. The paint did not last long and I vowed never to take a car there again. Well, I was low on bucks (back when I was a starving student) and needed to have just the hood painted on another vehicle. Same story paint sucked, had them do it over and came out only slightly better.

By the way two different maaco shops.

So don't do do it man. I am sure if you querry enough people they will have similar stories to tell. Oh,, you'l probably have a few tell you their's was a great paint job ect, but theirs is probably the exception and not the rule.

Be afraid, be very afraid.

Again, hope you make the right decision.

 

[xrcrx]

Maaco shops are individually owned. Their "bread and butter" is the cheapo 500 dollar paint job. That said, some may also have the ability to do frame off work. Like any other business some will be merely mediocre, some suck, some are excellent. The franchise concept allows them to purchase materials and advertising at lower cost. I felt the same way while I was shopping for a place to paint my car. No way in Hell! A buddy of mine kept pushing me to check a particular shop out and I finally went by just to shut him up. The owner knew vettes. Educated me on the different paint possibilities, and quality of finish work. He went over my car frmo nose to tail before giving an estimate. Something no one else did. The result:

First Place-Best Mild Custom-Houston Texas Corvette Expo

Shop around, do your homework, ignore the name-check the shop-ASK QUESTIONS.

Good Luck

 

[nelson84]

Where did you get yours painted?

 

[gmjunkie]

Maaco shops are individually owned. Their "bread and butter" is the cheapo 500 dollar paint job. That said, some may also have the ability to do frame off work. Like any other business some will be merely mediocre, some suck, some are excellent. The franchise concept allows them to purchase materials and advertising at lower cost. I felt the same way while I was shopping for a place to paint my car. No way in Hell! A buddy of mine kept pushing me to check a particular shop out and I finally went by just to shut him up. The owner knew vettes. Educated me on the different paint possibilities, and quality of finish work. He went over my car frmo nose to tail before giving an estimate. Something no one else did. The result:

First Place-Best Mild Custom-Houston Texas Corvette Expo

Shop around, do your homework, ignore the name-check the shop-ASK QUESTIONS.

Good Luck

Excellent Advice!! And 100% Correct!!!

 

[speedmaster4]

good advice.

unless you have a junker that you want to ''camo'' to sell to an unsuspecting single mom.

but a 28k paint job is a rip.

find a small shop, run by an honest guy, look at his final products...3k should get a nice daily driver dress.

ah yeah, they mix the clear coat in with the color coat??...laughed so hard at that b/s that i fell on the floor....it is true that 'candy' color is done by mixing a tiny amount of pigment into a gallon of clear, but that's a whole different story.

 

[xrcrx]

Their base cheap paint jobs have no clear coat. My car has 3 coats of clear hand cut and buffed. The paint is Mercedes Benz Mystic Blue Metallic. It's not the name on the sign. It's the guys doing the work. 2k got me my paint and wheels done too.

 

[nelson84]

I think I will try maaco as an experiment. Who cares at those prices if it turns out ok instead of perfect. Right now my 84 vette has the original colour and it is faded on the back end and has a few scratches and the tension pulley broke and put a minor ding on the hood from the under side. Basically it looks like crap. It is 2 tone bronze. I would like to go to red.

My question is, if it is repainted red over the 2 tone bronze, will the red paint end up darker on the dark bronze part or will it end up a uniform colour?:confused

Will maaco prime the whole car first or just paint over the old paint?

Does maaco give you a little touch up kit for paint chips after it is painted?

 

[xrcrx]

You're gonna have to ask the shop those questions. I had my car stripped before painting. I really sould suggest holding off till you can do the same if it's outside your budget. The key to paint is prep , prep, and more good prep.It doesn't matter who does it.

 

[Robertwav1]

I think I will try maaco as an experiment. Who cares at those prices if it turns out ok instead of perfect. Right now my 84 vette has the original colour and it is faded on the back end and has a few scratches and the tension pulley broke and put a minor ding on the hood from the under side. Basically it looks like crap. It is 2 tone bronze. I would like to go to red.

My question is, if it is repainted red over the 2 tone bronze, will the red paint end up darker on the dark bronze part or will it end up a uniform colour?:confused

Will maaco prime the whole car first or just paint over the old paint?

Does maaco give you a little touch up kit for paint chips after it is painted?

Changing the color on a car is known as the "kiss of death" in the classic arena. It's extremely hard to get every nook and cranny unless a lot of time is devoted to covering all traces....that cost $$$. Maaco places differ, it's the tech that makes or breaks a car. My experience with other cars has been great with the Maaco shop where I live. The paint guy there performs magic. I think Maaco has improved their image over the years...my opinion. Think bout that color change! Good Luck whatever you decide!

 

[vett boy]

Well Nelson 84, you've got a lot of advice both ways and I think I know what your trying to achieve.
I'd let them know that your a member of CAC with 80,000,000 members in Canada alone and if the car turns out bad everyone will know.

 

[Fozzy_Bear]

When I was looking to have my '86 painted I went to Maaco just to see what they'd say.

They turned me away.

The manager of the local shop said he couldn't handle painting a vette.


...


I appriciated his candor, and if I ever have a beeter I need painted (my mostly-trail-driven jeep will probably count in another year) then I'll probably go back to the place that didn't jerk me around.

 

[nelson84]

I am going for it when the snow goes. Today I was looking at toilets and the one I liked had a price tag or 2200.00. I thought to my self I can paint my vette for that at maaco and buy a cheaper toilet.

How times have changed, I would not like to build a new house right now. Stupid economic boom in Canada. Good thing I can still go south of the border for good deals.

I phoned maaco in Canada and they said they start at 1400, and I asked them about my vette and they said they could do a pretty good job for 6000, then I called maaco in spokane and they said with repairs would be about 1600. Canada blows.

 

[Sunstroked]

I would still ask every question you can think of and ask to see examples of their work before I have ANY shop paint the car. Check with a few smaller shops in your area as well before committing to the Maaco shop, like I said in my initial post, its the prep work that makes the finish paint look good.

In reply to 28k being a rip for a paint job comment, all I can say is when youre dealing with a show winning custom rod that may well cost over 150k to build and likely is never driven except on and off the trailer, its not really that outrageous. The man hours invested in perfecting the body before the paint is applied is where the paint job is won or lost.

 

[johnny80]

I had mine painted by them. I am on tight budget being in the military but for my dollar, I got a good paint job. I have no complaints. It was painted three years ago and I was impressed and it still looks good. Also, they have a warranty. For my first vette, I am happy with the work.

 

[nelson84]

I had mine painted by them. I am on tight budget being in the military but for my dollar, I got a good paint job. I have no complaints. It was painted three years ago and I was impressed and it still looks good. Also, they have a warranty. For my first vette, I am happy with the work.

How long is the warranty good for?
What color did you go for?