MBZ paint jobs - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

RSCarey · #1 07-30-2006, 08:15 AM

People,

What is the going rate for a decent paint job for a Benz? I figure they're pretty expensive to paint because of all the trim, etc.

I have toyed with the idea of doing it myself, but ince I live in So Cal, I can't find rental paint booths because of all the environmental stuff.

Is there a happy medium between a $500 job and a $5000 one?

RSCarey

vahe · #2 07-30-2006, 09:13 AM

I had a major rustproofing done to my 240D 77 about a year ego, the rustproofing was expensive. The painting portion cest about 2K, the car was totally stripped for the paint job.

Vahe
240D/77 350K

RAYMOND485 · #3 07-30-2006, 10:12 AM

1984 300d Turbo
If Paint Work Is A Sale Price, No Strip Remove, No Door Jam, Same Color, Clear Coat, $400.00 For My Olds, Fast 2 Days, Find Adds In The NewS Paper.

TheDon · #4 07-30-2006, 10:19 AM

im having my 300D repainted sometime this year and im having a friend do it.. he paints cars now .. used to do motorcycle tanks, airbrush etc.. ive seen his work its very good.. i think i can get the whole car done for 1000 and a pack of bud

Mismost · #5 07-30-2006, 10:29 AM

I was supposed to have put mine in the shop over 2 weeks ago....life got in the way! I have church member friend who is going to strip the roof down to bare metal, fix one small dent, and touch up the rest of the body for 500 bucks. You get what you pay for (sometimes)...but this a 23 year old car...if he can make it look great from 10 feet away, I'm good with that. At this price I think I could still walk away from the car and get my money back out of it....something else to think about.

Cephallus · #6 07-30-2006, 01:20 PM

I'm also in SoCal, and am toying with the same thoughts. I have a nice DevilBiss spray gun and compressor just sitting by, waiting for me to make up my mind.

I do know the owner of a fantastic body shop - Rodney, from Japan Autobody, in Walnut. He does fantastic work, and is a fan of MB's (treats them right). You'd be looking at $1200-$1500 to start...depending on how much prep/panel work needs to be done. If you talk to him, tell him that Aaron from 190revolution recommended you...I don't know if it'll result in much of a discount, but it should at least put you on friendly terms with him.

#7 07-30-2006, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RSCarey

Is there a happy medium between a $500 job and a $5000 one?

Yep, doing it yourself. IMHO, why pay ANY money unless it is going to be a good-exellent paint job? IMHO that comes in at 5-6k (from what I have seen). For that price, pay yourself to do it!

2dieseljohn · #8 07-30-2006, 03:25 PM

I too have been thinking about getting my SD painted as everything else done on what is turning into a restoration. You can $ave a lot by doing some of the prep work yourself. If you don't you can spend $3000 + on the type of paint job a Mercedes deserves.
Years ago I went with a friend to Mexico and got a Show quality paint job for his "E"-Jag. Great trip-nice drive down-week on the Beach

nice trip home. I may go that route myself.

Hit Man X · #9 07-30-2006, 04:29 PM

Prep work is where you spend the money, strip it all down yourself.

rs899 · #10 07-30-2006, 04:53 PM

Our member Carrameow is studying up on how to paint his 85 300D. I have noticed him asking questions on autobody forums. Let's give him some encouragement - I'm sure he will share the experience with us once he's into it.

Mismost · #11 07-30-2006, 06:34 PM

I painted an ole 62 Stepside pickup. It is a whole lotta work just to get ready to paint. Then the actual painting...it's a learned skill I learned, it's a touchy/feely thing...looks easy, it ain't...at least not if care you what it looks like.

Turning your shop into a paint booth...plastic sheeting, fans, wet floors...was a major PITA...still have tools and boxes with white overspray...huge mess, mad wife...not near as much fun as I had hoped, in fact it sucked.

The end result was average at best. The money spent on tools and supplies was pretty close to what i could have had it done in a shop for...I saved a few hundred bucks...if I count my time, I lost money. BTDT, it was an experience, some good, some bad, not going back!

Hatterasguy · #12 07-30-2006, 07:45 PM

The SDL will be getting painted either this winter or at some point next year depending on when time and money allow. I want a factory paint job, when I am 6in away waxing it I want to see nothing but mile deep perfection. I hate cheap paint jobs, I can spot them across the lot.

I have talked with three good shops in my area. I have not gotten written quotes yet, I will before the fall. So far the spread seems to be $3k-$10k.

I'm thinking $5k-$7k when everything is said and done. The paint work is expensive, but I want to replace all exterior rubber seals while I am at it, plus a lot of trim. Thats probably another $2k right there. Heck door seals are $100 each times four. I figure all the trim and seals around the windows are will cost at least $200 per window. So I'm budgeting $7k.

Its a lot of work to do it right. The trunk, hood, front and rear bumpers, doors will have to come off. Along with all the plastic trim that runs around the car. The trim has to be painted then clipped back on with new fasteners. I will probably need at least one if not two new front fenders.

MS Fowler · #13 07-30-2006, 08:56 PM

I painted my '92 300SD in a 13X26' garage. I'll share my experience:
1) Everyone will tell you that 80-90% of the job is in prep. I removed all trim, weatherstips and all glass except the windshield. Reinstalling the rear window is the biggest pain.
2) Use all paints and chemicals from a single manufacturer. I used Kirker urethane from smartshoppersinc.com. Some pros consider this a cheap product, and not up to their standards. It worked for me.
3) For non pro painters, I think shooting base coat/ clear coat (BC/CC) is the easiest way to excellent results. For those of us who do not shoot paint every day, the Base Coat system allows you to shoot the color on, and only watch for even coverage, and metallic pattern. There is no gloss to worry about. It dries very fast and does not run easily. After the color is right, you shoot the clear coat. This is where you get all the gloss. All you look for as you shoot is the eveness of the gloss--the color is already there. Just don't allow it to build up too heavy a coat or it will run.
4) Use a HVLP gun, or complete HVLP system. You will use less paint, and have much less fog in your "paint booth".
5) Another advantage to BC/CC is that you can buff out any imperfections in the final product. If you get some orange peel, or even drips off the gun, you can sand them with 1200 grit papaer (using a block) and then buff with a slow speed buffer, pad, and the proper compound. Because all you buff is the clear coat, it does not mess up the metallic pattern as it would if you tried this on a single stage paint.
6) if you have a place to shoot, and an adequate (5HP or larger) air comkpressor, you can buy the paints and other chemistry from maybe $250. Even if you have to buy a gun, you can still get away for less than $500. The best thing is that you can say you did it all yourself.
7) If all this is too much, then remove all the trim, and ebverything you do not want painted, and wet sand the entire cor, and let Maaco, or Scheib shoot it. It won't be a great job, but it will look better than it does now.

TheDon · #14 07-30-2006, 09:07 PM

nice advice ms....i plan on painting my car as my senior project.. im changing it from anthacrite grey to mocha or russet brown. ill do the door jambs ..id do the engine bay but stories can be made up why the engine bay is grey...at school i have a big open area i can build a booth, plastic wrap it etc... im going to remove all the trim, id remove the windshields but i need to drive the car ...im having the driver windshield replaced under insurance and will use new MBZ seals...i have a small spot of rust and lil dings. but bondo can fix these little ones...i really want to do this myself.. good thing is the class i want to do it is, is early in the day so the paint can cure or w/e while im in class

rs899 · #15 07-31-2006, 07:00 AM

I too, did my own 300D in Kirker Single Stage GM Flame Red (looks just like Signalrot). I color sanded and buffed and the car looks pretty good. I would like to have gotten more color sanding scratch out of it , but I didn't have much paint on it and I was afraid I would burn through. Live and learn. Definately the hardest part was removing all the trim (and door panels, etc since we did a color change). I think we'll be doing the W116 pretty soon since the "PROs" who did it last evidently didn't properly prep it- there are cracks and maybe some paint lifting on the roof.