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!

#12 07-31-2006, 01:14 PM

Did a very decent job on my 83 300DT. Had clearcoat delaminating on trunk lid and roof, very small dents & door dings. They added about $60 for body work and I paid about $680 total for a decent color match to Anthracite gray. An old MB'er in the neighborhood happened to come by and remarked that my paint looked a lot better than the Maico or Scheib jobs he had been getting for his kids MB's.
http://www.1daypaint.com/

The main prep is to remove all the easily removable trim and plastic including signal light plastic, headlight bezels, sunroof seals, air intake grills, badging, radiator grill, windshield washer nozzles, windshield wiper arms. I elected not to remove the side bumper strips because it seemed I might do more harm than good trying to pry it off.

One last tip: make sure all your engine work is done before you paint. I didn't and got diesel fuel and coolant leaks all over the front of my new paint!

Cephallus · #13 07-31-2006, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lifer

Did a very decent job on my 83 300DT. Had clearcoat delaminating on trunk lid and roof, very small dents & door dings. They added about $60 for body work and I paid about $680 total for a decent color match to Anthracite gray. An old MB'er in the neighborhood happened to come by and remarked that my paint looked a lot better than the Maico or Scheib jobs he had been getting for his kids MB's.
http://www.1daypaint.com/

The main prep is to remove all the easily removable trim and plastic including signal light plastic, headlight bezels, sunroof seals, air intake grills, badging, radiator grill, windshield washer nozzles, windshield wiper arms. I elected not to remove the side bumper strips because it seemed I might do more harm than good trying to pry it off.

One last tip: make sure all your engine work is done before you paint. I didn't and got diesel fuel and coolant leaks all over the front of my new paint!

The problem with these places is that it is hit-or-miss whether you get a decent job or not. It depends who's working on the day you take your car in. I had a friend take his old 325i to Maaco before selling it and they did a phenomenal job (my buddy did all dissasembly first) for around $500. He raved about it so much that another friend took his car there, with very disappointing results...some runs on the creases/curves, spider cracks. Maaco did fix the problems for free, but it was definitely not the same paint job that the 325i got...