From rust spots to car accident damage, painting a car isn’t as simple as applying a couple cans of spray paint. When looking into the cost to paint a car, it’s important to note that quality goes a long way. Poor paint jobs on cars can peel within a few weeks. To get the best results, it’s suggested to seek the help of professionals who specialize in painting cars. They will sand down the original paint and apply a new coat and other touches for added protection.
On the average, the cost of professional painting supplies for a car is between $1,000 and $1,500 because several layers of paint are needed. For between $250 and $400, you could have MAACO [1] (a national chain) paint your car with jobs lasting less than three months before peeling occurs.
From preparation to the finished product, many garages and body shops charge an average of $2,000 to $3,000 in labor costs. Custom body shops can charge between $4,000 and $8,000 – especially if car parts must be moved and additional work is needed.
A do-it-yourself paint job is not recommended because of the lasting damage a car can sustain when improper techniques and materials are used. However, car spray paint is sold for temporary paint jobs and touch-ups at the local car supply store for around $9.99.
Factors Affecting Price
The size of your vehicle, as well as any specialty requests will affect the cost to paint a car. The quality, color, type of paint used will also increase overall costs. For example, candy apple red costs more than some other paint colors. High-quality paints can cost more than $5,000, while less expensive paints average around $200. close up of rear of vintage british car with tail image by Bo Widerberg from Fotolia.com
Sources:
[1] http://www.maaco.com