Prepping your Car yourself.

[andres_mt]

Hey I was just wondering about how much money you'd end up saving
if you prepped your car yourself before getting it painted, this might include:
- sandblasting
-bondo/primer
-etc.

I might have to consider this option since getting that all done by a professional might be a little expensive. So I was wondering if there's anyone out there that has any experience when it comes to doing this and if it turns out being cheaper. Thanks

[TEAMFaint]

You save tons of money by doing this yourself. You'll pay at least $500 for your whole car to be sanded/primered if you have no dents/rust at all.

Ended up costing me under $80 for all the materials and took me just 3 days to complete the work (8 hours each day approx.)

If you have any experience doing bodywork, or dont mind giving it a try, do it! :bigpimp:

[C4S]

Um ... but for saving $500 for 3 days of work .. probaby not worth .. :D

[TEAMFaint]

I guess I coulda typed that better. If you want a bodyshop to do the work, you'll pay out of the ying-yang. If you do it yourself, itll cost you next to nothing and you'll have some fun doing it.

[dodad]

I did my own bodywork but something went wrong....he he he all the bondo it falling off the car now that its cold...

[TEAMFaint]

Obviously the bondo was mixed up incorrectly, it happens. Same thing with fibreglassing, thats why a lot of bodyshops wont even mold bodyparts because cracking can occur.

[dodad]

Ya i should have just bought a new door.

[maximus]

Don't forget that there is a reason why prep work costs big $$$ at bodyshops. Prep work is the most important part. A good paintjob is only as good as the prep work.

[legendboy]

^ yes if you do a shitty job your paint will look like ass

doing straight body work is alot harder then you might think it is. it takes lots of practice

[Redlyne_mr2]

I spent dozens of hours with friend perfecting the body on my last 86. I should have just spent the 6 or 700 dollars and had the body shop do the prep work.

[andres_mt]

yea but if you don't mind doing it, then do you think its worth doing it then? Or is it still a pretty grueling job? Like is it
really that bad

but ya another question, say if you did all the prep work yourself .. how much would you say is an acceptable price
for a paint job thats just plain satin black?

like pretty decentquality too? any of you done this where you prepped it your
self then got it painted?

[lastprodigy]

3-5K

[maximus]

Originally posted by andres_mt
yea but if you don't mind doing it, then do you think its worth doing it then? Or is it still a pretty grueling job? Like is it
really that bad

but ya another question, say if you did all the prep work yourself .. how much would you say is an acceptable price
for a paint job thats just plain satin black?

like pretty decentquality too? any of you done this where you prepped it your
self then got it painted?

Anyone can prep but it takes alot of time to get it right. If you can prep then you may as well spray the satin black your self. Just spray flat black and throw on a matte clear. Flats are easy to spray.

[ninspeed]

dont go with a satin clear if you are using a solid color, 2 reasons, cost, and longivity. the matt actually cuases the clear to loose its uv protection, and your base will fade much faster then a single stage.
2, lots of people think that matte/satins are easier, but i bet you if an experienced person looked at the "easy paint job" they would see "zebra stripes".. hell i have seen it on jobs done by pros (including my self, but 2-3 hoods/100 is not bad... just a simple redo)...
(ps, sata guns, and HVLP deVilbiss guns suck to shoot satin, find your self a Devilbiss Plus, or en ecco 40 siphon feed gun)

[maximus]

Originally posted by ninspeed
dont go with a satin clear if you are using a solid color, 2 reasons, cost, and longivity. the matt actually cuases the clear to loose its uv protection, and your base will fade much faster then a single stage.
2, lots of people think that matte/satins are easier, but i bet you if an experienced person looked at the "easy paint job" they would see "zebra stripes".. hell i have seen it on jobs done by pros (including my self, but 2-3 hoods/100 is not bad... just a simple redo)...
(ps, sata guns, and HVLP deVilbiss guns suck to shoot satin, find your self a Devilbiss Plus, or en ecco 40 siphon feed gun)

Can you get a satin black in a single stage? When I was looking couple years ago they said you could only get flat and then you would have to spray a matte clear ontop to get the satin finish. But ya if you can get a single stage satin go that route. Definately don't just leave it flat it will get ruind in no time.

[ninspeed]

yep.. i spray all the Graham trucks flat white, and have done a few flat black hoods as well, using RM's UNO, and Glasurit's Flatening agent and do not add any mixing clear into the paint.

[andres_mt]

but like as far as prepping goes, is it really worth it to do it
yourself??? cause i heard a lot of the price is directed towards actually prepping the car, so by doing this yourself do you save a significant amount?

[Fez_turbo]

Originally posted by C4S
Um ... but for saving $500 for 3 days of work .. probaby not worth .. :D


if you think about it thats like making 500 in three days. Thats really decent and acceptable.:D

I have a friend who does full paint jobs, prep and all (he takes the car apart and does it properly), i can ask him and i will then post his number if you would like to give him a shout. He's good and fairly priced.

[andres_mt]

hey yea that'd be great man, you think you could just PM me?
thanks