[Rick_crew]

I'm deep into my truck now.
It's running better than ever, I just got a rear disc conversion installed, and have most things in general the way I want.

The (black) paint on my '05 crew was half-assed from the factory.
Micro-thin and orange-peel everywhere.

Now with 9 years and 132k on her she isn't looking any younger.

A couple years ago I asked one of the best body & paint guys I've ever known what a total re-paint would cost.. He's a real pro and he doesn't work cheap. And good body/paint doesn't come cheap. That much I know.

At some point I may be ready to bite the bullet and go for it, but I'm curious what some here who're more experienced than I have to say..

In my case, I've a tonneau and bedrug on the rear, so I wouldn't be painting the bed.

 

[Jesse]

I got a quote a while ago for my Extreme and it was around $4,500, mind you the price is hight because of the Extreme body kit. I would guess you should be around $2500 to $3000.

 

[ahelm3]

My dad has done body work for close to 25 years now, and I can tell you that it is not cheap. Most people don't realize how expensive materials are, and how much time actually goes into the prep work. When I had my dad repaint my old S10, materials alone were $500.

Being that your're not looking for a color change will save you a ton of cash. Also, with it being black helps (red is retarded expensive). Maybe $2500-3000 depending on how straight your body is.

Edit: @Jesse Great minds think alike! haha

 

[Jesse]

:lol: :high5:

 

[Rick_crew]

$4500-plus was the price I was quoted.

That was an off-the-cuff-I-don't-really-think-you're-serious quick quote though.

I don't have any body work, not even a door ding, except I would want him to try to improve the fit and alignment of the front fenders and hood.
I would pay for custom work to get some improvement there if that's what it took.
And I'm looking around for some small ZQ8 flares to add.

 

[un4giv3n]

When I was looking tonrepaint mine ..from blue to black..I called a few bodynshops to get an idea...now I had also told them I would do 3/4 work as far as sanding and prepping..and they may only need to do minor things prior I was quoted from $3800 to $6000.. I was unsure if they just didn't hear me say I would do most the grunt work...or if that didn't matter...so I decided to do it myself :lol:

|mobile|

 

[rshadd]

You'd be amazed what a good detailer can do with some wet sanding and a buffer. Certainly a lot less expensive than paint work. I'd bet most of the defects and orange peel you're seeing are in the clear coat. This can be corrected with polishing.

Most body shops don't want to get involved in repainting a vehicle. They'd much prefer working on more lucrative insurance jobs.

 

[Undead Rado]

Ya I would detail, clay bar, maybe even buff, I can't see putting out half what the truck is worth on a paint job unless $5k-$10k is pocket change and it's a show truck, with a dd that will be in parking lots etc I just can't see it

 

[Rick_crew]

You'd be amazed what a good detailer can do with some wet sanding and a buffer. Certainly a lot less expensive than paint work.

Had it detailed recently.
And it came out looking the best it's looked in a long time.
(Especially the interior!!! Before I leave the area to return home I gotta talk to those guys to see if they'll share their secrets).

They used a clay bar and buffed it.

The shop is in Mequon, Wisconsin, an "upscale" sorta area.
When I first walked in their door they had two S-class Mercedes, a very late-model 911 Porsche, and a Maseratti coupe waiting..

Thing is, as I said the paint was never good from the factory.
And when it was on the lift last friday for my rear disc install I saw where some small areas along the rockers and the fender lips are beginning to flake away and rust (following yet another winter in the north).

I've just always wanted a vehicle with a no-shit top-quality paint job...
Never had one before.

And the guy I mentioned previously, Charlie Bourne at B&W Auto Body in Charlottesville VA won't let me down.

The larger problem would be that my truck is my only vehicle and when I spoke to Charlie a few weeks ago on the phone he was covered up with business.
It's a small shop and I know Charlie would give my truck a lot of personal attention.
That means he would probably need to have it in the shop for about three weeks.

I would have to find something to drive.

 

[hmmbagodden]

Oh yea, I remember B&W from my Charlottesville days, good choice.

In college I worked for A.G. Dillard driving a dump truck, used to park them right across the road (next to the river).

 

[Rick_crew]

Oh yea, I remember B&W from my Charlottesville days, good choice.

In college I worked for A.G. Dillard driving a dump truck, used to park them right across the road (next to the river).

You're a UVA grad?

charlie and his wife are good, good people!
I was in Charlottesville for 2-1/2 years working.
Love the place, wish I were there now.

I had a minor accident, needed a new fender and bumper.
My original bumper was chrome, and I had the chrome horizontal piece on the grille.
Charlie fixed me up with my present all-black theme.

Over time he did a full fluid service for me, brakes twice, installed my dropped balljoints, and my rear swaybar among other things.

He's a real car guy, a gearhead.
And a pro's pro in body and paint.
If I'm gonna commit to painting this truck I don't want anyone else.

 

[WDEagle]

Wrap it.

 

[Rick_crew]

Wrap it.

Good advice for a hot date, I'm not sure how it applies to my truck though..

 

[08Canyon]

Are our trucks painted, or powder coated from the factory?

Weird one one didn't get 'painted' as well as the rest. Isn't it all robotic? Also each panel done individually before assembly? I don't know, I didn't think they were assembled then painted as a whole.

 

[Rick_crew]

Are our trucks painted, or powder coated from the factory?

Weird one one didn't get 'painted' as well as the rest. Isn't it all robotic? Also each panel done individually before assembly? I don't know, I didn't think they were assembled then painted as a whole.

The body is assembled as an empty shell, then dipped in a tank to apply primer in a process called "electro-coat".
Then the primed body shell is moved on a conveyor past painting robots that spray it.
Doors go through the same process but are painted separately.

All cars and trucks are painted this way at the factory.

It isn't powder-coating.

The quality, how well they're painted is dependent on many factors.
It's all an automation process from start to finish.

Check out Durr, they build one of the best automated painting processes on earth.
Mercedes, BMW, Porsche all depend on them to supply paint systems for their automotive assembly plants.

http://www.durr.com/
http://www.durr-paint.com/

 

[hmmbagodden]

You're a UVA grad?

charlie and his wife are good, good people!
I was in Charlottesville for 2-1/2 years working.
Love the place, wish I were there now.

I had a minor accident, needed a new fender and bumper.
My original bumper was chrome, and I had the chrome horizontal piece on the grille.
Charlie fixed me up with my present all-black theme.

Over time he did a full fluid service for me, brakes twice, installed my dropped balljoints, and my rear swaybar among other things.

He's a real car guy, a gearhead.
And a pro's pro in body and paint.
If I'm gonna commit to painting this truck I don't want anyone else.

Yea, former local. Grew up in Louisa then went to school at UVA. I saw you post B&W and I thought to myself, that looks really familiar. Did a quick Google search & realized it was familiar!

 

[Rick_crew]

Yea, former local. Grew up in Louisa then went to school at UVA. I saw you post B&W and I thought to myself, that looks really familiar. Did a quick Google search & realized it was familiar!

And now you're in Anchorage, as in Alaska?
Gotta ask, how the hell did that happen?

 

[08Canyon]

Ahh, didn't realize painting was still common. Mine is white, I can't see the texture as well as a dark painted vehicle where it's easier to see if it's powered or painted.

 

[Rick_crew]

Ahh, didn't realize painting was still common. Mine is white, I can't see the texture as well as a dark painted vehicle where it's easier to see if it's powered or painted.

Powder-coating is an entirely different process..
Powdercoat is a polyester plastic applied as a powder and then baked in an oven so the plastic powder melts and fuses together into a solid layer.

If an auto body were powder-coated I'm not sure if the finish could be repaired after an accident, minor nicks and damage, etc.
To my thinking you'd have to strip the entire finish off then re-coat the entire thing, then re-bake it.

Dunno, I'm not that knowledgeable.

 

[WDEagle]

Good advice for a hot date, I'm not sure how it applies to my truck though..

You have never heard of a vinyl wrapped vehicle?

My 2004 black ZQ8 started showing the effects of 9+ years of Florida sun. My son wrapped it with black sparkle vinyl wrap. It looks brand new now.

He wrapped his 2006 Colorado in Green

then Orange.

Here's my wife's 2005 black Saab 92x Aero (rebadged WRX) wrapped in Pearl White.