Is painting a car ever worth it?
 

I was always bored with the silver paint job on my Civic. Now that it's 9 years old, fully paid for, and in need of some refreshing (since it's good for several more years probably), I was wondering . . . maybe I should get a custom paint job. Something flashy, yet subtle, like a chromatic blue/green paint job.

But some of the repainting jobs I've seen are crappy. Are there good painting services out there?

The rubber trim on the doors has also dried up and is flaking away. Can I get this replaced? What else could I do to refresh the look and feel of my car?

You know what would really change the look? Having some asshole smash into the side of it.

In my lack of experience with car painting, you get what you pay for. Cheap paint jobs look like shit, and good ones are expensive. If you're going to change the color of the car and don't want the old color showing on the insides of the doors and stuff (which looks like shit), it's expensive.

I wouldn't do it if it were mine car, I'd put a nice cat-back exhaust on or something... maybe some stiffer suspension.

um, are you wishing for me to get in an accident? your name is jinx, after all.

just thinking about the painting thing.

If the car is stolen, then yes, totally worth the paint job.

:D

No, that was a self-referential pity moment. You'll have to hunt around for the thread. Probably called something like "Why didn't I hit that asshat with a tire iron when I had my chance?" or something like that.

ah, just checking. sometimes I can't really tell . . .

How 'bout something that blends in with your tattoo, mimicry style of thing?

A good paint job, would set you back $7k (over here), it's not going to increase the value that much.

I'd be more inclined to get a good cut n polish, get your rubbers redone (normal mechanic can do it), tint windows and get some new wheels.

If you have the money and want the paint job, j
go for it. Look into what it willdo to your insurance and reg. Here if you have to go through a bit because your are changing your colour n it won't match your cars plates.

no, $7,000 wouldn't be worth it, that's about the value of the car. But thanks!

There is a reason why a decent paint job costs so much. Honda painted your car in a clean room. Even dust is harmful. How it dries is required. Even air used to spray that paint is carefully purged of harmful materials.

Many crappy paint jobs look good in the first year. Then the paint degrades after two into pale, tarnished, and sandpaper like finish. They use crappy paint, not a humidity controlled environment, and the materials just do not harden properly. Forget even trying to restore that luster with rubbing compound. You will not get a decent finish until you get down to the original paint.

There is a reason why the paint on a bumper costs as much as the unpainted bumper.

Meanwhile, other problems exist such as paint between doors and pillars, etc. To really repaint a car, remove all lights, plastic trim, bezels, inside of the door panels, license plate mounting hardware, door locks, etc. IOW by the time you paint it right, you have paid for the car all over again.

There is good reason why so many GM and Chrysler paint jobs pealed down to the grey undercoat. They did not do what Honda and Toyota did routinely - including clean rooms for painting and drying. You will never get a paint job as good as what comes from Honda. Eventually paint even peals away around door locks, and other 'masking tape' boundaries.

next time I buy a car, I'm not going to "settle" on the color, like I did this one--I'll get a color I really like and will be happy with for a long time.

How about some really cool racing strips or art, new wheels and leather seat covers.

Cloud, you seem to me to be the type of lady to drive an Art Car. Paint that sucker yourself!

o my gosh

I saw a black beetle with this same design in my old neighborhood.

http://www.cartype.com/pics/366/full/beetle_art_4.jpg

decals

http://www.decalkits.com/decals.php?catId=23