Cost for paint

[seth]

I'm planning on doing the remaining cosmetic welding to the minx in a few weeks time - front wing/headlight area, rear edges of wings and there's some other places to tidy too. Once this is done I'm considering getting the lower half painted so its all the same shade of Shore Beige rather than the patchy three or four it would end up. I could do all the prep myself and there's a paint shop at the end of my road so I could even strip chrome/lights etc off and do some masking myself if they did it. Anyone have any idea how much such paintwork is likely to cost me? I'm talking everything below the window line but not including the tailgate I'm not used to enlisting professnials and would like an idea so I know if quotes are realistic.

[Pillock]

If you can get it to the point where all they need to do is tack-rag it, a final degrease and paint then you might only be talking a couple of hundred - I'd guesstimate a couple of hours for them to paint it and a bit more for the stuff you can't do at home. My local bodyshop reckons over 80% of their labour charge on a basic respray is prep even with powered sanders and stuff. Obv. loads more on accident damage.You might need to have a chat to them first and see what level prep they need, take a look at some of the stuff they've already got waiting for paint. I've painted a few things I thought were ready for paint, nice and smooth, and they've come out looking like the peak district

[seth]

Thanks Pillock. Yeah, I know I need to talk it over with them. Most of the car is really straight so I think it just needs keying back to the original paint (some of it has previously been blown over when the sills were done etc.) Also its a light fairly forgiving colour and once all beige is going to get some more treatment that would take your eye away from any minor defects anyway.

[Station]

I pay £8 for a litre of Vauxhall Flame Red (for example).

[Guest]

Ask Bollox, he did pretty much exactly the same thing on his Subaru Wagon. If I recall it was something like £400.

[FredTransit]

prep will take off a big chink of the bill, labour is time and time is money.

[AnthonyG]

Obviously if you do all the prep then most of the cost will be cut, but I would check that you can prep it to their standards (i.e. to the point at which the sprayer is willing to do it - they won't want any comeback).The actual price of the paint can be surprisingly high, although I only have experience of the costs of modern metallic stuff. 60's Rootes beige might be a lot cheaper . Bear in mind they may not be able to use the original type of paint that will be on the rest of the car - presumably cellulose?