Twenty-five years ago, if you needed a section of your car repainted, chances are there was a gas station in the neighborhood that would do the job for about what it cost to get a new set of tires (roughly $100).
Today, however, the finishing technology applied to cars requires a different technique when it comes to auto repainting–one that at times even involves computers.
“I don’t think many people understand what goes into repainting a car because it has become high-technology based,” says David Smith, a claim manager for the State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. in Oak Brook.
“Going to someone for a cheap paint job is not as prevalent as it used to be,” says Michael Sack, director of marketing services for the Refinish Division of the Strongsville, Ohio-based PPG Industries, a supplier of auto paint for the automobile and refinishing industry.
Today, few people repaint their cars purely for aesthetic reasons. Most car owners repaint their vehicles only after they have been damaged in an accident or by vandalism.
“The finishes on cars today are so much superior to the finishes a couple of decades ago,” says Smith. “The finishes today continue to look good after seven or eight years, so there’s no reason to paint the car.”
Cars of the last decade or so are protected by three coats of finish: A base coat or primer, a color coat and a clear coat on top. “That has virtually rid the country of rust and corrosion,” says Sack.
“As a result, the average age of a car in the U.S. today is 8.3 years old and that longevity is increasing,” he says.
For those who need to repaint, there are two types of refinishing outlets–the independently owned collision center or body shop and the refinisher associated with a car dealer, says Sack.
“The key is finding a reputable refinisher who is going to do the job right,” says Sack.
Start with an established facility, say the experts.
“You can also tell a lot about a body shop by the appearance of it,” says Sack. “For example, do they conduct themselves in a business-like manner? Or is there a dog in the office and used-car seats in the waiting room?”
“I’d look for a place that’s looks clean,” says Smith. “Any dirt around an operation is going to hurt the job as that dirt is going to get mixed in with the paint and cause it to deteriorate.
“Also, I’d look for a place that’s well-run and well-managed,” says Smith. “For example, are they offering good service in terms of their hours?”
In addition, look for diplomas or certifications for training courses by paint companies.
“Another sign of a reputable shop is if they offer a lifetime warranty on their work,” says Sack.
The shop’s technology also is important, say the experts.
“The swing toward finishes such as base coats and clear coats has demanded that shops install more sophisticated equipment,” says Sack. “As a result, many shops have made a strong investment in new technology over the last 10 years.”
One new technology is downdraft spray booths. “These booths pull the air out of where someone (wearing an oxygen mask) is painting and in turn pull away dust and dirt that would normally get into a paint job and make it deteriorate,” says Smith.
“We don’t believe it’s necessary in every case but it certainly does produce a clean factory finish on a car,” he adds. “And it’s become very much a standard. So it might be something that you ask if they’re using.”
Another high-tech addition is computer-assisted color matching.
“What used to be a hit-and-miss process has been fine-tuned with a computer, which uses artificial intelligence to match colors, removing a lot of the guesswork,” says Sack. “The computer scans the (car’s) color and matches it up to universal formulas. It then takes the closest formula to the car and adjusts it to match it to the finish on the car.”
The process is significant, says Sack, as car colors fade. “Plus one of the greatest problems that car manufacturers have is maintaining color consistency off the line with their own colors,” he says. “This gets around that.”
Repainting cars is basically a three-step process, say the experts.
In the first step, the body area to be repainted is sanded with power sanders to the base coat or the metal to remove a flaw.
Windshields, bumpers, tires and other sections of the car are covered with plastic or paper and then a base coat or primer is applied with a spray gun.
After an hour or so of baking and drying, the primer is sanded and a color coat is sprayed on. That too is baked for an hour or so. Finally, a clear coat is applied.
Some auto refinishers can complete a small paint job in a day. “In the past, you’d always have to wait for the car overnight,” says Smith. “Now you can take a small flaw in in the morning and the car can be ready that night.”
How can car owners find reputable shops? The Yellow Pages may be a good start, say the experts. A better source may be insurance companies, which deal with thousands of claims daily.
Some auto insurance firms insist that their clients visit shops that the company does business with regularly (if the work is covered by the insurance policy).
Others, such as State Farm, direct clients toward several shops with proven reputations, says Smith.
There are ways to find reputable auto refinishers, say the experts. “Our research shows that most people find a body shop via word of mouth from friends and neighbors,” he says.
Cost-wise, be prepared for variations, say the experts. “You will find estimates for the same work all over the ballpark,” says Sack.
The estimates from different shops to repair and repaint a small scratch that runs alongside a small car could range from $300 to twice that, says Smith.
There are a number of reasons for the variations, he says.
“Some of that difference can be in the labor rates as some shops charge different hourly labor rates–say $20 versus $30 or $35 an hour,” Smith says. “Also, one shop may estimate that it will take 10 hours to finish a job while another will say it takes 15.”
Refinishing shops also may have different charges for materials and paint additives, and some operations charge for hazardous materials disposal, says Smith.
Auto refinishers also may charge more if they have a lot of business, and a lower rate if business is slow, say the experts.
One way to avoid confusion is to let your insurance company write up an estimate for a paint job, says Smith.
“The insurance company in most cases will write the estimate based on computer databases and standards widely accepted by the auto refinishing industry,” he says. “Insurance companies are volume buyers so we have a good handle on the rates.”
Because of the price fluctuations, the experts said it’s hard to estimate a paint job’s cost.
Typically, a paint job for any one section of a car–a door, a fender, or quarter panel, for example–probably will cost at least several hundred dollars, they say, not including any body work.
For a paint job of an entire car, expect to pay at least $2,000, say the experts. “I would guess it’s closer to $3,000 or $4,000 for a really good job,” says Sack.
Never choose an auto refinisher solely on price, say the experts.
“We have not found that the higher the price, the better the job, as a lower price may come from a shop with a more efficient operation,” says Smith. “At the same time, be careful with prices that are much lower than other estimates.”
“If you pick the wrong shop because you went in only on price, you can be in for a repaint or redo,” says Sack. “And if you choose poorly, you’ll wind up paying more money in the end and by the time you realize you’ve made a mistake, it’s too late.”
