Pete:
Your timing could not have been better for your question about spending
megabucks for a paint job or just going to Maaco. I have a friend of mine
who, as we speak, is in the process of being ripped off by Maaco on his '65
Mustang GT coupe. They quoted him $1300.00 for the job and he bit,
thinking he was going to come out okay and save some big bucks. Well,
we've been over to pick up the car twice now and, frankly, I think I could
have done a better job...and I'm not even a paint and body man! They did
some terrible body work and then, rather than straighten it out correctly,
they just painted over it like it wasn't there. The second time we tried
to pick it up, we discovered they had shot the wrong color mix of paint on
the previously offending area. It was just pitiful!! Then, to top it all
off, the manager came out to see why my friend wasn't going to take the
car. When we pointed out the obvious color difference to him, he actually
stood there and said "I don't see any difference in the color." Let me
tell you...it was all I could do to hold my tongue. This guy was either
stupid or color blind...maybe even both!
Now, I have always heard about places like Maaco and have always avoided
them like the plague. But, due to the huge prices that most shops want to
paint classic cars nowadays, I was beginning to try to talk myself into
going there to get one of my cars painted. I was still going to have a
friend of mine do the body work but then I was thinking about taking it to
Maaco. My thought process was something like, "How bad can you screw one
up with a paint gun?" Well, if what I've seen recently is any indication,
it can damn sure be done if you have someone who doesn't have a clue
pulling the trigger on the Binks.
The moral to this story is suck it up and lay out the hard-earned dollars
up front. Like you, I hate to spend that much for paint and body but that
seems to be the going rate. Let's face it...even if your Alpine is going
to be a driver, you are still going to take a massive amount of pride in
the car and you don't want to have to defend a lousy paint job to everyone
who sees the car and quietly says, "Jeez...did they paint this thing with a
broom?"
IMHO,
Andy Walker
----------
> From: Pasanville(at)aol.com
> To: alpines(at)autox.team.net
> Subject: $$$$$
> Date: Monday, February 21, 2000 7:26 AM
>
> Hey Everyone,
> Just received an estimate for finishing (Paint and Bodywork) my 66
Alpine.
> About $3000.00. Is it worth it for a non-show car. Or should I take it to
the
> Famous MAACO for a $700.00 job. My rationale is, the car is not really
worth
> much on the open market. (Plus I still need to get the interior) Help- I
need
> opinions on this one.
> Thanks fellow Beamers,
> Pete Sanville
> 66 Alpine
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