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TexasBushwhacker

(20,171 posts)
Tue Sep 13, 2022, 10:21 PM Sep 2022

Has anyone ever changed the color of the car?

I'm car shopping and it seems like 90% of the cars are white, black, gray or silver. I need COLOR. If the vest car I can find fir my money is a boring color, I'm thinking about painting it something fun. I know it isn't cheap, like around $1K, but you only live once, right?!

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Enter stage left

(3,395 posts)
1. 1 K...you might want to take a look at a REAL body shop...
Tue Sep 13, 2022, 10:25 PM
Sep 2022

it can easily surpass 10-12 K.

For 1 K you get watercolors.

Mr.Bill

(24,277 posts)
2. Sure, I've had cars painted, back in the 70s when it was cheap.
Tue Sep 13, 2022, 10:25 PM
Sep 2022

You won't get much of a paint job for 1K. Think more like 5-10K to do it right with present-day quality materials and craftmanship.

rickford66

(5,523 posts)
4. A stripped down 65 Mustang body cost me $4,500 in 2012.
Tue Sep 13, 2022, 10:35 PM
Sep 2022

It twas a bare body I was restoring. No windows or interior or engine. No masking needed.

Farmer-Rick

(10,154 posts)
5. A lot of car manufacturers charge extra for the nicer colors
Tue Sep 13, 2022, 10:35 PM
Sep 2022

There's a gold color that I would love to to get. I looked around and found different standards. I know a really good body shop that quoted my SUV paint job at $4,000. They said it was their mid-level quality.

There are usually 3 quality standards each costing more. There's basic, some sanding, interior trim not painted only a few coats. It's the cheapest at $300 to $1,000.

There's standard full sanding, more coats, interior trim painted. It can be as high as $4,500.

Then showroom quality which can be as high as $20,000.

It all depends on the quality you want.



mitch96

(13,890 posts)
6. A respray to a different color is ok but what about the door jams and under the hood?
Tue Sep 13, 2022, 11:02 PM
Sep 2022

Changing the little bits is where the cost comes in.. The minute you open the door or lift the hood it will be quite obvious. Now a wrap in a color close to original, you might get away with it and save some money YMMV
m

Phoenix61

(17,000 posts)
7. Me and my dad painted my green car yellow.
Tue Sep 13, 2022, 11:07 PM
Sep 2022

It was a pain to mask but he did a great job. The best part was I never got run off the road again.

KS Toronado

(17,195 posts)
9. Go car shopping and ignore all white, black, gray or silver.
Tue Sep 13, 2022, 11:20 PM
Sep 2022

You'll be happier in the long run, and save some $$$.

Mopar151

(9,978 posts)
11. White and black are merely base coats.
Thu Sep 15, 2022, 01:40 PM
Sep 2022

The hot rod world has hundreds of "custom paint" tricks - many can be done in vinyl as well. Vinyl does not need to be a whole car wrap - cut vinyl graphics are everywhere - like cop cars!

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