how much for a good paint job??

[gamjohn2]

fellow e34 owners,

I am thinking of getting my 525i repainted sometime in the future, and I was wondering how much to expect for a decent paint job?? I know that the price is dependent on the amount of body work, etc., etc. But assuming that it is a straight up job, how much am I looking at?? Thanks for your knowledge.

gamjohn2

[winfred]

now that's a loaded question, i've seen decent $500 jobs shitty $1000 jobs and killer $4500 (one color) jobs and everything in between, it all depends on the painter and the prep work, i've seen what looked like a decent job flake off and the paint under it was still shiney (wasn't sanded)

[Robin-535im]

i've seen what looked like a decent job flake off and the paint under it was still shiney (wasn't sanded)

I looked at a 535ia that was like that. Except the outer coat didn't look decent in this case. Guy told me he was the original owner, the car had never been painted, and never wrecked. Hood had no VIN sticker on it, and the fender had what looked like nice bronzit paint underneath an almost-bronzit respray. They didn't even sand that part like Winfred said.

Back to the Q: It depends a lot on where you take it, but usually $3k - $4k for a quality paint job from a quality place. That being said, you can do some legwork and find good places for cheaper, but you'll have to watch over the process and make sure they have the right facilities. There's a guy I use sometimes who will do a $1500-quality paint job for $700, which is a good deal if you can live with a medium quality job, but no matter how much I paid him it wouldn't be new car quality.

[632 Regal]

id say plan on 2k to start for a decent job, you have a 2 step process which is color/clear and it needs to be sanded out between and after if you want a decent shine and then they have to wheel it out. Wherever you go id make sure they are going to sand the old paint down so that the new sticks good. If you like orange peel you could save some bucks because they wont have to sand or wheel the finished job.

[jj7]

id say plan on 2k to start for a decent job, you have a 2 step process which is color/clear and it needs to be sanded out between and after if you want a decent shine and then they have to wheel it out. Wherever you go id make sure they are going to sand the old paint down so that the new sticks good. If you like orange peel you could save some bucks because they wont have to sand or wheel the finished job.

Jeff, BTW,what happened to that nasty scratch on your car`s door?did you manage to have it painted...

[632 Regal]

I'll have pictures as soon as i can clean the car up, living off a dirt road sucks.

[winfred]

i've actually seen a bunch of that, paint over the top of mud is also fun

I looked at a 535ia that was like that. Except the outer coat didn't look decent in this case. Guy told me he was the original owner, the car had never been painted, and never wrecked. Hood had no VIN sticker on it, and the fender had what looked like nice bronzit paint underneath an almost-bronzit respray. They didn't even sand that part like Winfred said.