Even the most visually impressive vehicles can have their appearance ruined by a bad paint job. Obviously, an automobile’s paint job will not last forever, especially with all the abuse it must endure from the elements. If a few bad spots have your car looking shabby, you might have asked yourself: How much is a car paint job? Let’s try to give you a full and detailed answer.
A Point To Remember
Before you can understand the answer, you must first understand the question. In this case, you need to understand that the cost of a vehicle’s paint job will vary a lot. You have a lot of different options in terms of paint and workmanship, and these will affect the price of the job. The type of vehicle involved can also play a role in the price. So, just understand right away that the price is not entirely consistent.
Factors That Influence The Cost Of A Car Paint Job
1. Paint Type/Color
The cheapest option will always be a basic color of standard auto paint. However, there are all sorts of specialized paints that can be used to provide extra effects. For instance, some paint is made with small metallic flakes. In the sunlight, this provides a “sparkling” effect that many people like. There are many types of specialized paint, and all of them will add to the total cost of the job.
2. Vehicle Size
This one is pretty obvious. If you have a larger vehicle, it will take more paint to get the job done. Thus, a shop is going to charge you a little bit more for the extra paint (which is fair).
3. Extra Work
Dents, deep scratches, and excessive rust can keep paint from adhering properly to the surface of your car. As such, they have to be repaired before a paint job can begin. If it requires a lot of time to do this work, it will certainly add to the cost of the bill.
4. Professionalism
As with most services, the most competent professionals will be a little more expensive. As they say, “you get what you pay for”. If you go with the lowest possible price, don’t be surprised if you get poor results. A competent and trained professional will want a certain bare minimum for their time and services, and that will influence the cost of the job.
5. Coatings
In many cases, it is worth a little extra money to get a specialized finish on your vehicle. This is a special coating that goes over the paint, and they are meant to provide protection from normal wear and tear. These specialized finishes will add a little bit to the cost of the bill, but they will help your paint job to last a lot longer. In general, this will add $100-$200 to your bill, but this part of the expense will pay for itself by providing greater longevity.
How Much Is A Basic Paint Job?
Now we get to the important point: How much can you expect to pay for a basic car paint job? As we already explained, the best we can offer is an average figure, since the price varies so much. Let’s look for some sources on that subject.
According to this article, the cheapest paint jobs will average about $566. However, jobs in that price range will tend to be very low-quality. To get a paint job that is worth the money, this article says you are looking at a range of $1000-$3500.
Let’s get a second opinion. This article gives us the same range, $1000-$3500. This estimate from Carfax is a little higher, putting $3500 as the minimum for a high-quality repainting. In fact, it says that some jobs can even cost as much as $15,000!
There are plenty more articles on this subject, but you can probably see the general trend here. You can sometimes get a paint job for $500 or less, but it isn’t likely to be a very good one. $1000 seems to be a good estimate for a basic paint job. If you want a non-standard color, $1500-$2000 would be a more realistic figure. There are some types of specialized paint jobs that are highly expensive, but those are mostly intended for show cars. The average person doesn’t need anything like that.
Repainting Vs. Restoration
In many cases, the cost of car paint restoration is much lower than the cost of total repainting. The surface of your vehicle’s paint will degrade over time, but that doesn’t mean the entire paint job is shot. Sometimes, the top layer can be carefully removed and restored. Since this requires less time and material, it can be a good way to save money.
Conclusion
It is very important to choose the right shop for your car repainting needs. If you need a good paint job, Elmer’s Auto Body is the place to go. We offer any kind of paint job that you might need, whether it be basic, fancy, or anything in between. We have decades of experience and plenty of top-level professionals that can give your car the attention it deserves. If you would like to know more, you can call Elmer’s Auto Body at (856) 218-0202.