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Respray Costs

Ballzup

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Hi all, I'm after a bit of info regarding the cost of a respray.

I have a vh SLE that's never been in an accident.

Some surface rust on the boot, bonnet and roof.

Deeper rust just in the top of the boot jam and the battery plate.

One larger dent under the drivers door and a few small trolley dings in the doors.

The plan is to have the car (inc door jams and engine bay etc) taken back to bare metal, all dents etc fixed up and then repainted in the original colours (blue on silver).

I've spoken to 2 painters so far and both have said approx $5k-$6k in materials and $15k in labour.

Does that seem like a normal price for such a job?

Understandably there's lots to consider but some ballpark numbers from your own experiences would be really helpful.

Cheers
 

EYY

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Sounds like they don't want the job. Try and get a few more quotes and see how much they are.

8000-10,000 would be my expectation for repairing a small amount of rust and a reasonable respray. I could be totally wrong though.
 

Ballzup

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That's what I would have thought too!
 

WazzaVN

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Your better off talking to some painters who are into backyarders. For a panel shop to do a respray they need to make it worth their while putting a halt to their other jobs.

You get a figure more in the ballpark of 5 - 10 I'm sure if you look around depending on the work involved. I have been saying this for years I know but one day I will have a good shed and compressor set up for this stuff lol, one day.
 

gossie

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You can save a massive amount by doing the ground work yourself, by taking the old paint off back to bear metal with paint stripper.
It's a Hell of a dirty job, but someone's gotta do it, and it may as well be you if you wish to save a few dollars.
And, yep, I taken a few back to bare metal so I know what it's like.
 

SLE-883

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I'm going through this at the moment with my VH SLE. Although it's a single colour Indigo Blue. I was told to expect it to be about 10K-15K. It all depends on what they find and how far you want to go. I'm getting new rubbers for almost everywhere as well as newly chromed bits and those parts alone are over $2500

Like I said it might look like the car is in good nick but wait until they start stripping the paint. that will confirm how much work is needed.

I have no rust besides around the boot rubber. All my panels looked fairly straight but I did have faded paint on the bonnet, boot and roof so I thought sweet. Look what was underneath.

Here are a few pics of my car












 

SLE-883

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That's without touching the engine bay. With the engine pulled out by me, I was told about $1000 to have that done.
 

gossie

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Yep, they are a worry when ya get that paint off and find that bog, and of course the rust.

Most panel beaters/painters I believe cannot give anybody a firm price to do a job of fixing and painting an old car because there can be so much involved and and often the customers expectations are far too high, and they don't wish to spend the money.

A great friend of mine whom I consider to be the best painter I have ever know, a few years ago had the job of doing a Ferrari Dino......the very first and best one......it was done properly and cost the customer $24000.00.
 

c2105026

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I have had 2 cars painted 'professionally' in the last few years.

In 2010 the Commodore was done for $7500. This included replacing the boot floor and front scuttle, which I supplied. A few dents removed. This was a closed door job in 2pak.

This year I got a 1981 Volvo 244 resprayed. Cost $7000, only a bit of surface rust work was required. Also a 2pak closed door job. Supposedly dents were removed but I ####ing had to do it paintlessly when I was putting the car back together.

A work colleague is getting an early 70s Mini painted inside and out. Some significant rust repair. Ballpark figure he was given was $12k.
 

Ballzup

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Thanks for all the responses. It's been a great help. I took the car to a few places yesterday. More quotes for $15-$20k with a turnaround time of 6-12 months.

Completely understand that they don't know what's under the paint. Thing is with this car I do know what it's like as for its entire life it's been out of my family for only 3 years.

Anyway, after these quotes we've decided to take the paint off ourselves. Will just leave the stripe on the sides so the painter can measure those up properly. Hopefully we'll be able to save a few grand.

While we're here. If anyone in vic is able to recommend good painters it would be a great help.
 
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