Berra

It is often said that a repainted car is never as good as a factory paint, but why do most accept a RUF car if it's repainted by RUF?

If I recall correctly, RUF does it by hand as all other usual body shops? Just something that got me thinking as I've come across a few threads about repainted cars.

Macster

Doesn't RUF get its cars in "white" (AKA: with the base primer coat applied)?

Berra

Yes with the cars from Porsche but my question is more about factory Porsche cars going in for a repaint during a rebuild etc.

But even with their own work with a white body, it's still the same work as any body shop would do so why is RUF considered ok but not a regular repaint?

Carlo_Carrera

I do not mind a repaint at all if it is done well by a reputable shop and done because the original paint has aged beyond restoration. Modern paint is a million times better than paint of just a couple of decades ago.

Most quality repaints of classic cars are better than original. But if I am looking at a car less than twenty years old as a potential purchase and it has been repainted there better be a good reason why.

gophaster

I think the biggest issue is making sure that the work is done properly. Ruf is known for quality work, there are many paint shops that can do top notch work.....if you are comparing original paint to a crappy spray job that's very different than comparing original paint to a properly done high quality repaint.

The scary part is when you don't know why work was done or who did the work.

Macster

Probably RUF's reputation helps buy it some trust regarding paint quality.

For a "regular" repaint this can cover a wide range of quality repaint work. I used to help a guy who painted cars prep cars and prep is the key. Well, prep then the quality of the paint, the environment, the skill of the painter, the alignment of the planets, and so on.

A good repaint is a lot of work and this is expensive. And one has to be sure if he does elect to repaint the car he choses a reputable shop and that it does a good job. So many owners accept a lousy paint job that shops, even the good ones, get sloppy/lazy.

996tt350

If you repaint from say...black to white....does that destroy resale value?

Carlo_Carrera

IMHO it does not destroy the value if it is done meticulously. But even if it is done perfectly the value of the car will suffer a bit. If you are tired of your car's color a full body wrap is better way to appease your eye.

In the grand view from what I have witnessed the only cars who's values are unaffected by color changes are very very rare collector cars.

Anthony Orosco

An oven baked factory OEM paint job is always the one you'll want to keep as pristine as possible and a re-spray will never be of same quality when done by 95% of paint shops out there.

Factory paint, while not flawless, will have less dirt and crap wrong with it than resprays. Reason being is most paint shops do not care to do full body sprays. A proper respray will run about $10k and most paint shops go for collision work as that's where the money is.

The key to any respray is finding a painter who goes the distance in proper prep. Again most shops do a "scuff and spray" and this is just crap work. So RUF is most likely de-trimming the cars instead of masking it off and then spraying which leads to high spots, ridges and/or sag which will eventually start peeling away. Then there's the final sand and polish. Porsche paint has a unique orange peel characteristic and a great painter can lay clear down to closely mimic this but a hack painter will try and wet sand his way out of trouble.

So there's a lot of craft in a great paint job.

Anthony

Turbodan

RUF modification positive outweighs the repaint negative IMO.
yes it can be done well but rarely is by body shops.
BTW modern paint sucks, as it is now water based to comply with the eco tree huggers (not that there is anything wrong with it). Older paint was much better quality. That is why Porsche stopped the Ultra violet PTS, cause they were getting too inconsistent paint work with that colour, I was told.

Carlo_Carrera

Do you have a lot of experience with painting cars over the past few decades?

Turbodan

I have some experience painting and worked at a mercedes body shop in summertime 30 years ago.
I have more experience inspecting paint on Porsches (varying in ages from 1950's up to new), and have friends in the auto paint business.
Carlo do you disagree with something I said? When I say older paint I mean before the water based crap.

Carlo_Carrera

I do not disagree. You are correct that modern oil paints are much better than the new water based.

Has Porsche switch to water base? And if so when?

s65e90

Water based still uses a catalyzed clearcoat anyway.

s65e90

It's a myth. A good shop can paint just as well as factory. The problem is most people don't do good work and it's assumed paintwork = accident.