Arh!!!! I just need to vent and ask for some suggestions...

My car is in the paint shop going 6 weeks now...complete paint job.This is a customer pay deal; no insurance. I keep on getting it will be ready tomorrow, tomorrow so on and so on....

I guess my question is how long should a complete paint job take and what
you guys think I should do next. I don't mind people telling me when things
can be done but I don't do false manana(s) well...I am getting close to just taking the car out of the shop; it's in OC CA.

Please chime in guys!!!

 

I'd go check on it in person to see what they have/have not done.

 

As the original owner of a 1995 Lexus SC400 I decided to restore the car, which included a full rip-apart paint job ($6K). My shop in Santa Barbara scheduled the car in and out in 2 weeks. The paint job (original & still black) came out on time and gorgeous.

Flip side...

I once purchased a '72 911T and had the thing stripped and repainted. Decent job... but a nightmare that lasted over two months. In that deal I kinda' figured in for a lb. in for a $... hard to leave.

Unless money and hassle is no object, make the best of it.

 

The is no simple resray job if the you are looking for top quality. Is the shop doing a complete disassembly and reassembly? If so, that could easily take a month or two. It normally takes me a week just to wet sand the clear coat. Also at my shop we make the distinction between dry time and cure time. Just because a paint is dry it is not usually fully cured. We let all of our paint jobs set for four to six weeks before sanding and buffing. That is the only way you will get that top quality show surface finish. I've been restoring cars for over 25 years and I can tell you that with todays materials it is quite an involved process if you are looking for the premium results.

 

Thanks for the replies...This is a complete tear down and repaint. I have been in the shop a few
times. It's close to my work. The car has been painted over 3 weeks now...It doesn't appear they
have a person working on it full time. I just want a completion date and actually have it back as
promised. May 1st was the original date and it's long gone!

 

I toally understand your aggravation. That's why we are honest and up front about the time frame of a job. If the customer hasn't the paitience than I urge them to go elsewhere. Too many shops feel if they are up front about the time (and more often the total cost) they will loose the customer to another shop. I'm sure you would fell differently if someone would have just simply been honest about it at the get go.

 

What is a quality total respray going for these days? I need one. Any reccomendations for South Florida shops? I live near Fort Lauderdale.

Dan

 

I pm you what I am spending. My furstration is keep on getting one date
after another and it doesn't appears that anyone is working on the car.
The car has been painted over 3 weeks now. It's the assembly and the
blemishes that they need to do.

 

Take it from a guy that somewhat restores these 993's. It takes 3 times as long as what you think. They probably shouldn't of given you a completion date. Mine has been at the body shop getting the bumpers, and side skirts shot for 2 weeks now. It just takes a lot of time especially if they are doing the reassemble. Best to take all the time now and do it right instead of getting it back sooner. I know you probably just want to drive it, but the time spent now is to your advantage.

 

If you try to push the shop along based on your schedule, your job will not be as good as it would have been if you left them alone. I would stop by and see how the progress is coming but not suggest them to hurry, just suggest they do a really good job no matter how long it takes.

ZP44

 

Well...I stopped by the shop during lunch. I expressed to the owner and also the shop manager
how dissappointed I am with all the bad completion dates. I told them I want the car done right,
and I want a date they both feel comfortable with. They both said this Thursday. I will see what
this Thursday bring.

 

LOL, six weeks is nothing! :-) My car has been off the road for over 16 months now including 14 months of fighting Porsche and the Stealer, and then having the car sitting at the body shop for an open slot for the last 6 weeks. I don't even know if my daughter's will fit into the car anymore since they have not sat in the rear seats for that time...and they have grown several inches!

My shop definitely does "premium" work which I know will take time...but if my car was turned around in 6 weeks I would be estatic ! I am close to switching shops but they are the best in the area so I have to force myself in to a Zen state and wait (I am going to start slipping bottles of good wine to the owners to see if that will help!).

Sorry to tell you but good quality stuff takes real time to turn over.

Best of luck!

Cheers,

Mike

 

I've got mine currently getting fully repainted at a very reputable painter and i'm 3 weeks into it w. at least another 2 left...but its a good idea to call and visit them to keep'em on their toes.

 

Argh...It is Thursday so I call the shop to see if my car is ready as agreed upon by the shop manager
and also the shop owner and they say yes. Well, my wife and I stop by to pick the car up and all the things that I have pointed out are still there...clear coat runs along the wheel well, runs below hood
and body, runs between trunk and body plus numerous other areas. Heck, the even forget to attach back the C4S logo on the trunk and the hind quarter rock protector! My wife was with me and I did not want to loose it but this is rediculous. I am at a point now where I don't think the can get it done right. If I decide to just take my car, do I have to pay the full amount? What is legal here? Please chime in guys as I need some suggestions!!1

 

If all you have are runs and a few sags a high end detailer could block sand them out. As far as the stone guard and emblem they are easy to install. Try to get them to fix the issues if they don't apply a discount.