How much a paint job costs for a car depends on what you’re having done, the materials being used, and the experience of the person doing the painting. You can get a discount shop to spray on a single coat of low-grade paint for $200, and two years down the road you’ll need to do it again. Alternatively, you can spend $10,000 getting a total repaint done on a classic car that you’ll be able to admire for years. Most likely, the job you’re considering will fall somewhere in-between those extremes.
Painting for Resale
It cannot be stressed enough to consumers wanting to sell a car – your car is not a home. A new coat of paint will not impress buyers. If anything, it will make them suspicious! A new coat of paint often comes with major repairs.
If you are dressing your car up for sale, opt instead for a full detail job. These rarely cost more than $300, and they really do make a financial difference. People step into a used car that looks and smells clean, and they assume it’s been treated well. You give your buyer the opposite impression of a new paint job at a fraction of the cost.
Painting to Change Color
In many situations, you would save money by selling your car and buying another in a different color. That said, there are inexpensive ways of changing the color of your car while preserving the original paint. Car wrapping – basically sticking a gigantic sticker over the body of your car – looks just like a new paint job.
The wrap is plastic or foil, and protects the underlying coat of paint. It is subject to wear and tear though, and over time you may have to patch tears. The cost of a wrap is about the same as a moderately priced paint job, at $1000 to $2000.
If you’re looking to change colors with paint, expect to pay upward of $2000. You will need multiple coats of a quality paint for a color that lasts. For specialty paints and graphics, expect to pay $4000 or higher.
Painting to Protect Your Investment
Cars may not be homes, but they do take up a big chunk of money for today’s consumer. If rust appears on your car, it makes sense to remove and paint over it to prevent it from spreading. You can have your whole car painted, or you can commission a shop to paint just the rust affected areas. You cannot, however, ask them to spot paint and then reasonably expect those areas to match the rest of your car. Paint jobs of this nature have to be priced by each shop on a case-by-case basis, but it may be possible to have small patches taken care of for a few hundred dollars.
Do It Yourself Car Painting
For most consumers, painting cars at home just isn’t an option. They do not have the skills, tools or materials they need, and they aren’t comfortable getting the know how. For others, painting your car at home – or painting over rust spots at home – may be your only affordable option.
Free tutorials online can show you how to do the work, and if friends aren’t able to help, auto supply stores may have tools for rent to help minimize costs. Expect to pay $50 or more for even the most basic job.
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