Full paint and body costs USA vs Canada

[krigel]

Hi,

I'm trying to do a little comparison for pricing. Up here, we pay ridiculous money for decent paint and body work. I'm in a city of 1.2 million people, but there are only a few shops worth talking about.

My question is this....for a good paint job with minimal rust repair (two small spots in the rockers) on a 68 Charger, if I bring my car south of the border, would it cost me less money? To do it up here including getting the trunk, jambs and engine bay sprayed, it's about $20,000.00. Any suggestions? Any shops on the west side of the country that do great work worth talking about?

Cheers,

KR

[1973rallye]

Shops!! Forget it. If they take your car don't expect to get it back fast. I found a local body and paint man through word of mouth, with references. The car took just under a year as he still took small jobs on the side. I was lucky no metal work and the total bill was well under 10g.

[Patronus]

I don't paint professionally, but I would think $20K fair. At $5K a week x 3 wks + $5K in materials is $20K.

[hemi-hampton]

I don't paint professionally, but I would think $20K fair. At $5K a week x 3 wks + $5K in materials is $20K.

$5K a week. With my Math I'll charge you $1,500 a week X 3 weeks= $4,500 + $2,000 for Materials. Total $6,500. Saving you $13,500. Just a rough guesstimate though. LEON.

[Mike DC]

   
From what I've seen, the cheapest labor (without tossing out all quality) is always in midwestern & rust-belt states where these cars are getting restored all the time and the overall average wealth isn't that high.  Try getting the same work done in a wealthy coastal city and you'll pay double. 

[Ghoste]

If you are seriously considering going to the US to get it done, remember to factor in the exchange rate and unless you have a way to smuggle it back into the country add whatever taxes and such the gubermint will want.

[moparnation74]

I did all of the prep and minimal bodywork(door dings, smoothing) on mine.  This was a rust free charger with NO sheet metal replacement, just surface rust and minor pitting.  My painter painted the entire car and total cost was 10k with assembly of fenders/hood/doors/deck lid.

Just keep in mind these cars are 16" x 6.5" which equates to a lot of paint.  High quality paints are not cheap.

[el dub]

These 10 and 20 k paint jobs are for show cars, right. Not a driver?

[myk]

I don't paint professionally, but I would think $20K fair. At $5K a week x 3 wks + $5K in materials is $20K.

$5K a week. With my Math I'll charge you $1,500 a week X 3 weeks= $4,500 + $2,000 for Materials. Total $6,500. Saving you $13,500. Just a rough guesstimate though. LEON.

That's not bad at all, rough estimate and all...

[bill440rt]

You can't rush a quality job.
Cheaper materials = cheaper job.

Cheap, fast, and quality... but you can't have all 3 at once. 

[Dmichels]

I did all my own panel replacement. Did body work to the best of my ability. I stripped the car down to a shell. Local guy came and picked up up and painted it with PPG 2 stage. cost me $7500. I did plenty of research I got a good deal Painting a car is very labor intensive. It costs a lot of money Do not hesitate next year it will cost more. 

[gtx6970]

I currently have a 1970 dart at my painter now. (Same one who did my challenger )

Estimate is $4500 . Which includes stripped it to bare metal. Repair any dings and repaint in base clear.
Includes door jams , bottom of hood and deck lid

Any rust issues found once stripped would be additional

I'll post some pics here once done if anyone would like. .should be very early spring

[Patronus]

These 10 and 20 k paint jobs are for show cars, right. Not a driver?

I have a $65 an hour reputation.

[chargerman69]

Were you at in canada

[krigel]

I'm in Calgary. I've just heard that it's waaaaayyyy cheaper in the states....that could have been misleading info.

[tor-redaar]

Krigel, I own/operate a small resto only bodyshop just outside Saskatoon...the average paintjob, painting labor and materials only, not any stripping/bodywork/assembly is AVERAGING around $15k. Thats all jambs/inners/exterior and includes basic wetsand and polish. there are ways to get it lower, but cutting corners isnt something a decent shop is going to be interested in doing. Sounds like you are doing your due diligence and being educated in the process is just plain smart. In getting estimates (if a shop will even attempt one) You need to be honest with yourself and the shop about what your true expectations are. If you arent, you're cruising for a bruising. For comparisons sake, resto labor rates here are $65/hour plus materials, and collision shops are charging anywhere from $85 to $95/hour plus materials for private work(non collision) because they dont really want the work. They make better/faster money doing collision. From my experience, collision shops dont usually have the labor force thats familiar with working on this type of car. Best of luck sorting this all out! If you have any questions, I'm happy to help.

Dallas

[el dub]

These 10 and 20 k paint jobs are for show cars, right. Not a driver?

I have a $65 an hour reputation.

That's about normal. I can get a car spayed for about five, six hundred bucks if all the body work is completely finished. My car cost me 2900 to paint and 1100 for materials. Its has a couple of minor flaws but most people wont see them. painters will. I'm happy so that's all that counts to me.. Plus my car wasn't a full on resto. I didn't strip the car completely but he painted the hood both sides, jams and trunk inside and out.
    the economy is not so hot and it is winter so painters are hungry right now

[krigel]

Where are you at?

[el dub]

Central Cal, Fresno.

[charger_fan_4ever]

Exchange and the tax you will have to pay at the border will kill any proceived savings. Find a good metal worker that will work on it on the side for cash at your place if possible.

[Cooter]

This has always been a problem. For whatever reason, the LABOR side seems always negotiable.
one don't mind spending $2k for House of Kolors paint, but want it applied for $400.00....

As a rule of thumb, those who paint/restore on the side, (myself included) we simply cannot do anything halfassed to keep costs down. Because we (painters) are always at fault when your car looks like a basketball.

[69bronzeT5]

I'm in Calgary. I've just heard that it's waaaaayyyy cheaper in the states....that could have been misleading info.

Have you talked to Kori @ Show & Go Restorations in Red Deer?

[krigel]

No, I haven't. Might be worth a trip up North!

[1974dodgecharger]

WHAT!!!  20K FOR A PAINT JOB!!!  MAN YOU GUYS ARE ALL SHOW CARS HERE........

[Patronus]

More 3rd gen denial.

[tor-redaar]

I believe Kori At show and go is on the detail/assembly side... not paint and body but he could steer you on the path to who can do it, but in his circle they aren't in the habit of half-assed/cheaper jobs.....

[bobfist]

My cost 17000 dollars metalwork, sanding and paint, show car
Sweden