Re-paint entire car?

[Dberube]

I trust the members of this forum, and need your input.

I had an unfortunate fender bender that resulted in a little damage to my car (headlight is toast and hood needs to be realigned). I suspect the insurance claim will result in the repainting of the bumper, hood and possibly the front fenders. If this is the case, what would you do? Fix what needs fixing, and polish the rest? Re-paint the car and simply maintain the new paint going forward?

The irony is that I had just purchased a GG6 and a myriad of OPT products to do a full paint correction earlier this year. I've been practicing my technique, however, did not get the opportunity to do the full correction on my car as the weather turned cold quickly this year.

The car is my fun car, a black 1998 Mustang Cobra.

Thanks for your input.

 

[Bill1234]

The only problem I see hear is your will have softer paint with harder paint as the new paint needs cure time to dry. I would try to fix as little as you can (to be able to legally drive the car) and then polish out the scratches that did not destroy the clear

 

[Jaretr1]

Good body shops can blend paint and do repairs to the point most people cannot tell work has been done. Have them paint as little as possible.

 

[Dberube]

Thanks for the feedback.

Before joining this forum, I would have quickly jumped on the opportunity to paint the entire car.

How long before I can seal the new paint?

 

[RedXray]

Thanks for the feedback.

Before joining this forum, I would have quickly jumped on the opportunity to paint the entire car.

How long before I can seal the new paint?

Depends on the paint system used but 90 days should be enough time for the solvents to outgas.

 

[Benziez]

I would seriously think twice about repainting the whole car. I just got my car back from an insurance panel workshop. Had the front hood repainted, it has the gloss but not the reflection, kind of hazy. Went to checked my other cars that has been repainted, all of them look hazy. Searched the net for answers, best bet was wet sanding it. Did that, but i think only 70% improvement and the work is super tiring! If there's no improvements, I really thought of selling the car or dumping all my carecare products. cant live with a hazy car. Btw, can a flex 3401 be modified to use a sanding disc?

 

[Benziez]

here's some pics

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

I trust the members of this forum, and need your input.


The car is my fun car, a black 1998 Mustang Cobra.

Thanks for your input.

Thank you for your trust, that's very important to us...


My two cents...

First, a quality shop should be able to match the black paint without any problems, I know it sounds pretty basic but there's black and then hues of black which are basically levels of gray. Point being a quality shop should be able to match and spray a quality black re-finish to the affected body panels.

If the surrounding body panels are not already polished to perfection then they are going to stand out.

I recommend you fix this, don't let the body shop buff out the panels and do it before you take your car to the shop. Some body shops knowing and seeing the new paint they've sprayed will make the original paint look bad, (because it's not new and shiny), will bless you with a cheapie buff or in other words, buff your paint but also swirl it at the same time.

That's why you should buff it yourself and then do a darn good job of point out to the shop manager and anyone else within taking distance that you've already buffed out the non-affected panels and PLEASE don't re-buff them.

Not only will this protect these panels from becoming another Horror Story on a forum like this but it will also restore the true color to the panels which is what the body shop will match the paint to.

If their black paint doesn't match the now trued-up factory paint that will be their fault, not your fault.

The other option would be to have then entire car painted and if you go this route and the car is important to you, then seek out a quality shop and discuss the paint job you're getting before making a deal.

You can get a quality re-paint but like all things, you get what you pay for...

 

[billmac]

Great Advice :iagree:

 

[70fastback1]

Something else to consider once you find a shop is the products they use. The shop may have a beautiful PPG or DuPont sign hanging in their window, but which line of those products are they going to use for your work? What I mean is most paint manufacturers have a high and low end of paint. DuPont's high-end is Chromobase and their low-end is Nason, for example...

Hopefully a "good" shop will use the "best" products available to them...However, I do know of a "good" shop in my town who claim they have been using the best for over 30 years, but normally use the econoline products when doing the type of work you are in need (insurance claim). Even if it will cost more, demand the best. As Mike stated, you get what you pay for...(almost always).

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Something else to consider once you find a shop is the products they use.

The same goes for compounds, polishes, pads and tools.

You can hire the best painter in the world but if the guy doing the buffing is using caveman compounds, cruddy pads and finishing out with only a rotary buffer then you'll end up with a swirled out mess.

Like these guys...

Wheelin the paint on a Proweler...

It takes just as long to do it wrong...

 

[70fastback1]

The same goes for compounds, polishes, pads and tools.

So true!!! A shop I went into was using a 3M black waffle pad that I'm embarrassed to describe with the words I'm thinking... And, they used the same worn out POS pad for the different compounds they were using.
At least they were using Meg's products, but off the shelf from Oreilly's #1, #2, #3. They were getting the job done, just not the best economical choice for a body shop IMHO. I let them experiment with a 32oz. bottle of #85, and they were blown away by it's cutting ability, size, and price!!! I remember ole' dude say, "Wow, where did you get this stuff?"

caveman compounds

If you have used this term in the past, I've missed it....so funny, LMAO!!!!

As for the Prowler and Camaro in the links...I always imagine a person doing that saying, "Wow, look at the awesome pattern I put on this car," thinking they have done a good thing!!!

 

[Dberube]

Thanks for the feedback


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[Dberube]

If the surrounding body panels are not already polished to perfection then they are going to stand out.

I recommend you fix this, don't let the body shop buff out the panels and do it before you take your car to the shop. Some body shops knowing and seeing the new paint they've sprayed will make the original paint look bad, (because it's not new and shiny), will bless you with a cheapie buff or in other words, buff your paint but also swirl it at the same time.

That's why you should buff it yourself and then do a darn good job of point out to the shop manager and anyone else within taking distance that you've already buffed out the non-affected panels and PLEASE don't re-buff them.

Thanks Mike. You actually answered my next question - should I polish the rest of the car? I'll have to take care of that this weekend. Would a one-step be sufficient for this purpose? I have OPT Poli-seal that I've been wanting to try, and will still perform the full correction next spring.



Thanks again