Paint Jail Q's

[Blake Foster]

WHY to people insist on taking their custom paint jobs to Body Shops that do insurance work????
If you stop to look at the dynamics of a body shop why WOULD they work on your car.
Here is the model. insurance claims are FLAT RATE. your car is by the hour.
body guys that do insurance work are not interested in making an hourly wage they want to make 2 times that and that is how flat rate works.
Plus I doubt a flat rate guy could even concentrate or stay out of the drug pile long enough to align your door (if he even knows how) let alone finish an entire car.
Just the way it is, I have seen it for 20 years and it AIN'T GONNA CHANGE. There are plenty of custom shops that DON'T do insurance work. Find one and take your car there. Will it cost more? probably, will you get a better job? FOR SURE will it be done faster? probably.
When we do body /paint I work on 1 or 1.5 cars at a time. start to finish. We did a 69 Camaro last year from bare metal to polished in 4 months. stripped, top, bottom, inside and out. I am sure that is not a record of any sorts but you get the idea.
Here is the down side for the customer. It needs to paid for in 4 months, and on that car that was about 40k. so 10k a month, may not be for everyone. As a shop I also don't want to be on again off again on the job because them I'm not making money, the start and stop just kills the profit.
I feel for you, sucks to have to deal with it, but that is my view on the issue.

For anyone going forward the moral of the story is ............. Don't take your custom paint (complete repaint) to a body shop. just don't do it!

[dhutton]

Originally Posted by Blake Foster

WHY to people insist on taking their custom paint jobs to Body Shops that do insurance work????
If you stop to look at the dynamics of a body shop why WOULD they work on your car.
Here is the model. insurance claims are FLAT RATE. your car is by the hour.
body guys that do insurance work are not interested in making an hourly wage they want to make 2 times that and that is how flat rate works.
Plus I doubt a flat rate guy could even concentrate or stay out of the drug pile long enough to align your door (if he even knows how) let alone finish an entire car.
Just the way it is, I have seen it for 20 years and it AIN'T GONNA CHANGE. There are plenty of custom shops that DON'T do insurance work. Find one and take your car there. Will it cost more? probably, will you get a better job? FOR SURE will it be done faster? probably.
When we do body /paint I work on 1 or 1.5 cars at a time. start to finish. We did a 69 Camaro last year from bare metal to polished in 4 months. stripped, top, bottom, inside and out. I am sure that is not a record of any sorts but you get the idea.
Here is the down side for the customer. It needs to paid for in 4 months, and on that car that was about 40k. so 10k a month, may not be for everyone. As a shop I also don't want to be on again off again on the job because them I'm not making money, the start and stop just kills the profit.
I feel for you, sucks to have to deal with it, but that is my view on the issue.

For anyone going forward the moral of the story is ............. Don't take your custom paint (complete repaint) to a body shop. just don't do it!

I think you sort of answered your own question. A lot of guys can't afford a $40k (or $15k) paint job, myself included. They are forced to either roll the dice at a lower cost shop or do the work as best they can by themselves. I chose to do the work myself after my one and only paint jail experience.

Don

[Blake Foster]

Originally Posted by dhutton

I think you sort of answered your own question. A lot of guys can't afford a $40k (or $15k) paint job, myself included. They are forced to either roll the dice at a lower cost shop or do the work as best they can by themselves. I chose to do the work myself after my one and only paint jail experience.

Don

OH I GET IT!!! but what is the point of having a "FUN" project that is in the corner of a dirty body shop for 4 years!! I mean you could have gone to the bank taken out the loan and paid it off in that time!! and been driving your car for 3 years. I would just lose interest an say screw it. I would be on to something else less aggravating. it is hard enough to build these cars with out have in to listen to all the Excuses and the WIFE!!
it just sucks all the enjoyment out of it
HOW do you even paint a car for 15k??? with 5000.00 worth of product at a bargain basement price of 50.00/ hour that is only 200 hours 25 working days. NO WAY it would be a waist of 15K and most shops charge more than 50 I am thinking. and if they are charging 50 . guess why they are NOT working on your CAR
I am a tight ass, trust me that is why I have to do it myself.

[dhutton]

Originally Posted by Blake Foster

OH I GET IT!!!
I am a tight ass, trust me that is why I have to do it myself.

Me too. That is why I use Southern Polyurethanes paint to keep the cost of materials reasonable and have a DIY paint booth in my shop. No one to blame but myself...

Don

[Blake Foster]

Originally Posted by dhutton

Me too. That is why I use Southern Polyurethanes paint to keep the cost of materials reasonable and have a DIY paint booth in my shop. No one to blame but myself...

Don

And to be honest I am a tight ass when it comes to customers jobs! I HATE waste!!! HATE IT
I am consistently on the guys to hurry up. we are not building Riddler cars here!!

[Skp4909]

My Gto has been in jail for 10 months. Not even in primer yet. Promised 6-12 weeks. Such bs

[Skp4909]

Threaten with legal action. Mine is getting done because of that

[BMR Sales]

Originally Posted by dhutton

I think you sort of answered your own question. A lot of guys can't afford a $40k (or $15k) paint job, myself included. They are forced to either roll the dice at a lower cost shop or do the work as best they can by themselves. I chose to do the work myself after my one and only paint jail experience.

Don

And that is why we get Plasti-Dip Threads.

[dhutton]

Originally Posted by BMR Sales

And that is why we get Plasti-Dip Threads.

I will give up on the hobby before I plasti-dip a car...

Don

[1976camaroguy]

Progress!