Auto Body Paint Shops, Jobs, Tips, and Prices

by Marcus Pickett

There is no shortage of drivers looking for a new auto body paint job: Maybe your car has been in an accident, dinged up in the grocery store parking lot, succumbed to the elements in old age, or maybe you want to drive a car with show-quality custom detailing. The wisdom of handling your own auto body paint job runs the gamut from someone with uncommon pluck who can use an online tutorial to paint their entire vehicle to the lovable klutz who may unwittingly make an innocent car scratch even worse with a botched quick-fix. So, no matter the situation, here's a rundown of common auto body paint jobs, quick tips for knowing when to send the car into the shop for a professional paint job, and a preliminary cost estimate so you can prepare yourself for the bad news....

Different Types of Auto Body Paint Jobs

Touch-Up Car Scratches: You'd think there would be an easy answer for this, and there usually is. The problem is identifying the nature and severity of the scratch. Your scratch may not be a scratch at all, but a deposit left on top of the paint job by the object. Make sure that can feel a scratch and not a bump. You may need adhesive remover, not touch-up paint. If it is a scratch, a passable touch-up job can be done using sandpaper and rubbing compound or touch-up auto body paint. If you're not sure how to fix your particular scratch or you'd rather trust the professionals to find the best color for matching paint, there's no shame in sending the car into the shop for a professional touch-up. There are potential hazards lurking even with basic car scratches. Overdo it with the sandpaper, for example, and you'll make the problem worse.
Auto Collision Repair and Painting: Often, the most problematic component of auto collision repair is matching the new paint with the old finish. Some people think this problem stems from not knowing the exact, original color of the car. In fact, this information is embedded within the VIN number. There are several variables that can make it virtually impossible to match the new paint with the old: weathering effects of time, paint manufacturers are allowed a 5% "tint" tolerance, the environmental conditions in which the paint was applied and allowed to dry, and even the difference in static charge between a plastic bumper and metal body work. For these reasons, even the professionals will rarely get a perfect match. Indeed, matching auto body paint is best done by the experienced eye of a professional car painter, who will use the original color value, but may also end up modifying the tint at the shop to deliver a better approximation.
Whole Car Painting: Whole car painting is the only way to guarantee a color match or to return an older auto body to like-new condition. Many handy folks fancy taking this project on themselves, but be warned: It's harder and more time-consuming than it looks. For some, simply finding a space that is suitably protected from the elements, including airborne dust, is a feat. Although the project doesn't take advanced training or skills, meticulous cleaning, drying, and other surface preparation doesn't exactly lend itself to the casual do-it-yourselfer. Even sizing up the choices for professional whole car painting takes quite a bit of homework and forethought. At the very least, you need to tell the professional car painter what your driving habits are, how important it is to have your car in like-new condition, and how much longer you expect to drive the car.