Gallery: Are These The Craziest Car Paint Jobs In Town?

By Emma G. Gallegos in Arts & Entertainment on June 7, 2012 4:00 PM

Photo by Lenny Lloyd da Silva via the LAist Featured Photos pool

In this gallery, we salute those Angelenos who consider their vehicles' exteriors a work of art. We perused our Flickr photo pool and picked out some of the craziest paint jobs. There's the "designer" Oldsmobile with the designer logo, an homage to "Star Wars" and the "uncorked" job, which seems like something we might have dreamt up after too many Chardonnays.

Copyright:  http://laist.com/2012/06/07/craziest_paint_jobs_in_los_angeles.php#photo-1

How To Take Care of Your Car's Paint Job

By Tony and Michele Hamer, About.com Guides

Proper care of your car’s exterior finish is the one of the single most important lessons to learn about ownership, regardless of the cars age. Your car’s paint job is one of the most obvious features and expensive to replace and repair. We can say with absolute certainty that taking the time to learn which products to use and when to use them, will add years to the life and luster of your car’s paint.

Difficulty: Average

Time Required: A Good Part of Your Day

Here's How:

1. Always start by properly washing your car using the proper tools. Get a cotton or paint-safe microfiber washing mitt, a 5 gallon bucket and good cleaning products specifically designed for automotive use - Mothers, Meguiars or Stoner would be our suggestions. These companies offer products that are pH balanced, non-detergent formulas that won’t strip off wax, and combine them with lubrication to prevent scratching and conditioners to maintain the shine protection. They are usually gentle on all painted finishes as well as rubber, vinyl, and plastic components.
2. Never skip drying! Drying your vehicle after washing is necessary to prevent water spots – those pesky mineral deposits that etch the outline of a drop of water into your vehicle’s paint. Auto detailing professionals advise using 100% cotton detailing cloths or sheepskin chamois to dry your car - polyester and microfiber can scratch your paint surface. If you want to get more high-tech, many car care product lines have “paint safe” drying towels that are super absorbent and claim to be lint and scratch free. Two products that we like are the P21S Super Absorbing Drying Towel and the Sonus Der Wunder Drying Towel.
3. If a good wash wasn't enough to get off all the road grime, bug residue, pollution or tree sap, the next step would be to use an Auto Detailing Clay Bar because it "pulls" contamination off the surface without abrasion or scratching. Detailing clay usually comes in a kit with a lubricating spray to protect your paint. You just spray the area to be cleaned, and then glide the clay along the surface of your paint - it will grab anything that protrudes from the surface. Detailing clay is not designed to remove paint scratches or swirl marks. Heavy tar or insect deposits may need to be removed using a specialty solvent.
4. But the paint still looks dull! At this point, you have one problem with three solutions. The problem is old oxidized paint and the solution is either car polish, cleaner or rubbing compound. All three remove unwanted dull paint, but in varying degrees of aggressiveness. Polish removes the least amount of paint for a given application, while rubbing compounds remove the most and cleaners are somewhere in the middle. We recommend starting with an application of polish first before moving on to a cleaner. Rubbing compound is a very aggressive abrasive and you should talk to a professional before giving that a try.
5. Can I wax my car now? Waxing is the most important thing you can do to protect your car’s paint and an absolute “must” if you have just used a polish or cleaner. We suggest a carnauba wax or a paint sealant. Carnauba car wax produces a deep, healthy shine that you can’t attain with a sealant, but only has the longevity of eight to twelve weeks. Paint sealants give you longer lasting protection and will not melt, wash off or wear away for about six months. If you have the time and money, use a paint sealant like Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant and then wax with a product like P21S Concours Carnauba Car Wax.

Tips:

1. Always start your project with the car out of direct sunlight. Make sure the paint is cool to the touch before applying any cleaning product or wax.
2. Spray your car with ample amounts of water before washing. Use the water to spray off dirt and other contaminates that will scratch your car if you immediately start using a sponge and water first.
3. Be sure to wash and rinse in sections so the car wash soap doesn’t dry before being washed off.
4. Read the manufacturer’s directions on all car care products prior to use.

Copyright:  http://classiccars.about.com/od/maintenancetips/ht/paintcare.htm

How to Use Auto Paint Primer Effectively

Auto paint primer is a vital part of the refinishing process. It protects the metal on the car and forms a good surface that helps the paint adhere well. Knowing the types of auto paint primer and how to use it means that the refinishing of your vehicle will progress more smoothly and the end result will look a great deal better.

Tools and Materials 

• Primer
• Spray gun
• Paintbrush
• Sandpaper 

Step One - What Type Of Primer?

There isn’t just one type of car paint primer. You’ll find there are several, such as epoxy primer, urethane primer, high fill primer, and more. What you need to establish is the type of primer you need for your particular job. In some cases you’ll simply be covering metal prior to painting. Even here you need to be careful, as some types of primer aren’t meant to be exposed to the weather. That means you can’t spend a week driving around with it before you paint.

Step Two - Preparation

In all cases, you need to prepare the surface, which should be bare metal, before you apply auto paint primer. The metal needs to be clean and free of grease. Use a good cleaner on it, then rinse dry to ensure no soap residue remains.

Step Three - Etching Primer

Etching primer is ideal for areas where you have a little rust that you can’t easily remove. It doesn’t remove the rust, but will prevent it's spread. You should only use it where there are tiny spots of rust. You can use high build primer on top of thin coats of etching primer to build up a dent to the level of the panel.

Step Four - Epoxy Primer

With epoxy primer, there’s the primer and an activator. You can use it underneath a filler, but it has to be on bare, prepared metal in order to bond properly. It prevents corrosion. Be aware that the air temperature needs to be high enough for the epoxy primer to cure fully. If it doesn’t, you could end up with topcoat failure. You can apply several coats of epoxy primer.

Step Four - Urethane Primer

Urethane primer gives good coverage, and you can apply several coats of it over filler. With this type of auto paint primer, there’s no loss of gloss in the top coat of paint. It’s become the preferred alternative to lacquer primer, as it covers better and gives better results.

Step Five - Sanding

No matter what type of auto paint primer you use, it will still need to be sanded before you paint. This is a vital step to help the paint bond to the primer. Use a fine grit sandpaper and sand the primer to be completely smooth and level with the rest of the panel. When you’ve done that, wash down the primer to remove all the dust before you let the vehicle dry and then paint. How many coats of primer you use will depend on the type of auto paint primer and what you’re covering.

Copyright: http://www.autos.com/auto-repair/how-to-use-auto-paint-primer-effectively

Paint Your Own Car? 6 Reasons For and Against

Painting a car is almost always an expensive and time consuming task, whether you pay to have it professionally done, or choose to paint your own car. For those interested in doing the job yourself, there are a variety of benefits and downsides that should be thoroughly looked into before settling on the do it yourself option.

Benefits of Doing It Yourself

1. Cost is generally the most appealing factor when it comes to painting a vehicle yourself. By taking care of the prep work such as stripping the paint, sanding down the body and fixing any imperfections in the body panels, you can potentially save a large amount compared to what a body shop would charge.
2. There are several automotive paint companies that specialize in small quantity original equipment color matching. These companies can supply you with professionally matched colors of paint available either by the quart or gallon, or in pre-filled aerosol spray cans that allow you to purchase only as much as you need, so you aren't left paying for paint you won't use.
3. A major complaint with professional paint and body shops is the large potential waiting list. Popular establishments can have a waiting list of several weeks or months, which can mean several weeks or months of inconvenience. By doing it yourself, you can often have an acceptable paint job done in a fraction of the time a professional shop would've taken. In the case of painting done via aerosol spray cans, a serviceable paint job can be had in as little as one to two days.

Downsides of Doing It Yourself

1. Painting a vehicle yourself is incredibly labor intensive and requires a high degree of both patience, preparation and most of all experience. The amount of work you put into the preparation stage of a paint job directly affects the quality of the finished product, and it is very unlikely that you will produce great results on your first try.
2. Painting requires as clean an environment as possible, with humidity and temperatures that remain as constant as possible. Even the slightest bit of dust can cause noticeable blemishes in the final product, and excessive humidity can cause problems with paint curing and contribute to running or sagging in some areas, which can completely ruin the job.
3. While high quality paint jobs can be obtained using simple methods such as aerosol spray cans, the average results of such methods will generally leave much to be desired. Professional paint jobs require professional application methods, and these methods require extensive equipment which may be overly cost prohibitive for someone just looking to repaint a single car.

Professional Paint and Body shops produce professional paint jobs both due to high quality equipment, and extensive knowledge and experience in the field. Even using the same equipment, it may take several tries to achieve results that are comparable. Because of this steep learning curve, and extensive amount of required equipment, it is often cheaper to simply pay to have your car painted professionally, especially if you only plan to paint one car.

Copyright: http://www.autos.com/auto-repair/paint-your-own-car-6-reasons-for-and-against

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.

Copyright: http://www.servicemagic.com/article.show.Auto-Body-Paint-Shops-Jobs-Tips-and-Prices.17043.html

Why repaint your car?

9 Ways to Ruin Your Paint Without Knowing It

by Keith Buglewicz

Keeping your car looking good isn't just a matter of enhancing its resale value, although that's important too, it's also your car's only line of defense between the sheet metal and the elements. You already know parking lot dings, gravel roads or an angry ex can ruin your car's paint in the blink of an eye, but a lot of things out there can do just as much, if not more, harm to the exterior of your car.

We contacted Mothers for advice on how to deal with common paint-damaging situations. While their specific advice is below, time and time again, they recommended keeping a good coat of wax on your car. Not only does it keep it looking pretty, it helps prevent most paint damage, or at the very least, buys you some time to get your car professionally washed. Mothers also recommended keeping a bottle of quick-detail spray and a microfiber cloth in your trunk. As you'll see, a lot of these common problems can be prevented with a quick wipe of this solution.

The Source: Wildfires

The Problem: When wet, ash forms an alkali that can ruin your car's finish.
The Solution: Keep your car covered, use a car duster for white ash, wash thoroughly if it's soot.

These days it seems like every state is burdened with wildfires. The ash gets everywhere, and your car's finish is no exception. While your instinct may be to hit the windshield washers, or just hose down the whole car, water mixed with ash can create powerful alkalis, which will ruin your paint. White ash can be removed with a car duster, or just by driving away and letting it blow off. Black ash can scratch your paint, even when you use a duster, so you'll need to wash it off using a car wash solution, and dry thoroughly. Once the fires are out, get your car professionally washed, and put on a new coat of wax.

The Source: Tree sap

The Problem: Ancient peoples used tree sap as glue for a good reason.
The Solution: Bug and tar remover, mineral spirits, clay bar treatment

Just wiping sap off when it's still gooey only smears it around a larger area. Instead, get a bottle of bug and tar remover from your local car parts store, and use it as directed. If the sap dries, mineral spirits can dissolve it, and remaining residue will come off with a clay bar treatment. Just be sure to wax the car after you're done.

The Source: The gas pump

The Problem: Spilled gasoline
The Solution: Don't top off, and clean up accidental drips

Times are tough, but "topping off" your gas tank and accidentally letting it overflow is a surefire way to damage your car's paint. If left alone, gasoline will leave a stain on your car's finish that's nearly impossible to get off. If you do happen to spill gas by accident, the best solution is to grab a bottle of instant detailer and a good, clean microfiber cloth and clean up the gasoline before it does any harm.

The Source: Fingertips and mischief

The Problem: Writing or rubbing on dirty paint causes permanent marks.
The Solution: Keep your car clean.

We've all seen "wash me" written on a car's finish, but the well-intentioned tagger actually just made things worse. Dirt acts like sandpaper when it's dragged across paint, and it can make the marks last long after the dirt is gone.

Get yourself a long-handled duster and wipe down your car every day to prevent accidental sanding. If it's too late, most small scratches come out with a polish or scratch remover. Just always be sure to clean the car well before waxing or polishing.

The Source: Your morning coffee

The Problem: Coffee and sodas contain acids that can etch your clearcoat.
The Solution: Wash it off immediately

Driving off with your coffee cup or soda bottle on your roof isn't just a day-ruiner, it can ruin your paint. Many beverages are acidic, and since any acid can hurt your car's finish, you'll want to get it washed off as soon as you can. Letting it sit will only give it more time to do damage, and letting it dry will only make it harder to get off later. If it's a soda, or if you take a lot of sugar in your coffee, then you're going to be dealing with a sticky residue in addition to corrosive chemicals. If you can't hit a car wash, then break out your bottle of quick detailer and your microfiber cloth and wipe it up.

The Source: Dirt on your car-wash tools

The Problem: Unseen dirt can scratch
The Solution: Keep an extra mitt handy.

Washing your own car can be fun, but a common mistake can cause more damage than you think: dropping your sponge. Even the finest, most expensive microfiber wash mitt on the market can be ruined if it touches the ground. The bits of grit and sand it inevitably picks up can't be entirely washed off, and you'll have swirl marks and other scratches before you know it. The solution is to never drop anything. But if you’re like us, it’d be best to keep a spare washing mitt or two on hand to avoid the resulting expenses from car detailing or repainting.

The Source: Automatic sprinklers

The Problem: Water leaves hard-to-remove spots on your paint.
The Solution: Stay away from sprinklers whenever possible

That primo parking spot right next to the planter may look good, but if it has automatic sprinklers, you could be in for trouble. You wouldn't think that plain water would be such a problem, but the minerals left behind bond to your car's paint, making them very difficult to remove. Your best bet is to avoid parking where sprinklers can do their damage, but that's not always possible. If you do get water spots, it's best to take it to a professional detailer.

The Source: Avian digestion

The Problem: Bird poop is acidic
The Solution: Wash it off immediately

Bird poop isn't just unsightly. It's also acidic. Just look at the number of ruined marble statues in pigeon-infested cities and you'll see what we mean. Not only that, but birds eat seeds and bits of gravel that can scratch your paint.

The solution is to wash bird droppings off as soon as you see them. Use a bottle of quick detail and a soft microfiber cloth to wipe it up. Be sure to use a lifting action, since you don't want to grind any grit onto your paint.

The Source: Bugs

The Problem: Bug guts are acidic.
The Solution: Get to the car wash

You're heading home from a road trip when suddenly the eighth plague of Egypt strikes, with thousands of bugs splattering your windshield. But just cleaning the windshield isn't enough. Bugs are surprisingly acidic, and if you do hit a swarm, don't let the bugs get the last laugh as their remains slowly etch your paint. Wash your car as soon as you can with a good car wash solution, and for the more stubborn guts, use a bug and tar remover. 

Copyright: Article

3 Factors Affecting How Quickly Your Car Is Repaired

Factors Affecting Length Of Time Include:

#1. Type Of Damage
The length of time it will take for your vehicle to be repaired will largely depend upon the amount of damage that has occurred to your vehicle. There are factors such as how quickly the insurance company acts to inspect the car’s damage or okay the repair shop that estimated the damages to start the repair work and the actual extent of the damages.

A minor accident in a parking lot or a low speed rear end collision will likely take a week or less to repair. If instead it was a high impact rear end collision where the back of the car was pushed forward or another type of high speed accident and especially high speed accidents that cause extensive damage, the repairs may take weeks or even months if getting the proper parts is a problem.

A car can be repaired if the cost of repairs does not go over the value of the vehicle at the time of the accident. Every insurance company has their own percentage of damage they will accept before determining a car a “total loss.” If a car is totaled out then the owner would receive actual cash value as a settlement for the vehicle instead of getting the vehicle repaired.

An insurance company can give you a specific answer as to how long your car’s repairs will take once the car has found to be repairable and the body shop involved has completed an estimate of repair. An estimate should include how much parts will cost and the amount of labor required to fix the car.

There are, of course, a lot of variables to how long it will take to repair a vehicle after an accident. In some cases there will be an estimate of how long the repair will take but then it takes longer due to waiting for parts, there is more damage that is found during the repair process, etc.

While there is no specific set time it takes for repairs to occur, such as bumper damage only takes a day, etc. below is a guide or rule of thumb for how long repairs in average take:

• * $1,000.00 worth of damage normally takes 3 to 5 days,
• * $2,000.00 to $4,000.00 worth of damage usually takes a repair shop 5 to 10 working days,
• * $5,000.00 and above worth of damage done to a vehicle normally means the car will be at the repair shop 14 or more working days.

#2. AvailabilityOf Parts Required
Additionally, the type of parts required and the kind of vehicle that is involved in the repair has a part to play in the period of time the repairs will take. If you have an exotic foreign sports car it could take extra time to obtain the parts if they are not locally stocked.

The above information is based upon the time after your car has been seen by the auto insurance claims adjuster and is ready for repair. Other factors involved are the length of time it takes for your insurance company, or the other party’s insurance company adjuster to come to your vehicle and give their estimate for repairs.


#3. How Busy Repair Shop Is
As mentioned earlier keep in mind there are variables that can affect the length of time the repairs will take even if the mechanic has given you a rough estimate. There are factors such as how busy a repair shop is, how much repair work they have on their lot waiting to be repaired when your car arrives, the time it takes for parts to arrive if ordered, etc. Keep in touch with the repair shop to see how the work is progressing and if they think there will be a delay.

If there is a long delay on starting work on your vehicle then you may want to contact your insurance claims adjuster to see if there is the option to change garages and have a body shop work on the vehicle who will be able to fix the car in a reasonable amount of time.

When you are getting your car repaired after an accident select an auto body repair shop that you are comfortable with. We recommend you choose a quality repair shop; one which has professional certifications. If you do not know of any repair shops you would want to use to fix your vehicle then try obtaining recommendations from friends, family and even your insurance claims adjuster.

A quality repair shop will work hard to ensure all repairs are done properly, that your vehicle is delivered on time, and that you are kept well informed of their progress by phone or email.

Most insurance companies and adjusters know through their time and experience which shops are doing good, quality and professional repairs for reasonable industry prices. A shop that has a written guarantee for repairs is a good indicator as well as to the quality of the work the shop does.

Copyright: http://www.localinsuresearch.com/insurance-information/3-factors-affecting-how-quickly-your-car-is-repaired/