Cost of spray job

[BAC]

Remember the The very fast paint shop in Brisbane back in the 80's Glen? $1000, but then they were re birthing cars out the back I guess.

There is still a place in Melbourne I believe that does 'taxi' drive in, drive out paint jobs starting at $800.

You can have any colour you like as long as it's yellow... 

[GLENN 70]

Hmm the paint job on my 66 is getting a bit sad ,and its only 6 years old . The old paint down the sides is starting to craze and show  through .  But I'm leaving it because I'm not wasting money on it .

[BAC]

Can anyone recommend a good painter in Sydney?

What you need to find is that mythical beast: the sole proprietor spray painter with his own place and low overheads...

[BAC]

Hmm the paint job on my 66 is getting a bit sad ,and its only 6 years old . The old paint down the sides is starting to craze and show  through .  But I'm leaving it because I'm not wasting money on it .

Hey, you can't complain: you got your 5 years out of it and even one more as a bonus! 

[Cadd]

Interesting observation ..as a tradie I know it costs more to use me now than it did 10 years ago but due to the massive amount of manufacturing prices for parts are now cheaper ..so in the same mould I believe it's the parts side that is wrong ..labour rates always increase as does wages so Price will always rise it's just the rate is not consistent

[GLENN 70]

It still looks good and shines like a good paint job .. Hey I forgot to tell you guys it was a $400 paint job and colour change in the USA    not bad hey

[boofhead]

All I see is how quick people comment on the cost of cars - do not buy that it is too expensive etc.

The issue for me is that too many people under value their Mustangs - I can understand people complaining that 20k for paint (60k to restore) on a Coupe that is worth 20k-30k when they sell is to much to ware. The price of the car should be higher or most of our cars will be dead and not restored again. The costs to rebuild and maintain are always going to go higher - the price of the cars are not reflecting this. Market forces setting the price - sure but the cost will be the end of a lot of cars down the road.

To be more on topic:  My Cougar was over 2k in paint alone so I cannot see how your looking at $500 paint jobs unless going super cheap and doing it yourself and in your garage. 

[boofhead]

Hmm the paint job on my 66 is getting a bit sad ,and its only 6 years old . The old paint down the sides is starting to craze and show  through .  But I'm leaving it because I'm not wasting money on it .

Yes understandable - just means one more owner and its then being converted to soup cans.

[BAC]

labour rates always increase as does wages

Tell that to people in the ever increasing number of jobs that now fall under the minimum wage classification.  From 2007 to now their pay rate has increased by a massive $3 an hour!

I bet you've managed to do better than that in the last 10 years...

[shaunp]

What it reflects more is the shortage of skilled labour in quite a few key areas of Australian society. 

I know of several skilled white collar professions that pay much less, simply due to the equation of supply and demand.

The tradesman at the shop wont be getting $120 its the add on costs of the business, I get paid less then 120 in a professional role in a national company but I would cost them about that I guess in total. A shop would go broke charging 60 an hour. There is a lack of skilled tradesman, and guys who can fix cars correctly are no different. Still skilled tradespeople deserved to get paid. You wont get are car out of Sleeping Beauties in Brisbane for less then $45k and they are not short or work, its like anything people are happy to pay for good work.

[Cadd]

Tell that to people in the ever increasing number of jobs that now fall under the minimum wage classification.  From 2007 to now their pay rate has increased by a massive $3 an hour!

I bet you've managed to do better than that in the last 10 years...

That I have but I have to study keep my skills up and pay to continually renew my licence for my job if I screw up I die and others will too ...

[boofhead]

Most government agencies use an oncost figure of 120% - so if your on $100k then it costs the tax payer $220k (aka $110 an hour). So using the same figure a business charging $120 an hour is paying the worker $46 an hour [90k - just above average wage].

[GLENN 70]

My $400 paint job has never been colour sanded and never had a buff ,its just off the gun , and you can tell   

[boofhead]

Tell that to people in the ever increasing number of jobs that now fall under the minimum wage classification.  From 2007 to now their pay rate has increased by a massive $3 an hour!

We are getting way off topic - but rates on wage increases should reflect the rate of inflation. If you believe the government we have has extremely low inflation hence interest rates are at record lows (aka 1.75% base rate). This leaves no room for any wage growth - companies cannot not grow or grow slowly then existing staff wage grows reflects that fact. Very simple. In real terms we are in a deflationary cycle which means prices go down - wages should also go down or stay stagnant. This will not change until interest rates get back to old norms with the associated inflation. The issue is the level of dept holding growth at bay - wait till we catch up with a lot of countries and go to negative interest rates - you pay the Banks to have your money in them. See what happens to wage growth then. The next phase is job reductions higher unemployment - then you are happy to take less wages as some wages are better than none. We are in a cycle where no one is going to be happy - regardless which way it goes. So which ever direction the government will try to do it slowly so we the population adjust - sudden changes in either direction - people will be upset but will be vocal about it.

[BAC]

We are getting way off topic

Nah, not really (the original topic concerned the expected cost of a service) plus it's a very interesting discussion.

BTW, you should consider changing your screen name - you ain't no boofhead! 

[gazzab055]

The cost of paint jobs has got totally out of hand once they went over ten thousand. You'd think you were buying a Rembrandt or Da Vinci. It's nearly making rebuilds financially impossible!

[mustang_talk]

I can't comment on the validity of the cost of a paint job but as stated can start at $400 and go as high as someone is willing to pay. One thing I know is that the cases of these trades people developing long term health issues appears to be a problem that is not discussed too often. I know someone who after 30 years in the trade has developed a skin allergy so is basically redundant. There are many other cases no doubt. Based on this alone I'd say that anyone working in a dangerous job, exposed to chemicals etc should be reimbursed accordingly. 

[SXTY8]

How long has it been sitting in primer like that? The likelihood is that it will have taken up moisture deep in so if someone just blocks it back & puts the colour coats on then there'll be problems down the track, I've seen it happen several times.
It needs to be fully painted including the primer coats in one go. By the same person. That's if you expect any sort of warranty.

Things are different these days with the new paints they are using.
Back in the day, if you wanted a top paint job you drove it around in primer for 12 months to let it shrink.

[shaunp]

At then end of the day if people don't want to pay what it costs, don't do it, I don't think any of the shops will care their main stay is generally Smash work in any case. Price wont drop I dont think. Its not like it was back in the 80's where repaint was a skim up, some 3d primer and a few coats of acrylic job done. The Standard today is much higher, the paints systems are more complex, health-safety and environmental issues impact on the business, you are not allowed to wash a car now with out a wash bay you are supposed catch all hazardous waste like slurry and sanding dust etc.
 It is never cost effective to restore a car properly, it never has been, unless you do all the labour yourself and don't count the time you spent. My own car will owe me more then its worth and the only real Labour content is machine work for the engine, its not a show car just a high end driver with a fast engine, and tweaked factory suspension, no TCP RRS stuff no fancy billet bits no 18" cock wheel etc, just a properly built car at a nut and bolt level. You are on a hiding to no where regardless, just depends on the size of the hole you want to dig. Its not for the faint hearted.

[barnett468]

.
Try this place. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkdtOOYdQOs

[GLENN 70]

A good paint job should be $400 a panel ,but thats a outside paint only . A total paint inside and out or a resto paint job is another story .

[barnett468]

.
....or do it yourself in just under 1 hour.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4yafb6X9j6E

[jimyd]

At then end of the day if people don't want to pay what it costs, don't do it, I don't think any of the shops will care their main stay is generally Smash work in any case. Price wont drop I dont think. Its not like it was back in the 80's where repaint was a skim up, some 3d primer and a few coats of acrylic job done. The Standard today is much higher, the paints systems are more complex, health-safety and environmental issues impact on the business, you are not allowed to wash a car now with out a wash bay you are supposed catch all hazardous waste like slurry and sanding dust etc.
 It is never cost effective to restore a car properly, it never has been, unless you do all the labour yourself and don't count the time you spent. My own car will owe me more then its worth and the only real Labour content is machine work for the engine, its not a show car just a high end driver with a fast engine, and tweaked factory suspension, no TCP RRS stuff no fancy billet bits no 18" cock wheel etc, just a properly built car at a nut and bolt level. You are on a hiding to no where regardless, just depends on the size of the hole you want to dig. Its not for the faint hearted.

well said

[GLENN 70]

A mate of mine that is a house painter painted his car with a very smooth roller ,then a few weeks later rubbed it down the buffed it and it came up a 9/10 paint job . He did 3 cars and they all turned out ok 

[barnett468]

A mate of mine that is a house painter painted his car with a very smooth roller ,then a few weeks later rubbed it down the buffed it and it came up a 9/10 paint job . He did 3 cars and they all turned out ok 

The secret is making sure you use the 10 year warranty paint.