Almost at my breaking point

soCo · 04-07-2010, 10:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cab83_750

A good paint job will consist of:

taking the mirrors/glasses off.
Taking down lights
door handles
rubber moldings
side mirrors

basically very minimal (or no) taping around parts. For reference, at least in Los Angeles, a paint job for a Porsche 911 cost between $8,000 and $12,000. At this price, it will have a mirror finish. It will have no 'orange peel' finish.

All cars that I have seen recently straight from the factory all have the orange peel finish. This includes Mercedes, porsches, BMW, etc.

Pretty much.

A low quality paint job will be around 2500, this may still be better than the factory paint though...i'm not sure because i don't have a nissan.

a good paint job will be around 4000-5000 depending on the shop.

an excellent paint job will be around 8000-10000 but this is usually for a complete color change say from dark-something to light-something.

Still, even if you spend 2500, i'm sure you could sell your black z, and buy a new(ish) one with what you got for yours + 2500 just to swap colors. this way you won't be out of a car for a few days either

dad · 04-07-2010, 10:47 PM

Cheap, but suitable-$2,500.00, expensive-$8,000.00

tjlazer · 04-08-2010, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by soCo

For the people saying get it repainted...it would be cheaper for him to just get a new car in a different color.

Good point jobs are a lootttt of money.

Exactly! Someone recently suggested I just sell my car and *just buy a Nismo* cuz I slapped on a NISMO badge on the rear and got some used Nismo wheels...

I want a blue car with a Nismo body kit and rims. Period. I'm not going to buy a brand new Nismo and repaint it. I'm not rich and I don't want the hassles of repainting a brand new car. Not worth it.

nogoodname · 04-07-2010, 10:12 PM

Buy a porter cable buffer and some supplies. Do the detailing on your own. The cost of one full detail is the price of a whole detailing kit including the buffer and you'll have enough supplies for many detailings. You'll enjoy doing it because the end result is amazing.

cab83_750 · 04-07-2010, 10:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nogoodname

Buy a porter cable buffer and some supplies. Do the detailing on your own. The cost of one full detail is the price of a whole detailing kit including the buffer and you'll have enough supplies for many detailings. You'll enjoy doing it because the end result is amazing.

+1

also go to a paint shop for your chemicals. They have items not carried by auto parts store. In most cases they are very knowledgeable about detailing.

I painted 2 cars in my garage with their guidance.

nogoodname · 04-07-2010, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cab83_750

+1

also go to a paint shop for your chemicals. They have items not carried by auto parts store. In most cases they are very knowledgeable about detailing.

I painted 2 cars in my garage with their guidance.

I got all my stuff from detailed image and they have good stuff. Not the products you find at a parts store..haha

After 10 hours of detailing, all the chemical smell was fun

cab83_750 · 04-07-2010, 10:29 PM

Btw investigate the respray recommendation. A good respray of same color may be a little bit.

Be warned though. A good paint job can cost a lot.

zZSportZz · 04-07-2010, 10:54 PM

I have black. I obsessed for a couple months. Now I just let it go, and I'm a much happier person. If you don't let it go, you will be miserable every time you look at your car - and that defeats the purpose of owning it.

So you get it repainted, spend all that money and get a new scratch...then what?

Z-WHIZ · 04-07-2010, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zZSportZz

I have black. I obsessed for a couple months. Now I just let it go, and I'm a much happier person. If you don't let it go, you will be miserable every time you look at your car - and that defeats the purpose of owning it.

So you get it repainted, spend all that money and get a new scratch...then what?

Yeah, I hear you. It's just SO frustrating - I mean a brand new towel putting scratches into the finish? It's almost laughable. What's even worse is my friend brought his depth gauge over and took readings from the trunk lid and the hood - the readings were anywhere from 60-70 microns, which is ridiculously thin. So, I'm not even sure that it's feasible to repair what damage there is. Otherwise I would just repair it and throw a clear bra on.

Is it really like this for all colors, or is black just especially bad?

texmedic · 04-08-2010, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Z-WHIZ

Yeah, I hear you. It's just SO frustrating - I mean a brand new towel putting scratches into the finish? It's almost laughable. What's even worse is my friend brought his depth gauge over and took readings from the trunk lid and the hood - the readings were anywhere from 60-70 microns, which is ridiculously thin. So, I'm not even sure that it's feasible to repair what damage there is. Otherwise I would just repair it and throw a clear bra on.

Is it really like this for all colors, or is black just especially bad?

am i the only one who is freaked out that you're using a depth guage to measure the paint? Brother you gotta not worry so much and let that go.

WICKED_GRIN · 04-08-2010, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by texmedic

am i the only one who is freaked out that you're using a depth guage to measure the paint? Brother you gotta not worry so much and let that go.

I agree……it’s just a car, eventually you will have another new and better one and hopefully you will learn not to stress on that one!!

370Zsteve · 04-08-2010, 08:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by texmedic

am i the only one who is freaked out that you're using a depth guage to measure the paint? Brother you gotta not worry so much and let that go.

If you check this guy's posts over the past year, you will see that he is OCD to the max. He puts towels on his seats so they "won't get scratched". Replaced his front bumper due to chips. Freaked out because he scratched his grille with his fingernail. Has a scrape underneath his car that is freaking him out. Has eight pinhole marks on his wheels that are freaking him out. Washes his wheel-wells.

He bought a black Z after his friends warned him not to 'cause of his OCD-ness. His friends know him well.

WICKED_GRIN · 04-08-2010, 08:41 AM

^^ He has friends!

texmedic · 04-08-2010, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 370Zsteve

If you check this guy's posts over the past year, you will see that he is OCD to the max. He puts towels on his seats so they "won't get scratched". Replaced his front bumper due to chips. Freaked out because he scratched his grille with his fingernail. Has a scrape underneath his car that is freaking him out. Has eight pinhole marks on his wheels that are freaking him out. Washes his wheel-wells.

He bought a black Z after his friends warned him not to 'cause of his OCD-ness. His friends know him well.

sweet lord! i wish i had that kind of time to obsess! i think my girl scratched my hood with her ummm.... well she was bent over the... well never mind about that but anyway the point is you cant stress over the small stuff!

cab83_750 · 04-08-2010, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 370Zsteve

If you check this guy's posts over the past year, you will see that he is OCD to the max. He puts towels on his seats so they "won't get scratched". Replaced his front bumper due to chips. Freaked out because he scratched his grille with his fingernail. Has a scrape underneath his car that is freaking him out. Has eight pinhole marks on his wheels that are freaking him out. Washes his wheel-wells.

He bought a black Z after his friends warned him not to 'cause of his OCD-ness. His friends know him well.

Oh, wow! Excellent summary of your research.

Unsubscribing.

04-07-2010, 10:47 PM	#2 (permalink)
dad Grand Prix of Endurance Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Tennessee Posts: 3,476 Drives: Mulsanne Straight Rep Power: 26	Cheap, but suitable-$2,500.00, expensive-$8,000.00 __________________ We can do without any article of luxury we have never had; but once obtained, it is not in human nature to surrender it voluntary.

04-07-2010, 10:54 PM	#8 (permalink)
zZSportZz A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Maryland Posts: 1,095 Drives: 370z Blk on Blk 6MT Rep Power: 19	I have black. I obsessed for a couple months. Now I just let it go, and I'm a much happier person. If you don't let it go, you will be miserable every time you look at your car - and that defeats the purpose of owning it. So you get it repainted, spend all that money and get a new scratch...then what? __________________ --Rick Last edited by zZSportZz; 04-07-2010 at 10:58 PM.

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04-07-2010, 10:12 PM	#4 (permalink)
nogoodname Lifetime Premium Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Montreal Posts: 22,357 Drives: E46 M3 Rep Power: 1765	Buy a porter cable buffer and some supplies. Do the detailing on your own. The cost of one full detail is the price of a whole detailing kit including the buffer and you'll have enough supplies for many detailings. You'll enjoy doing it because the end result is amazing.

04-07-2010, 10:29 PM	#7 (permalink)
cab83_750 Track Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: CA Posts: 887 Drives: 09 NISSAN 370Z Rep Power: 418	Btw investigate the respray recommendation. A good respray of same color may be a little bit. Be warned though. A good paint job can cost a lot.

04-08-2010, 08:41 AM	#13 (permalink)
WICKED_GRIN Enthusiast Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: New England Posts: 466 Drives: 370Z Roadster Black Rep Power: 16	^^ He has friends!