Whether you’re touching up a few dings or planning a complete color change, painting a car can dramatically alter its look. It may increase its resale or trade-in value.
However, the cost of painting a car is highly variable. It’s influenced by factors such as the vehicle size, the type and color of paint, and whether you opt for a DIY or professional approach.
What Is The Cost Of A Car Paint Job?
The cost to paint a car depends on its quality and type. Touch-ups cost $300 to $1,000 while standard paint jobs that involve removing rust and sanding before painting can be between $500 to $5,000. For a high-end finish, you can expect to pay anywhere between $2,500 and over $20,000.
What Are The Factors That Affect The Price Of Painting A Vehicle?
The cost of painting your vehicle is influenced by many factors, just like other add-ons.
- Size : The cost of painting the body of an SUV is higher than that of a small coupe.
- Paint Color: A basic color like white or black is cheaper than an uncommon color.
- Type of paint: According to J.D. Power, the price for a single coat of synthetic enamel is between $300 and $700 on a sedan average size. Power. Paint of high quality can cost up to several thousand dollars.
- Paint Finish: Paint finishes refer to the amount shine the paint has. Prices for semi-gloss, matte or gloss finishes vary. The cost of a paint finish may include an additional coat of sealant or wax. A regular wax costs between $100 and $200. A ceramic coating that is specialized will cost more.
- Quality of the body shop: You may find very cheap paint jobs through your research. But be careful. Prices and quality are often linked. The cheapest auto loans might not be the best option for you.
What Are The Additional Costs?
Additional repairs such as repairing dents or rust can increase the cost of painting. For a durable and smooth finish, these issues need to be addressed prior to applying the new paint.
You can expect to pay a higher price for your paint job if your car needs extensive preparation work.
Which is cheaper: DIY or professional painting? Consider your painting purpose before deciding whether to hire a professional or do it yourself. Are you looking for a quick fix to sell the car, or are working on a restoration project that you love?
You can paint your vehicle yourself. It takes patience, skill, and you might need to buy a variety of paints and other tools. Your results could be flawed. Paint jobs done by yourself are ideal for vehicles with a lot of scratches or older models.
It’s best to visit a professional if you want to restore the original condition of a collector’s or family car. Professionals are able to apply multiple even coats of high-gloss paint for a durable, high-gloss finish.
Costs Of Professional Auto Painting
There are many body shops that offer different levels of service to suit customers’ budgets.
- Basic : The cheapest paint job is to use synthetic enamel paint and apply as few coats of paint as possible. Painters are unlikely to paint the interior of the hood or other areas not visible. Basic costs can range between $300 and $1,000.
- Standard : The cost of a standard painting job includes sanding and removing the rust from the vehicle before painting. This is done to achieve a nice finish. Standard costs can range between $500 and $5,000.
- Showroom Quality : This involves sanding down the bodywork to the bare metallic, removing any rust or dents, and applying up to 24 layers of high-quality painting. The project can take up to one month and costs for showroom quality paint range from $2,500 upwards.
DIY Auto Painting Costs
The cost of professional painting may be too high for older vehicles. You may want to paint the vehicle yourself in these situations. Hardware and automotive stores sell the materials for as low as $200. Materials and tools required include:
- Paint.
- Primer.
- Foam brushes.
- Paint trays.
- Masking tape.
- Sandpaper.
- Mineral Spirits for Cleaning
Finding a suitable place to paint your vehicle is one of the most difficult tasks. Many professional body and painting shops have climate controlled booths. They reduce the amount of dust and dirt that can come in contact with paint and damage the finish.
If you are doing a DIY job, the best place to paint your vehicle is in a well-ventilated, clean garage.
Bottom line
Remember that many factors, such as the color and finish of the paint, will influence the final cost. The size of your vehicle also has an impact.
You may be tempted by the lowest possible price, but the end result of your paint job could suffer. It may result in paint that does not last as long, or you may overlook or ignore key details. You should do the same thing you would if you were shopping for auto loans. Review all of the details before making your final decision.
