Date: Tue, 17 Jul 2007 20:51:14 -0700
Reply-To: Matthias Kuster <matthiaskuster@VERIZON.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Matthias Kuster <matthiaskuster@VERIZON.NET>
Subject: Re: paint?
Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed
Ok I can contribute here I think. I have a Wolfy that I use for
construction work, remodeling. I went the Earl Scheib route. Had to
do the bodywork, about 5 dents, bigger ones, and about 20 some nicks
etc. and prepwork myself. It is a lot of work on a vanagon, let me
tell you. The panels are very big and square and will show the
slightest imperfections. If you are using bondo anywhwere, block
sand the hell out of it, saturate it with about 10 coats of primer (I
used Rustoleum spray can, AutoPrimer), then sand further, finer. Then
you have to do a screener coat, or better yet, some dark enamel
that's glossy and will give you a bit of an idea what your handywork
is like. You will be surprised at how many imperfections you will
discover. Then go back, do it over, let it dry and test again. You
have to do that in every area you did repairs (Bondo), until you feel
comfortable enough that it's good. Then you can primer the whole car,
sand it again dry with 220 and bring to Earl Scheib and hold your
breath and your fingers crossed. I never wet sand, 220 dry is the
final stage. There is websites that explain how to paint your car
and how to do prepwork. Read as many of them as you can, you will end
up using a mix of them. That is why I don't want to go into details
here. But it can be done. You have to take off as much as you can.
and mask it yourself, you are probably leaving the windows in. I
spray painted my window rubber flat black also, and stuff like the
small triangles in the front windows will need to have rust removed
etc. Remove all rust that you can see on the surface and that's in a
visible area. Donot use POR15 or such in an area that is visible.
Eveen in the seams it is better to try to remove as much as possible.
Sand it off and then fill it in with layers of primer, blending the
edges. Good prep work probably takes a pro 40 hours on our vanagons,
that means 80hrs for you. I'm guessing here.
Now as for Earl Scheib , and prolly Maaco also, never dealt with
them: They suck. However, I was still impressed. I didn't go for the
cheapest option, chose one with 7 year warranty (which means kind of
nothing) and it cost me like $800.00. Definitely get the clear coat,
the extra one.
It was two tone with the bottom in silver and the top in Dodge Viper
Blue, metallic, mind you, please. It looked awesome and still does
today, after over 2 years, and I live near the ocean.
HOWEVER:
My prep work was embarrassing, not to say the least, and there is
huge sanding marks in places and my bondo work looked and still looks
like corrugated metal in places. This you only see up close and at an
angle however. I also have some rust bubbling up. I have put a big
dent into the side already, it gets abused, it's a workhorse. But the
paint is fine, still shiny, no dulling, no peeling, except a bit on
the top of roof gutters, but I need to put a moulding there anyways.
The paint will last, for what it is. Not counting my mistakes, Earl
Scheib lent also a helping hand with runs in the paint all around,
overspray etc. which is outrageous, and you might not notice it right
away.
Do this:
- pay with credit card (you can always put in a dispute, they know that)
- when you go there to pick up your vanagon, ask to inspect it in the
daylight first. Not inside, outside. Even if it rains.
- Then you will see imperfections, and you will have to politely
start haggling. If it's bad and bugs you, let them fix it. You might
have to do that 2x. Lot of energy, time wasted here, but hey, we
wanted it that way, right?
The paint sticks and it looks good. They can try to match the paint
on your car pretty closely for no extra money. But they go by eye,
even though pretty close, not spot on, problem is, if you later on
have an accident or dent, you will not be able to match that panel or
body work, you will have to repaint the whole car. There is no record
of that mix.
I did my Alfa a year later, and that one almost is perfect. Chocolate
Brown, Ghetto colors is mostly what they have, But it's ok. There is
also colors that are not so cheesy.
You will have dust in the paint, runs, oversprays, pure madness going
on, but if you get them to fix it - you paid $800 for it, so what?.
You can't even buy paint for a Vanagon for that money that's decent.
It is however an awfull shame to paint a Vanagon at such places. It's
somehow almost violating them. It's a choice between $4000-$5000
paint job, removing windows etc, going all the way, or the cheap fix.
Anything in between seems not worth it. I didn't like 1day paint and
their cars did not look much better than Scheib's, plus they were
gangsters.
My Vanagon is for construction work, the Alfa already had a Salvage
Title when I bought it, plus it's been hit twice already in 1 year
parked on the street, and no, they didn't leave a note. I I got a
decent paint job, I would also want comprehnsive. So I went the c
heapo way. best thing about it is how much you learn at the end.
Painnting or prepping a car is not learned and achieved after having
only done one car. It's a longer process. The new shiny paint will
show and highlight things you never even knew they were there. Best
to mark all these before starting work with a felt pen, and take
pictures of the bodywork in stages, so you remember where you worked
on. Lots of work, be assured, and when you are burnt out, you will
take it to the paint shop even though you should do more work. If
that happens you ae better off taking a rest from the project.
The orange peel is not that bad at all, either. Not nearly as bad as
what I have been seeing on recent Chryslers etc lately. Orange Peel
Galore. Detroit is pumping some freshness into their products, we
gonna inject cellulite into our car's clearcoats!
Their (Earl Scheib)clear coat is insanely hard and takes forever to
polish, I ended up not bothering, the orange peel is the last of my
problems.
It will look like an $800.00 paint job (don't even think about their
$300.00 one).
Some people approach me in both cars and compliment the color. Thumbs
up mate! Cheeky guy asked one time if I did it myself. Well yeah I
did, and the first one is pretty bad (the Wolfy).
Also there is sometimes an Earl Scheib or such that is way better
than the other ones and guys will have worked there for years. One is
here in BuenaPark, CA apparently, but it was a bit too much of a
drive, especially for the haggling;).
Good Luck!
Matthias
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