Does anyone have any experience with Maaco?

[Brooke Wilde]

I found a rare car that I have been looking for for quite some time a few weeks ago.

I just rewrapped or replaced everything on the inside and now I am about to start working on the outside.

The car needs a fresh paint job and instead of spending 4k elsewhere I thought maybe Maaco will do the trick.

I am painting the whole car a simple gun metal gray and the quote I received from them for the top of the line paint job they offer including painting the door jams, trunk and engine area was $700.

I would really like to use Macco for the paint and be able to spend the leftover $3,300 on engine modifications.

Has anyone ever had their whole car painted at Maaco?

Anyone have an opinion about them? I have never used Macco in my life.

Thanks,
Brooke

[Eccie Addict]

Personally Brooke if I found a rare car that was a classic or whatever then I wouldn't use MACCO. It would be a decent option if you were gonna just take a regular ol' car and make it a driver.

If it were me I would take as much money as I could and fix or make better all the mechanical parts of the car to where you can drive it. Then save the money for a good paint job. All MACCO will do basicaly is sand the top of the existing paint and paint over it.

[xtrem]

Look for local car clubs for the type of rare car you have. There are all types of car forums...

[Brooke Wilde]

Originally Posted by xtrem

Look for local car clubs for the type of rare car you have. There are all types of car forums...

I did join one ... but honestly I was afraid if I mentioned the word Maaco they would laugh me off the board.

Everyone I know dis-likes Maaco but I have never heard anyone say "why" they dis-like them so much.

I also should mention the car is a "02" and not "68" or a "71" or something "old" and rare. The body is great with no dings and of course no rust.

[Eccie Addict]

Most people dislike them cause all they do is paint over an existing paint job not really do a good quality paint job.

[1of3500]

Have you considered going to the Hot Rod Show this weekend? Might be some leads there.

[Brooke Wilde]

Originally Posted by Eccie Addict

Most people dislike them cause all they do is paint over an existing paint job not really do a good quality paint job.

So is a good quality paint job when they strip/sand all the current paint off of the car and take it down to the metal?

Originally Posted by 1of3500

Have you considered going to the Hot Rod Show this weekend? Might be some leads there.

Thanks ... I had not considered that but I think I might end up doing just that.




11/25 - 11/28, 2010 - 51st Annual O'Reilly Auto Parts AutoRama
Houston, Texas
Location: George R. Brown Convention Center
Contact Phone: 248-373-1700
Website: www.autorama.com/casi/show/houston.php

[Eccie Addict]

That's my opinion of a good quality paint job Brooke. And the AutoRama is a great place for you to go and ask lots of questions. I know they will be more than willing to help you make the right decision that best fits what you are wanting.

[notanewbie]

If you use Maaco, use the one in Bellaire.

[dearhunter]

I know this may sound crazy......but, go to some of the auto shops in the big high schools.....better than MACCO

[Eccie Addict]

Originally Posted by dearhunter

I know this may sound crazy......but, go to some of the auto shops in the big high schools.....better than MACCO

That's a damn good idea. They can do it as a project. Even some of the colleges do that I think like UTI.

[Capt. Lincoln F. Stern]

The best way to get a good paint job is have them media blast it down to the metal, sand, use filler paint to fill in any pits, sand again (probably wet sand) then put down 3-4 layers of primer. Then sand that down smooth with some fine grit, and proceed to put down 5+ layers of the color you want letting each dry before the next.

Then you put 6+ layers of clear coat...


but the look is WELL worth it.

I have seen some that have a 12 inch shine.... aka you stand a 12 inch rule up on the body and you can read all the numbers in the reflection

[Wayward]

Is this your only car now? Or do you have something else to drive? There are guys out there doing pretty damn good paint work in their garages, if you are not in a hurry. I have the names of a couple of places, that do great work for reasonable money, let me do some checking and make sure the painters are still around. What it is matters so send me a note if you get a chance.

While I would advise strongly against Macco, it comes down to how long you will be keeping the car. Because of the poor way Macco preps the car before paint, their paint job will last about a year or maybe a little more, before it starts to fade, blister or just starts looking like crap. Now that depends on many factors, a simple color would last longer than a metallic.

I've seen a flat black hot rod that was done with a rattle can, looked pretty good because the prep was done properly. You know how long you keep your cars, if they tend to become totals in under 18 months, then Macco might not be the worst choice. If you keep them years or decades then listen to the other posters and go a little higher end.

The kind of car, German, Asian or Domestic is also important, sometimes they way it was painted wasn't really even paint in the classic sense. Some manufacturers use an electrostaticly charged power that is then baked into "paint".

Gunmetal gray is usually dark grey with a tint of blue, but did you mean more this



or this



If I remember correctly it was an OEM (original equipment manufacture) color for Honda, GM, BMW. I have a flat black obsession right now and really want to have my car "murdered out"



Car p0rn is almost as good as gun p0rn.

[Mr Clever]

I'd steer clear of Mayco. Very cheap material and poor preparation. If the car is actually as rare as you claim....why would you want to add another coat of paint on the car[cheap paint at that]. All its gonna do is devalue the car.

Body shops [especially smaller independent ones] will work with you....if your not in a hurry...they will work on it little by little.

I restored a car once...the body shop had my car for 6 months.....and they worked on it little by little. We agreed on the price upfront and I paid over the six months.

Car turned out amazing. Professional body work and paint job.

It was a little annoying doing it this way....but, in the end. Its what what made the most sense.

I cheap slap on paint job......didn't.

[yngtxn]

NO MAACO!