Maaco Paint Jobs???
 

Im on an enlisted budget and I want to get a new paint job for my truck, I dont want nothing fancy, just a new look to my truck, right now the paints kinda bad. I hear about maaco's $499 paint job, would it be a good idea to take it to these guys?

eh..Macco.
I have heard lots of things some good but most bad. I have seen paint jobs they have done and, well lets just say it is a high production operation. In and out eat it and beat it.
Where are you? If you are in the Humboldt county area in nor Cal and you are good with re gearing and SAS's I would paint your truck and trade you for work on my truck.

If you do the prep work yourself it can turn out decent. Sometimes they even have half price specials. $250 paint job.

Rob

When you consider a quality pain job is $5k plus, you really think the $499 paint job is going to be anything but the worst quality ever?

My grandpa got one of those paint jobs becuase he was lured in by price. The paint is flaking off, they didn't prime or prep it, and its terrible quality paint.

Rent a booth and do it yourself. Even if you have never painted a car it will come out better then a Maaco job. Maaco sucks. They paint everything including window rubber and tires.

Im in washington, bit of a drive, Anyone in WA know how to paint and want to make some money?

I have had 4 cars painted by maaco and they all turned out great. Two were my daily drivers that I've kept for a few years and the paint never flaked or peeled, sure it faded a bit but waxing and keeping it clean helps like with any paint. There was no overspray, no seals painted etc. Even if you know how to paint and have the space, compressor, gun, etc it will still cost you $700 in materials and paint then plus your time. So getting a car painted for $500 or less and having it back in 3-4 days is actually pretty amazing. I'm sure quality depands on the shop but the one I went to in Seattle is the one by Beppos/Ducati on Westlake and its a really good shop, I recommend it. Yes, the more prep work you do the better it will turn out, they just scuff and spray.

Deathcougar, I've seen you bad mouth Maaco on several posts here. Have you actually ever seen a car painted by them? If you saw any of mine I doubt you'd know it was them... actually now that I think of it, I've had 6 cars painted by them! Both of my 4runners, a bmw, a galaxie, a falcon, and a buick. As I said, i'm sure shops vary and it depands who is running it and who is doing the painting but the one on westlake is good.

The one by my house sucks. I have seen about 5 cars come out of there, 1 being my 71 westy bus, and it was bad. Maybe they take a little more pride in their work up there in Seattle. Bottom line, you get what you pay for. 1 Day Paint and Body did my Scout and it turned out real nice. I did a 2 tone and paid about $900 out the door. Clean work for the price. Check them out if they are in your area.
Scout after 6 months of trashing it:

Attachment 182161

Attachment 182162

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I got one recently and am satisfied. Got the "Ambassador" package for half price and did a lot of my own prep. Whole deal was ~$600 out the door, with some dent removal. No, it's not show quality, but it was better than leaving the original/faded/chipped paint that was on there. It's my mountain/dune toy. I don't even WANT a multi-thousand dollar paint job to have to worry about when I'm out playing. Just something presentable. That's what I wanted, that's what I paid for, that's what I got. Can't speak to the longevity/durability, it's too soon. Overall, I'm satisfied.

Would I put it on my GTO? No way. Apples and oranges.

If its your beater/offroader, go for it! Just a step up from a rattle can.

I have seen several of those paint jobs. If you read my post instead of assuming what I would have typed, you would notice I said my grandpa has one of those paint jobs and they are CRAP.

We deliver to Maaco all the time, and while they do good work IF you pay for it, the $500 paint job is NOT good work. Its cheap, and fast.

I think it all depends on the the shop and if the guy running the gun know WTF they are doing. I had them do a Bug of mine years ago, rolled it a few months later. Paint actually looked OK after rolling 3x's and endo'ing once.

How much you talkin'? My dads house is in snohomish and we have most of the equipment.

If you got the equipment i got the place...Tacoma area...PM me.

Our patrol units go there when they need a paint fix or complete paint job and i have to agree steer clear of MAACO they rush through and do a half ass job.

You can do it a better job with a roll on paint job for around $100 bucks from what I have seen a read here and a couple other sites with the marine paint from a boat yard.

here is one example I found using the search option here

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116...nt-job-122120/

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f116...partii-125973/

It depends alot on the shop that you have it done at and the guys who actually paint the cars. You could search around on the web to find one close to you that has a good reputation.

X2 I have gotten CRAP from one shop, but a GREAT job from another one in a different area of town. Conversely, I got really messed-over once by a 'reputable' body shop on a repair after being rear-ended... sometimes you just don't know when you're gonna get a handful of crap.

If you have the time and talent and friends who want to help and provide facility and tools, I'd say go for it!!! You'll learn a lot, and save some money, and probably screw up a little too, but it'll be YOUR screw up, so its OK.. :)

i just got a car cause it said new paint after looking at it and carfaxing it all the po did was get it painted by macco and yes there the best thing ever!!! IF YOUR BLIND AND CANT FEEL the paint sucks scarches with the wind at 30mph and yeah dont open the doors at all cause they dont paint the door jams under the trunk or hood and they paint the rubbers the inners wheel wells and the shocks and the exaust everything ya dig?

My family owns a body shop and i cannot tell you the amount of cars that come to us after going to that place. They are the worst, if its a beater than just rattle can it yourself(it will look better than what they will do to it). It you have a somewhat nice car then having it painted there will actually lower the value of your car.

IF you're not doing a color change...
IF there is no body work to be done...
IF you're not asking for some custom paint scheme...
IF there are no plastic/urethane/fiberglass parts to paint...
IF you properly prep the vehicle yourself before you take it to them...
(which they will complain about the prep regardless)

... Maaco can do an acceptable job- it won't be show quality as mentioned.
... but don't go cheap- you do get what you pay for with them.

I'd trust Maaco, maybe the gang-banger-taggers even, long before I'd put a vehicle in the hands of Earl Scheib though.