Car painting quotes online

Matilda Douglas-Henry

There is no easier way for your vehicle to maintain a high aesthetic standard than ensuring its paint job is up to date. It is standard practice to repaint your car at least every five years—and if any panels have been damaged or scratched, it’s essential to have those taken care of immediately^[1]. Our job at DingGo is to consolidate online quotes for all your car repair needs, so you don’t have to. This article will break down everything you need to know about car painting quotes, including:

1. How to tell if your car needs a paint job
2. The different methods and processes used in car painting
3. Factors affecting car painting quotes

How do I know when my car needs painting?

Vehicles are typically painted in a three-step process: a primer or undercoat, followed by the paint itself (or colour coating), and finally, a clear coating of the same formula minus the pigment. The clear coat is the most essential component of the paint job, because it creates the clean, shiny look, and most importantly protects the car from oxidation.

Your vehicle’s paint will start to look worse for wear when the clear coat is damaged. Below are the telltale signs:

-        The overall colour of the paint has faded (the clear coat has started to break down);
-        The paint appears to be peeling (the clear coat has thinned to the point of total deterioration);
-        Individual panels have been seriously scratched, going beyond the clear coating and exposing the paint job to oxidation^[2]. 

A paint repair could take anywhere from a few hours to 6-7 days. You can get an idea of your own repair timeline for scratches by using the finger-running test: if your fingernail does not catch on the scratch, it can probably be removed with wet sanding in approximately two hours. If it catches, the scratch will need to be repaired and repainted and thus take longer^[3]. If it makes more sense to get a full paint job, your car will be off-road for approximately a week.

What are the different methods and processes used in car painting?

When you bring your car in for a paint job, it will be hosed down, and if specific details will be added to certain panels those areas will be blocked off with masking tape. 

The first step in car painting is preparing the vehicle’s surface, with the basic rule of thumb being the more time you spend in this preparatory step, the easier it will be to paint. Most technicians will use sandpaper to smooth out any scratches, dents, and other imperfections on each of the panels, and a power sander to strip away the old paint. The entire vehicle will be wiped down after this step to ensure that no debris/sandpaper grit remains^[4].

The primer and thinner will then be applied before applying multiple coats of paint, leaving enough time to dry between each coat. Once the final coat has dried the clear coat will be applied, and finally the entire vehicle will be buffed^[5].

Please note that this is an outline of standard painting procedures; individual technicians are subject to different styles and approaches.

What are some factors that might affect a car paint quote?

There are a multitude of factors that can impact paint job quotes. Much like all vehicle repairs, the quality of the paint job will majorly impact the price point. While a quick and cheap repaint might seem like an easy shortcut, it will deteriorate at a rapid rate in comparison to a more expensive quote.

Further, the paint you choose—both the colour and the paint type itself—will affect the cost. A basic colour like white or black, for example, is significantly cheaper than a specialised shade, and metallic paint costs much more than enamel. We always recommend consulting with your technician in-depth, so you are well acquainted with the list of services they think your vehicle needs.

Surface area is another consideration: the bigger your vehicle, the more expensive it will be to repaint. This applies to panels, too—expect to pay more to paint your bonnet as opposed to your quarter panel. And of course, if your vehicle requires significant repairs outside of the paint job, you will be looking at a pricier quote.

Conclusion

DingGo is here to help you source the most reasonable quote for your car painting needs. Use our quick quotes service today.