If you are seeking a special paint job on your vehicle a regular auto body shop is not gonna do the trick. Custom paint jobs should be done by specialized shops. These shops employ artists who can help you realize your vision and create mock ups prior to painting. In this article I will discuss where to find these shops, how the work, and what to ask before you hire a shop. I will also share my experience with the shop that does custom car painting near me.
Find Custom Car Painting Near Me
If you are looking for “custom car painting near me”, see the map below…
How Does Custom Car Painting Near Me Work?
When you call a local auto body paint shop, you will be asked a series of questions. They will want to know the make, model, year, paint condition, and some other basic questions. For a restoration they will want to know if you want the original factory color or perhaps another manufacturer factory color from the same year.
At most custom paint shops you will initially talk to a sales person who understands what is possible. Typically that person passes off the customer request to a paint technician, who can further ask questions. If you are looking for anything special like pin stripes, flames, etc…speaking to the paint technician up front is important. They will create a mock up of what your car will look like finished so you can iron out all the fine details up front.
Once you bring your car in, they will need to analyze it. They are looking for uneven panels, rust, and other body work issues that may need to be corrected before a custom paint job is applied. Here they will also ask you about special finishes like ceramic coating and other paint protective treatments.
Who Should Get a Custom Auto Paint Job?
A vehicle’s color plays a huge role in the identity of it and often reflects the attitude of the car owner. There are many reasons to consider a repaint or custom paint whether you are tired of the current color or the current paint is chipped or fading.
Many people choose a repaint before selling a vehicle another common reason is doing a restoration.
If your paint on your car is chipping off, cracked, rusting, or faded you may want to consider. Fresh paint is a typical practice in auto restoration, but you should consider if it will take your vehicle from being an original to being a mod. While a custom paint job can totally bring new life to an old vehicle and in some instances add value, you just need to consider what you want.
A fresh paint job is not only an aesthetic makeover, but serves the purpose of minimizing corrosion and extending the life of your car.
What Does Custom Car Paint Job Entail?
Any local auto paint shop, body shop, of custom shop is capable of custom auto paint jobs. It can be as simple as getting the original color reapplied or getting something custom like a purple metallic fleck with flames.
Cost of Custom Paint
The costs can vary based on vehicle size, complexity of what you want, and condition of the vehicle. It also depends on your paint requirements. There are various degrees to the quality of paints and finishes you can choose from. At the custom car painting near me, there is no flat rate listed and every job requires a customized quote.
Most places you start out with a phone call and they can walk you through the options. They can usually give you baseline range of what it will cost. To get a more accurate price though, bringing your car down for an assessment is the best method. Any good custom paint shop is going to offer you a free no obligation consultation.
Types of Custom Car Paint
In my experience with the custom car painting near me, there are 3 basic paint job types to consider…
- Two Tone Color: In this style, the top of the vehicle is painted in one slid color, while the bottom a different color. This was a popular paint style in the 1950’s and 1960’s.
- Pearlescent Color: This paint style is common on Hot Rods. Here are variety of paint colors are blended and then a pearlescent coating is applied. This creates a look of the car being different colors from different angles. The coating works with the underlying paint to reflects and refracts the light.
- Matte Color: This style creates a flat non-shiny look and has become super popular of late. Here a clearcoat is used to create a rougher texture, so you get a flatter color. Matte paint tends to be really durable and will hold up well overtime.
How the Painting Process Works…
Regardless of the color, the process of applying paint is standard.
First they prep your car. This will include sanding it down to an even surface to remove any risk of blemishes once the paint gets applied. Then they will tape the vehicle off with tape and plastic bags. Next they apply the color and potentially multiple coats of it. Last they apply a finish like clear coat and any other finishing agents you request.
Advanced Auto Painting Technology
At some advanced shops they use a robot and a computer to apply the paint. This works really well for custom paint jobs, special designs, and accuracy. Nothing lays down paint as evenly as a robot. This is also the absolute most expensive way to get custom paint on your vehicle. Many local shops don’t have this technology yet, but you can find it at manufacturers.
Here is a really cool example of the technology used by BMW for applying custom paint work…
Can a Custom Paint Job Increase Your Car’s Resale Value?
So now that we have established, what a custom paint job is and how it’s done…how does it impact resale value?
You may be surprised but the color of a vehicle pays a role in the in the depreciation or appreciation of a car’s value. According to this article the safest colors to choose are the following black, gray, brown, blue, red, white, green, and orange, with yellow holding the lowest depreciation percentage.
So where are the exotic colors like gold, pink, purple, etc? While those colors may look amazing on a car, they can actually impact the resale value negatively.
The real trick of why custom paint increases value though is because is it looks like you took good care of the vehicle. You are more likely going to pay more for a car with a beautiful paint job versus one that is chipped and faded.
In my experience putting fresh paint on a vehicle can net you a few extra thousand dollars in resale value.
Selecting a Shop for a Custom Paint Job
Choosing a custom auto paint shop shouldn’t be taken lightly. Quality of paint, expertise, customer service, and turn around time all matter. Here is what I would suggest when selecting a shop to do business with:
- Do your research, read reviews, and get several price quotes.
- For special work like custom graphics, ask for mock ups, and recent work they have completed.
- Search for pictures posted by customers of before and after paint work.
- Ask about their prep and painting process and any satisfaction guarantees.
- Ask for a customer reference that you can reach out to.
- Ask for before and after photos of recent work they have completed.
Paint Correction vs Custom Paint
These are two completely different services. Paint correction is a process of getting the “spider web” swirls out of your clear coat and restoring a show room shine. Where a custom paint job is a totally new paint job from the ground up. If your paint is still in good shape, but needs to be brought back to life a paint correction service, may be a better and less expensive option to consider.
Do Paint Shops Custom Paint Rims and Wheels?
Some shops will in fact paint your rims as a custom job. It will depend on the kind of metal or material the wheel/rim is made out of. Getting wheels painted can add a really cool custom look to your vehicle.
In many applications nowadays custom rim painting is being done with a product called Plasti Dip. It is a removable rubber spray that you can apply to your rims and wheels. The service is called Rim dipping and some custom paint shops will do this service if you ask. 4 wheels dipped in one color usually starts around $350. More complicate custom jobs like patterns and gradients will cost more.
Custom Car Painting Near Me – Wrap Up
A quality custom job will not only restore your vehicles look, but potentially increase its resale value. Whether you have a restoration vehicle or have a vehicle that needs fresh paint, the article above applies. You should always consider your options more carefully when choosing to repaint a restoration. If it is a high value vehicle you probably want to choose a high end custom paint shop to help eliminate mistakes like overspray and low quality paint. This is what I have learned from the custom car painting near me.