IBFlames

So last year I had lots of clear coat fading on my cars roof. I sanded it down and painted it myself using single stage paint. It turned out excellent, but this past year I've been at college where the car was outside letting the elements do torture on it. So now there are permament 'water spots' on it. I've washed my car about 3 times in the past 2 weeks and waxed it a couple times. The paint is starting to disinergrate(Yeah, I know I spelt that wrong). Today my dad told me that I should go over to Maacos and get a quote. I was going to get my whole car painted if it wasn't a lot of money but decided against it. I talked to the owners for a while and when I left, I had an appointment to get my roof painted by them on Tuesday. I just need to do the sanding and stuff on it before hand.
I'm planning on using 600 or 800 grit wetsanding it down to the primer. What grit would be best?

Oh and its going to cost me $119.
Please don't flame. I know its Maacos, but my sister and a few others I know have gotten their cars painted there. My sister got hers done about 3 or 4 years ago and it still looks new. The owners are certified by Maacos, which very few are, only the very best, and have been in the auto paint business for years before hand. Very professional work done.

 

maaco

 

i might be taking my car to earl shiest.

 

You don't have to sand your roof all the way down to primer. All you really need to do is take a Gray 3M Scotchbrite Scuffing pad and wet sand using it. That's all...trust me. But if it'll make you feel better...just take some 500 grit wet/dry sand paper and wet sand it like that. You don't have to take it all the way down. Just sand it until it's nice and smooth/dull and when you rinse it off...make sure the area is slick. If the water sheets off...it's good...if water spots...you didn't sand enough.

 

Huh, I'll keep that in mind. I'm going to call them monday and see what they recommend me do. I'm taking it in tuesday afternoon, so I'll whip it out that morning.

 

yeah, you can trust everything I told you...I'm sure anybody who works with cars will agree with me. My dad's been doing bodywork for 31 years and I've been working at his body shop for about 3. I do this all the time.

 

I hate Maaco and will not use them again. They painted my '65 Mustang. There were runs everywhere, paint on my bumpers, headlight trim, window trim and weather stripping, it was terrible. But other than all that, it was GREAT !!!

 

Then chances are you didn't get it done at a certified Maaco. The one here is the only certified one in Washington, Idaho and Montana. Not sure about Oregon. There are very few certified ones.

 

Certified, and it still sucked.

 

I wish people would quit expecting good things out of Cheap Body shops like Maaco. The fact is, you're paying atleast 1/5 of the normal price for a decent body shop. You're going to get atleast 1/5 of the quality work from places like Maaco. They use cheap materials that'll start to fade within 3-5 years, they don't take the time that's neccessary to mask off parts that shouldn't be painted (if they even mask at all) and all the do is scuff the areas...something you could do at home. If you want it done the proper way, spend the extra money. In the end it'll be cheaper b/c if you go the easy way and go to Maaco...every 2 years, you'll spend just as much by paying the extra at a nice body shop. I don't know about all other Independant Body Shops like my dad's, but we guarantee our paint for 10 years. So if you go to Maaco, get a warranty or something, unless you're planning on selling the car.