You are correct, if you have pieces that go together that will be the same color you usually want to glue then paint.

Plastic kits usually have more detail, unless you get the huge metal kits, then they have the cut out metal pieces.

 

see I got mixed responses..

because the guy at the hobby store told me to paint the things in the tree first.... I mean how many pieces can you really put together that are the same color in a car model before you paint? I dont think that many, thats why my model seems like it'll contain more super glue than bonding glue

 

Well when I would build, I would usually keep things on a tree, unless it was a larger piece (engine block, seat) then I would paint it after it was glued together.

 

how do you paint hard to reach spots evenly?

 

What do you mean?
I usually use fine brushes to do a lot of the work.

 

Well when I put the engine block together, there are pieces that come over the top.. you have to get underneath them to paint if you wait until after assembly? I just cant see myself painting high detail if I have to assemble it first...