hey isnt the cheap maaco paint jobs 1 stage only like a polyurathane (sp)? they arent base coat+clear coat at that price

i think so. its just a glossy paint, no clear, but i think he may have upgraded to a higher package?

Yep. The paint is thicker, easier to crack and fades within a few years.

You really have to know somebody to get anything decent out of Maaco.

My one buddy paints at one and I've seen him make a fiberglass panel GN'* and Vette'* look like glass.

But by the same token, if the car isn't anything to shake a stick at, you don't really know anybody there, AND you don't get base-clear, you're asking for a poop job.

Most of the Maaco'* are dirty and outdated as well.. The one I used to work at was corporate, clean, had up-to-date booths etc. No scuff and shoots, and we would re-paint the car if the owner complained about the shade of color not being what they wanted.. LOTs of insurance jobs too.
That place is now no longer corporate, different owner, and really crappy IMO.

update on the paint job: 2/19/08

o.k here is a brief detail of only SOME of the ISSUES..

1- paint and clear coat drips thru out the whole car.
2- ALL my black molding , trim and weather stripping are now white.
3- i have what looks like lines and cracks thru out the whole car in the paint.
4- i have quarter size INDENTS in the paint on the whole car. wtf from where.?
5- i have BLUE lines and paint cracks all over my hood and front bumper. where the H*** did the color blue come from.?
6- they did not take off my license plate to paint behind it. did they not have a phillips.?
7- there is white paint and over spray all over all 4 of my tail lights. ver very bad amount.
8- they did not spray paint under the wing on the quarter panles but they sprayed it with primer so when you open the trunk you will see a grey triangle on eacj quarter panel from the tips of the wing... now this is just stupid..
9- they painted the car and must have hit something with my passanger side mirror as its off line and now the old paint is showing where it is crooked. and my mirror is scratched up but they tried to cover it up by repainting it,,
10- :they even painted my whole entire muffler tip white and they cleared it too but they could'nt paint under the wing
11- i also had to ask them for a razor so i could scrape the white over spray off my windshield to drive the car home..
12- there is white paint on my 2 of my tires...
13- there is alot of white paint on my blue fog lights.
14- there is plenty of over spray on my corner lights..

i could keep going but im sure you'* get the point by now..


and when i brought all these issues up to the actual boss of that bracnh he had basically told me as blunt as could be that if i wanted him to fix it i had to pay an extra $200 plus. and then he had the ballz to just walk away from me and lock himself in his office...

all of this and he did'nt even throw in any vasoline or a condom.


and i even payed an extra $99 for a value prep but it honestly dont look like they sanded a damn inch of the car....


oh and i forgot to add that they left my car outside with the alarm unarmed and they even broke my trunk pin for the alarm after i specifically asked them to please make sure the alarm is on if they leave it out side over night...

and my radio was on a rock station when i only listen to rap cd'* and the bass was all the way up as if they were trying to knock the building down with my system for $h!ts and giggles.....




update: 2/19/08

well i just got off the phone with the coperate office and bascially they contacted maaco and contacetd me back and said that all they can do is have me drop the car off so maaco can clean off the over spray and thats it..nothing more..



are you freakin kidding me.. this is the coperate office that told me this.

i also told them how maaco cut off all my car emblems with a razor and left cut marks everywhere. and how they broke my passanger mirror and my trunk alarm pin and she said well since you left with the carf you cant prove it was them who conflicted the damage with razor blades and what ever banged your mirror.


and this was a supervisor for the maaco headquarters. wow tell me why im not suprised that im getting treated like this...

right now i will stop typing and go call my local magistrate and file a civil suit as i guess thats my only option....

i will post back up soon..

what do you expect from them?

While I understand this may be frustrating, the bottom line is that YOU didn't do your homework. No reasonable individual could possibly expect an accpetable paint job for $200.00. In case you hadn't already figured it out, this is a gimmick to get you in the door so they can sell you all the other work you need.

When you cheap out to try and save a buck (or in this case thousands), don't be surprised when you aren't happy. This was a waste of your money and you need to deal with it. Maybe next time you'll ask questions like "Why does every other body shop in this and every neighbouring universe want thousands to paint my car when these guys will do it for pocket change?". Even though this isn't rocket science, you seem to want to make it so.

You've managed to de-value your car and demonstrate to everyone here that you have completely unrealistic expectations. You shouldn't come and hang out here complaining about YOUR bad choice. This only makes you look like the fool. Suck it up and move on

A normal quality paint job costs thousands of dollars and involves removing each panel separately to be painted on their own.

The process involves heavy sanding to ensure the paint holds, followed by layers of primer to be sanded to make a smooth surface. Clear coat must be applied to prevent fading, have a "shinny" look, etc.

Your car is slightly older and may not have any pearl or metallic, but most modern paint jobs on cars have a pearl (different shades in different lighting) or metallic (sparkles) additives.

It is a very long process that requires a large amount of material and labor. The payment for such jobs is well deserved.

Macco is not this type of shop.

Not trying to bring you down anymore, but some people do not understand this and I'm trying to help. I've helped paint cars and its not something I'd like to make a career of, so I gladly pay body shops for their work (if its reputable).

whoa.... why are you comeing out your face at me like that.. do you work for maaco or something.. i thought you being a bc member was on my side... not everyone has experience or knowledge about maaco.

and wtf do you mena suck it up and move on...?

do you think i have $400 to just **** away at maaco for some poor crappy workmanship.. im not rich like some

and for you to say i shpoudn't come hang here complaining about my bad choice.. man you act like your perfect or something and noone can make a bad choice..

so why dont you keep those comments like that tpo your self and

and if you dont want to hear me complain then dont read my post....or any other members post where they choose to rant and complain...

You have to understand, he has a good point. Honestly, what did you really think you would get for that price? Did you read their stuff in the store. It describes the type of paint applied. Cars from the factory come with base+clear so they last and look good. Maaco'* cheap packages dont (even if you didnt know before, its posted in the Maaco'* i have been in) If money is an issue, then you should have saved up and done it right once, instead trying to go the cheapest route available (i have learned the hard way, just not on paint). Now it is going to cost you more in the long run. Even if they had painted it right in the first place, I bet that paint wont stay on the car for more than a year.

88bonnsse - no need to take an attitude anyone that'* posted in this thread. Nobody is telling you anything that'* out of line. The bottom line is, you get what you pay for. This has nothing to do with "members being on your side". It has to do with presenting the facts of realty to you.

Keep the attitude out of this. Thanks.