I've used Maaco, Peach and Earl Sheib. You get what you pay for! They do
little prep work. They don't even tape the car very well. They each use a
paint system that is a much cheaper quality than most paint. But what do you
expect for a couple hundred dollars!
I've had reasonable success doing the prep work myself. Have even taped the
car myself! My experience has been they can paint reasonably well, and I
think they use a paint booth, so that cuts down on trash in the paint. If you
put one of their cars on a lift and look up at it you can see that the paint
is thinner toward the bottom than top. But if you they take their time and
put the paint on right, it looks good. I had Peach paint a Corvette that I
did all the prep work on. Before he painted it, I tipped the "gun man" $20.
It was perfect! With today's clear coat most any paint will shine! I haven't
been too impressed with how long the paint stands up to weather, but
again..... what do you expect for a couple hundred dollars!
If you don't have the bucks for a "nice" paint job, or don't want to invest
more in a paint job than your car is worth, they are a option. I just think
you need to do your research up front, drop by the lot a couple times during
the next month and see what kind of work they are doing. Then make sure your
expectations are reasonable!
And yes, most of these shops do give discounts for any type of fleet,
insurance, or car related business. I've even had then cut the price in half
when I told them I owned an insurance agency! A buddy of mine went out and
had business cards printed just so he could a discount!
Good Luck!
-Ralph
Winnie Olmer wrote:
> How much prep do you need to do before bringing your car into a place like
> "Uh Oh... better get Maaco" (Maaco are the guys up here in New England)?
> Have you ever used them before? Do they take enough care that it will last
> as long as being shot by a high priced auto body shop.
> Thanks
> Winnie
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