There are many reasons to repaint your car. From having your sports car dripping in gold with a full colour change to repainting your car’s auto body collision, to fix rust, paint peeling or to give your old car that new car shine. In theory, a full paint job is a logical step in maintaining your vehicle for the long term. You may want it, but the real question you need to ask is if it’s worth it.
Repainting your car is a huge decision and a big job. With a multitude of steps and options to think about, this shouldn’t be an impulse buy. If you’re wondering, “How much does it cost to paint a car?” here are a few factors to take into account when making this decision.
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Cost to Paint A Car
Auto painting isn’t cheap, even lower-quality jobs. When determining whether it’ll be worth repainting your car, consider the value of your vehicle vs. the cost of the paint job. If the cost of the repaint is worth over 30% of your car’s value, you need to seriously consider if it makes sense. Of course, we love cars – and when it comes to our own vehicles we understand that it isn’t always about cost. Just keep in mind that with most things in life – you get what you pay for.
According to Cost Helper, here are the average prices paint shops charge for all types of quality paint jobs:
- $409 CAD – $1,229 CAD for a low-quality respray
- $1,365 CAD – $4,779 CAD for a mid-quality repaint
- $3,413 CAD – $15,000+ CAD for a high-quality paint job
If the cost is out of your price range, you may want to consider wrapping your car.
What Impacts The Cost Of Painting A Car?
- Quality Of Job: The overall quality of a professional paint job is a major factor in determining the cost of getting your car painted. Skilled technicians do extensive prep work, mix custom colours, and will leave you with a showroom quality vehicle in the end. High quality paint jobs don’t come cheap, but like anything, you get what you pay for. An inexpensive paint job will likely end up looking less than stellar, and you might end up going for a new paint job down the road if you aren’t happy with the results. A cheap paint job isn’t worth saving a few hundred dollars, so if you’re looking to upgrade your car’s paint job, it’s worth it to do the research and get a skilled paint service.
- Paint & Colour: Paint quality can vary wildly, and not all colours are made equal when it comes to custom paint jobs! Professional paint jobs will use a high quality paint, and several coats of that can run several thousand dollars or more, whereas a cheaper synthetic enamel paint might only end up costing you a few hundred. You’ll also have to consider any stylistic touches you might want to add to your fresh paint job, such as racing stripes or trim pieces, as that will add to the cost.
- Vehicle Size: It’s a simple equation: a bigger vehicle has more surface area and will need more paint to cover it. Even using the same paint colour and technician, the cost of painting an average-sized sedan will be less than the cost of painting a full-size truck.
- Dents: Some paint services (like Bemac) can repair any imperfections before painting in order to achieve a smooth and flawless finish. Body filler can be used for minor door dings, but larger ones might involve sanding and other more involved repair techniques. Any additional repairs needed will add to the cost in time and labour.
- Rust: Any visible rust spots must be addressed before the new paint is applied to ensure a smooth and durable finish. Removing rust, repairing surface damage, and applying rust inhibitors will add to the overall cost of getting your vehicle painted.
- Finishing: After the paint colour is applied, you also have the option to wax or seal your car with a ceramic coating. The cost of these options will vary depending on the type and quality of the product being used, and the final decision is yours on if you want any finishing touches at all.
Factors to Consider When Repainting Your Car
How Much Do You Love Your Car?
What’s your relationship status with your car? Are you in a relationship, married or is it complicated? If you have your eyes set on a new “relationship”, skip the repaint and buy that car. When you’re thinking about whether or not you should repaint your car, you need to think about your commitment to this vehicle.
Here are some questions to ask yourself:
- Can I see myself driving this car in 5-10 years from now?
- Do I take extra care of my vehicle?
- Is the cost of my repaint job worth 30% of the cost of my vehicle?
- Why am I repainting my car? To hide scratches? Resale?
- Are you willing to be without this vehicle for a long period of time?
A fresh coat of paint is something that will fill you with pride as you cruise around town. But be honest with yourself when answering these questions. That should provide clarity around whether your car is worth repainting (to you) or if this isn’t a commitment you should make.
The Current Condition of Your Car
Is the original paint on your car looking more like bare metal than your car’s original paint colour? Are there large sections of missing clear coat? Deep scratches? When considering the condition of your car, the overall age of your vehicle won’t matter as much as the current condition of your paint. We actually encourage repainting older vehicles, whether for your collection or resale.
When we discuss your car’s condition, we will focus on whether there is significant damage, such as deep scratches, dents, holes, or rust. Paintless dent repair could easily fix this. Remember, repainting won’t fix underlying issues with your vehicle. If your car has been damaged, direct your attention to the collision repair process at one of our three body shops before considering a respray.
Price
Auto painting isn’t cheap, even lower-quality jobs. When determining whether it’ll be worth repainting your car, consider the value of your vehicle vs. the cost of a new coat of paint. If the cost of the repaint is worth over 30% of your car’s value, you need to seriously consider if it makes sense. Of course, we love cars – and when it comes to our own vehicles, we understand that it isn’t always about cost. Just keep in mind that with most things in life – you get what you pay for.
If the cost is out of your price range, you may want to consider wrapping your car.
Should You DIY?
Unless you really know what you’re doing, DIY probably won’t be your best option. It’s crucial that you’re knowledgeable on all the steps to repainting a car. From the prep work to the quality of the paint used, this is a job where years of experience matter in the ultimate quality of the finished product, especially if you’re thinking of resale.
This will also be a time-consuming process (sometimes massively so). It’s not as simple as using spray paint, masking tape, and a can of Rustoleum. Properly preparing the vehicle, painting in a dust-free environment, wet sanding and polishing, along with a hundred other small steps and specialized tools, are needed to produce a quality paint job. Missing or rushing any of those steps can prove disastrous for your vehicle.
Finishing Time
Painting a car with a custom colour isn’t a one-day job. If you want it done right, it requires at least a week of work to repaint your vehicle. If you can’t live without using your vehicle for (at least) a week, you will need to explore other options for transportation.
- Bike
- Bus/Train
- Enterprise Rent-A-Car
- Carpool
If you’ve decided to get your car repainted, you may want to consider paint protection options like paint protection film or ceramic coating.
Taking Apart Your Vehicle
Careful disassembly of your vehicle is crucial for a good paint job. The goal is to keep the key components free of overspray during the repainting process and ensure the paint has been applied to every nook and cranny. Matching a new exterior colour to all those hidden spots like inside door jambs, under the hood, and in the trunk will often necessitate the removal, cleaning, and prepping of areas that most people will rarely see.
Removing trim, door handles, bumpers, glass, and other major components of your car can also cause major damage if not done right. Some may not be comfortable with another pair of hands tearing apart their pride and joy. Find yourself a body shop you can trust; without that, you may not want to go through with the paint job.
Repaint with Bemac
If you’re confident in your decision to repaint your car, choose someone you can trust; choose Bemac. With our state-of-the-art facility, we provide clients with a high-quality paint job that’ll make your car look like it just came off the lot.
