19 replies to this topic

[MidioriFox]

Im taking my car to maaco..... I know, but I cant spend nearly a half year salary on paint.

What kind of prep do I need to do to help the paint look better / last? Also What should I tape up myself? 

 

Im curious about the hood emblem also. Should I take it off tape it up and stick it back in? Or leave it off? Will the paint cover the holes?

 

Im replacing my black hatch with a red one. So I'm guessing I need to sand all the paint off. Do I need to sand the paint off the rest of my car too and put primer on? If Im painting it black does color of primer matter?

 

I have new heads, corners, tails center garnish and mudflaps Im waiting to put them on my car until after I get it painted to avoid over spray.

 

87 civic hatch si

Edited by MidioriFox, 15 June 2013 - 09:57 PM.

[JerBear]

We are in the same boat, although I am painting the car myself (my first time attempting with real paint not spray cans)

 

Here are my thoughts.

SANDING/BODY WORK

1. Sand the car as best you can, make sure it is very smooth and fill in all the dents/dings with body filler/hardener.

2. It doesn't have to be down to the metal when sanding, best way is to get an electric/air powered sander to make quick work of the body. (In my case it took me 2 hours to sand the roof by hand with a sanding block, but only about 5 hours to do the whole car with my electric sander) I used 80 grit sand paper

3. Take off the emblems, and tape the back side of the holes on the body so paint doesn't spray inside the holes, then remove tape and replace emblem, but if you don't want the emblems, tape up the back side of the hole like before and fill them up with body filler.

TAPING

1. You don't have to put all the lights in before paint to avoid overspray, but you can and then just tape them up really well.

2. Tape everything as best you can, IF YOU AREN'T SURE TAPE IT MORE! I taped up everything very well I though but then had a few oversprays which aren't the end of the world, some 2000 grit will take it right off, BUT TRY TO AVOID THAT.

3. Tape Everything you don't want paint on!!!

PRIMER

1. Are you going to Prime it yourself? If so I always look at Primer colors like this, if the paint chips, what color do you want showing through? A light grey primer color? Or a Dark primer color that isn't as noticeable? So I would go with a dark, even black primer for a black car.

[RARECRX]

80 grit? WOW that is harsh.. sand mark city there. 80 grit is mainly used for spot repair where filler is needed. If you use 80 grit and spry your car will look like a mess of sand scratches.

 

Rule is if you can feel it, it will show up . safest bet for a easy Maaco point and shoot is go over the whole car and smooth it with the DA sander with~ 320 grit, then 400 grit wet sand final for a single stage. , take the emblems off. PULL whatever is easy to pull off, off. Try to do the taping yourself and do a good job. Maaco does shitty tape jobs . 

 

You dont "need" to put primer. but I recommend doing a sealer before you spray any car. BUT not in "can" form. If you don't have access to a gun and some great primer/sealer.. Just leave it . Paint does not stick well to the can junk. You are better off with the 400 wet scuff and spray.

 

Before you bring it in wash it with a real harsh detergent like tide original (not liquid) .do this like the day before .

 

Again this is very basic. but thats what Maaco is . 

[MidioriFox]

Ok, body filler will def need that for whatever my friend cant take out.

 

Thanks for the help.I think you guys covered everything.

Edited by MidioriFox, 15 June 2013 - 11:57 PM.

[MidioriFox]

80 grit? WOW that is harsh.. sand mark city there. 80 grit is mainly used for spot repair where filler is needed. If you use 80 grit and spry your car will look like a mess of sand scratches.

 

Rule is if you can feel it, it will show up . safest bet for a easy Maaco point and shoot is go over the whole car and smooth it with the DA sander with~ 320 grit, then 400 grit wet sand final for a single stage. , take the emblems off. PULL whatever is easy to pull off, off. Try to do the taping yourself and do a good job. Maaco does shitty tape jobs . 

 

You dont "need" to put primer. but I recommend doing a sealer before you spray any car. BUT not in "can" form. If you don't have access to a gun and some great primer/sealer.. Just leave it . Paint does not stick well to the can junk. You are better off with the 400 wet scuff and spray.

 

Before you bring it in wash it with a real harsh detergent like tide original (not liquid) .do this like the day before .

 

Again this is very basic. but thats what Maaco is . 

Sounds like I will have them prime it.

[MidioriFox]

Maaco paint calls for Harbor Freight DA sander

 

Do I need to take off bumper for them to paint them?

Edited by MidioriFox, 16 June 2013 - 12:04 AM.

[ZCPETE]

For macco i agree with the above basically all you need to do is give the new paint something to stick to DO NOT PRIMER IT unless you are covering filler or youu plan on hand blocking and smoothing the entire car which is alot of work especially if you dont know what your doing

[ZCPETE]

For macco in my opinion i wouldnt even bother with sealer unless you have them spray it or you know how if you get any runns you will have all kinds of problemss and in the end it probably wouldnt make a difference

[PuddleSkipper]

What do you guys do about preping the seam sealer for paint? Scrub it clean with soapy water and hit it with some adhesion promoter? Also sorry to be asking questions on your thread man.

[MidioriFox]

Can i use body filler on the bumper?

Jackass previous owner screwed the licence plate in instead of using the existing mounting holes on top mid.

Unless those are holes they also drilled.. 

[CRXer87hf]

I wouldn't.  Once the body filler hardens, it doesn't flex with the plastic bumper.  User fiberglass tape (on the back for support) and urethane.  You can get cheap pipes of it at the hardware store... grind it up and mix with it acetone until its a gel-like consistency and fill the holes.  It'll flex with the bumper and not cause cracking of your paint job.

[greasemonkeyreborne 5x1g's]

did a maco type paint job on my beater 17 yrs ago. I wet sanded entire car w 400 in a diamond pattern. I removed all the trim and lights. took forever. I always hated the tape lines around the rubber moldings. the only molding not removed not removed were the quarter glass. I used a putty knife, lifted the edge of the quarter glass molding and stuffed an insulated wire around the perimeter. taped the rubber. so the paint got under the rubber. removed the tape, pulled out the wire, and it looked perfect.

I'm no expert on painting. but when I needed to get down to bare metal, I'd treat the metal, the wash and blow dry ASAP w a hairdrier, the spot prime w a can primer. most of those were stone chips on the hood.

cars been stored for the past 10 yrs. paint is great, it's the plastics that are cracking. being in Texas, no rust has come back.

keep us posted and provide pix.

I'll be reprainting the beater in the near future. curious to see what the rest of the experienced guys chime in. looking for tips myself.

[MidioriFox]

Not sure what you did on your glass exactly... not following.

 

Its gonna be a minute before I get it painted gotta save up a little money.

 

Will post some pics when I start working it. I have nowhere to store it inside.

So Its gonna be 1 day to prep before getting it painted the next.

Day in the rain wont kill it.

[Condor]

Do not do maako.  You are better off rattle can-ing it yourself.

I'm serious.

Even if you wanted CRX colors in basecoat clearcoat you can buy those in

rattle cans for about $20 each.

 

Your best bet is to prime the thing yourself.  I've had good luck with what is called

ultra fill primer.  Sand it decently with #600.

 

While you are doing this check around buddies, friends, co workers, even craigslist,

for a billybob willing to spray your car on the side.

 

You are better off spraying single stage (acryllic enamel) in the back yard than going to maako.

Or peach paint.

Or earl schibe's if that one still exists.

 

I've done them all and it took a couple tries to learn my lesson good.

[CRXer87hf]

Do not do maako.  You are better off rattle can-ing it yourself.

I'm serious.

Even if you wanted CRX colors in basecoat clearcoat you can buy those in

rattle cans for about $20 each.

 

Your best bet is to prime the thing yourself.  I've had good luck with what is called

ultra fill primer.  Sand it decently with #600.

 

While you are doing this check around buddies, friends, co workers, even craigslist,

for a billybob willing to spray your car on the side.

 

You are better off spraying single stage (acryllic enamel) in the back yard than going to maako.

Or peach paint.

Or earl schibe's if that one still exists.

 

I've done them all and it took a couple tries to learn my lesson good.

 

I have to agree with this.  Took one car to maaco and they literally, just taped the windows.  They sprayed all the rubber, and there was overspray is spots.  The paint was a base/clear mix, which I think it total bull-crap... you can't have clear mix with base and have the clear actually function properly.  it also looked horrible.  The thinnest layer of paint imaginable.  Don't waste your money.