IntensePower
09-21-2009, 09:36 PM
http://i37.tinypic.com/35k5u85.jpg
Hello fellow azht.net members. This thread is to answer common questions we get regarding our custom body/ paint services along with collision repair. Most of you guys are familiar with our big project car builds throughout the years but what most people don’t know is that we do all of our bodywork/ painting in-house. We have a separate body shop that we operate solely for bodywork and paint. This is our own facility with our own employees and equipment. We can accommodate anything from your basic fender bender repair all the way to full frame off restoration or custom one-off wide body conversions. You can see most of our work at our main facility as all the wide body cars or custom cars there were painted by us. Our cars have graced the covers of magazines worldwide along with winning many premier car shows nationally. We only use high-end European paint materials and we don’t cut corners or “jimmy-rig” anything we work on. I will break down some common body work scenarios that most people have questions on.
Insurance Repair: This is the easiest one to answer since there is an insurance break down as far as pricing for all insurance repair. We are recognized by the insurance companies as an authorized repair facility so we have no problems working with your insurance company. Basically, if you get into an accident, take it to your insurance company for their estimate and we can take it from there. They will itemize everything for you and if you have aftermarket parts we can add a supplement for you to get extra $ for your aftermarket modifications that was damaged. Most insurance companies are clueless when it comes to aftermarket body kits or wheels, so we can handle that for you to get them replaced or repaired properly. Keep in mind that most collision repair facilities are not familiar with fiberglass repair. They may only reimburse you for stock parts. Of course a lot will also depend on who’s at fault in the accident and what insurance company you have. If it’s the other parties fault, they are responsible for repairing and paying for any damages down to the last penny. If your insurance is paying for it, then you likely have a deductible and they may or may not cover the aftermarket parts. They have to at least pay for the factory equivalent to it unless you have additional coverage for aftermarket accessories. Another question we get a lot is if we are fixing your car, can we replace your parts with aftermarket body kits/parts? This is more of a case by case question - but normally we can. It’s a little bit of a gray area for most insurance companies, but we can normally do that for you.
Complete Paint Job: We get a lot of: I want to paint my car and change the color. Can you do it for $1000? The answer is no. If your budget is less then $1000, then your best bet is Earl Scheib or Maaco. How can they do it for $500-$1000? Simple – they just do what is commonly referred to as bump and shoot. That means that they don’t normally remove anything (like your lights, bumpers, trim, etc), don’t include repairs (fix dings or pull dents), and just scuff your current paint and spray over it. This normally takes them 2-3 days per car for an entire paint job. They don’t buff and they definitely don’t offer color sanding (for show finishes). Above all else, they use the cheapest of the cheap when it comes to the paint materials. Normally this is single stage and there is no depth or not enough UV protectant to last more then a couple of years in the sun. Keep in mind that the premium European paint materials we use alone cost between $500-$1000 per car on a full color change. They have a high solid content (chemical grade for comparing paint materials) and are designed to last the life of your car if maintained properly.
So how much does it cost for us to paint your car? Well it all depends on how much work needs to be done. But typically most same color paint jobs average about $2500+ (depending on size and complexity of vehicle) and color change adds about $500-$1000 more (depending if you are just doing door, trunk, and hood jambs or with entire engine bay too). Things that are additional include body repair, body kits, wide body conversions, or custom colors. It’s definitely worthwhile for us to do the body repair at the same time because it is cheaper since we are already working on it (also not worth painting over damaged panels). We normally remove all lights, door handles, trim, bumpers, mirrors, etc (depending on the car). We can also have the glass removed (extra expense) for those that are going for a show quality work. Keep in mind that it’s cheapest to do everything at once - like paint the body kit, spoiler or fender flares at the same time. Our price also includes a buff for a deeper finish and shine. Color sanding is a small addition expense for those wanting a better then OEM finish. Most completes take about 2 weeks to do as we don’t rush or skip steps in the process.
http://i37.tinypic.com/68sapz.jpg
Wide-body Conversions: start at about $4500 on up due to their complexity. Please note that fiberglass kits are extremely wavy and require multiple prime and block sessions to straighten them out. If you are buying an authentic JDM wide body kit it will save you money in the long run as the quality is much better then the replica kits and cost less to install. If you are using rivets or screws to attach your rear over fenders, then that will save you a lot compared to molding in a complete fiberglass quarter panel. We will still need to cut your original fender and raise the clearance for your wheel before the wide body panel is attached.
Body Kits: Most decent quality kits can be painted and installed for around $1200-$1500. Of course if you are bringing us a $300 kit that you bought off of eBay, chances are it will cost you a lot more since they tend to not fit properly (requiring us to cut and reshape). They are also wavy or have a ton of pin holes and require a lot of extra prepping. Most of the kits that we sell are of a decent quality fit and finish that we can paint and install them with minimum hassle. If you want to save a few bucks then you can always install the kit yourself and bring it to us to have it painted separately and you re-install yourself. Lip kits can normally be done for about $800-$1000. If you are doing your own install, this saves you about $200-$400 depending on the type of body kit you want. Single front lip or rear spoiler typically cost between $100-$150 to paint, not including install.
Fiberglass Repair/Work: We can repair most damage within reason. If you have that ultra rare and expensive JDM part then it’s definitely a worthwhile expense. If you have a cheap replica, then it may be cheaper to buy a new one.
Do-it-yourself Paint: Yes we are the supplier for you. We not only use premium IVAT Italian Paint but we are also their North American distributor. If you are handy and want to paint your own car or feeling a little adventurous then we can help. If this is your first DIY job then don’t expect a show quality job the first time around. But if you have a painter friend to help or have done it before, this is a great way to save a few thousand dollars. We can supply you the same materials as what we use on our show quality paint jobs at prices comparable to the cheap stuff you buy at Space Age or Napa. Plan to spend about $300-$500 for most base coat/ clear coat paints and $500+ for 3 stage custom colors. If you are impatient or don’t have attention to detail, then this is probably not for you. But if you are patient, don’t skip steps and can follow directions, then this can be a very rewarding experience. Do some research as there are many sites that have how-to tutorials on what you need to paint your own car. Many can be done with inexpensive equipment from Harbor Freight using your own garage. Of course don’t expect show winning results, but if you are adventurous or just want one color on your race car, this can be a cheap alternative. Our materials can be found at www.highlinefinishes.com.
Hope this answers most of your autobody questions. Please feel free to e-mail me directly at hanw@intensepower.com. You can also schedule an appointment if you want an estimate for custom paint work or collision repair on your vehicle.
Thanks,
Han
http://i36.tinypic.com/o5u9eq.jpg
Hello fellow azht.net members. This thread is to answer common questions we get regarding our custom body/ paint services along with collision repair. Most of you guys are familiar with our big project car builds throughout the years but what most people don’t know is that we do all of our bodywork/ painting in-house. We have a separate body shop that we operate solely for bodywork and paint. This is our own facility with our own employees and equipment. We can accommodate anything from your basic fender bender repair all the way to full frame off restoration or custom one-off wide body conversions. You can see most of our work at our main facility as all the wide body cars or custom cars there were painted by us. Our cars have graced the covers of magazines worldwide along with winning many premier car shows nationally. We only use high-end European paint materials and we don’t cut corners or “jimmy-rig” anything we work on. I will break down some common body work scenarios that most people have questions on.
Insurance Repair: This is the easiest one to answer since there is an insurance break down as far as pricing for all insurance repair. We are recognized by the insurance companies as an authorized repair facility so we have no problems working with your insurance company. Basically, if you get into an accident, take it to your insurance company for their estimate and we can take it from there. They will itemize everything for you and if you have aftermarket parts we can add a supplement for you to get extra $ for your aftermarket modifications that was damaged. Most insurance companies are clueless when it comes to aftermarket body kits or wheels, so we can handle that for you to get them replaced or repaired properly. Keep in mind that most collision repair facilities are not familiar with fiberglass repair. They may only reimburse you for stock parts. Of course a lot will also depend on who’s at fault in the accident and what insurance company you have. If it’s the other parties fault, they are responsible for repairing and paying for any damages down to the last penny. If your insurance is paying for it, then you likely have a deductible and they may or may not cover the aftermarket parts. They have to at least pay for the factory equivalent to it unless you have additional coverage for aftermarket accessories. Another question we get a lot is if we are fixing your car, can we replace your parts with aftermarket body kits/parts? This is more of a case by case question - but normally we can. It’s a little bit of a gray area for most insurance companies, but we can normally do that for you.
Complete Paint Job: We get a lot of: I want to paint my car and change the color. Can you do it for $1000? The answer is no. If your budget is less then $1000, then your best bet is Earl Scheib or Maaco. How can they do it for $500-$1000? Simple – they just do what is commonly referred to as bump and shoot. That means that they don’t normally remove anything (like your lights, bumpers, trim, etc), don’t include repairs (fix dings or pull dents), and just scuff your current paint and spray over it. This normally takes them 2-3 days per car for an entire paint job. They don’t buff and they definitely don’t offer color sanding (for show finishes). Above all else, they use the cheapest of the cheap when it comes to the paint materials. Normally this is single stage and there is no depth or not enough UV protectant to last more then a couple of years in the sun. Keep in mind that the premium European paint materials we use alone cost between $500-$1000 per car on a full color change. They have a high solid content (chemical grade for comparing paint materials) and are designed to last the life of your car if maintained properly.
So how much does it cost for us to paint your car? Well it all depends on how much work needs to be done. But typically most same color paint jobs average about $2500+ (depending on size and complexity of vehicle) and color change adds about $500-$1000 more (depending if you are just doing door, trunk, and hood jambs or with entire engine bay too). Things that are additional include body repair, body kits, wide body conversions, or custom colors. It’s definitely worthwhile for us to do the body repair at the same time because it is cheaper since we are already working on it (also not worth painting over damaged panels). We normally remove all lights, door handles, trim, bumpers, mirrors, etc (depending on the car). We can also have the glass removed (extra expense) for those that are going for a show quality work. Keep in mind that it’s cheapest to do everything at once - like paint the body kit, spoiler or fender flares at the same time. Our price also includes a buff for a deeper finish and shine. Color sanding is a small addition expense for those wanting a better then OEM finish. Most completes take about 2 weeks to do as we don’t rush or skip steps in the process.
http://i37.tinypic.com/68sapz.jpg
Wide-body Conversions: start at about $4500 on up due to their complexity. Please note that fiberglass kits are extremely wavy and require multiple prime and block sessions to straighten them out. If you are buying an authentic JDM wide body kit it will save you money in the long run as the quality is much better then the replica kits and cost less to install. If you are using rivets or screws to attach your rear over fenders, then that will save you a lot compared to molding in a complete fiberglass quarter panel. We will still need to cut your original fender and raise the clearance for your wheel before the wide body panel is attached.
Body Kits: Most decent quality kits can be painted and installed for around $1200-$1500. Of course if you are bringing us a $300 kit that you bought off of eBay, chances are it will cost you a lot more since they tend to not fit properly (requiring us to cut and reshape). They are also wavy or have a ton of pin holes and require a lot of extra prepping. Most of the kits that we sell are of a decent quality fit and finish that we can paint and install them with minimum hassle. If you want to save a few bucks then you can always install the kit yourself and bring it to us to have it painted separately and you re-install yourself. Lip kits can normally be done for about $800-$1000. If you are doing your own install, this saves you about $200-$400 depending on the type of body kit you want. Single front lip or rear spoiler typically cost between $100-$150 to paint, not including install.
Fiberglass Repair/Work: We can repair most damage within reason. If you have that ultra rare and expensive JDM part then it’s definitely a worthwhile expense. If you have a cheap replica, then it may be cheaper to buy a new one.
Do-it-yourself Paint: Yes we are the supplier for you. We not only use premium IVAT Italian Paint but we are also their North American distributor. If you are handy and want to paint your own car or feeling a little adventurous then we can help. If this is your first DIY job then don’t expect a show quality job the first time around. But if you have a painter friend to help or have done it before, this is a great way to save a few thousand dollars. We can supply you the same materials as what we use on our show quality paint jobs at prices comparable to the cheap stuff you buy at Space Age or Napa. Plan to spend about $300-$500 for most base coat/ clear coat paints and $500+ for 3 stage custom colors. If you are impatient or don’t have attention to detail, then this is probably not for you. But if you are patient, don’t skip steps and can follow directions, then this can be a very rewarding experience. Do some research as there are many sites that have how-to tutorials on what you need to paint your own car. Many can be done with inexpensive equipment from Harbor Freight using your own garage. Of course don’t expect show winning results, but if you are adventurous or just want one color on your race car, this can be a cheap alternative. Our materials can be found at www.highlinefinishes.com.
Hope this answers most of your autobody questions. Please feel free to e-mail me directly at hanw@intensepower.com. You can also schedule an appointment if you want an estimate for custom paint work or collision repair on your vehicle.
Thanks,
Han
http://i36.tinypic.com/o5u9eq.jpg