Maaco vs. Body shop

[Skywalker61588]

which one would be a better bargin?
all i want is solid black.

[DomestikDemon]

Maaco sucks.

[MantaGreen97]

Do a search on Maaco you should get at least a few hits... Maaco is a body shop and despite the brand name on it, they are francaises AFAIK and everyone is different just like any other body shop out there. For that reason you can find crappy Maacos and better ones.

Also they have different "packages" at Maaco as per the company's promos and policies. So the cheap paint jobs at Maaco are, well, cheap--you get what you pay for. They will paint your car with better paint and procedures for more money. Again it's the same as any body shop minus the big signs and ads.

What you want to find is a reputable shop that does good work. Whether that ends up a Maaco or not isn't really relevant.

[RickHigginsHtbr]

Originally posted by MantaGreen97
Do a search on Maaco you should get at least a few hits... Maaco is a body shop and despite the brand name on it, they are francaises AFAIK and everyone is different just like any other body shop out there. For that reason you can find crappy Maacos and better ones.

Also they have different "packages" at Maaco as per the company's promos and policies. So the cheap paint jobs at Maaco are, well, cheap--you get what you pay for. They will paint your car with better paint and procedures for more money. Again it's the same as any body shop minus the big signs and ads.

What you want to find is a reputable shop that does good work. Whether that ends up a Maaco or not isn't really relevant.

X2, i've seen some great things come from a handful of them, but most are :shit:

[02SilverGT]

my friends was shit, they didnt listen to anything he asked of them

[TA^Guy]

Why did you post this in two sections?

Please go read the forum rules ASAP.
Originally posted by Skywalker61588
which one would be a better bargin?
all i want is solid black.

I'll say this only once so listen up.


You get what you pay for.

[The Artist]

maaco is know across many MANY forums as the worst place, evAr... save and spend the money at a real body shop

[VanishingImage]

if your looking for a temporary paint job,Macco is fine,pay for their higher end jobs,the more you pay the better the job. Friend got his probe done there,paid 1100 bucks and the paint job came out nice. Glossy,very little overspray,overall it made me suprised on how well it turned out. My opinion on them got more 40% good and 60% bad.

[TA^Guy]

The problem with Maaco is they are a high volume body shop and generally pay crappy so they get people with less experience working there.

On the flip side, I have seen decent work come from them on a rare occasion. There is a custom bike builder where all his custom bikes get their base coat and clear done at a local Maaco shop. I have seen these bikes in person and they are beyond HOT! Not to mention they have been in magazines and on TV.

So I won't say you can't get a good paint job done at a Maaco, however I wouldn't expect much.

[Nighthawk243]

Generally, when you go to a shop, ask to see examples of their work. Any cars that have just been painted...etc. See the work before you make a decision. If they are reluctant, walk.

[ga5speed02]

i think the thing with macco is the only do single stage paint. a body shop will do a nice base coat/clear coat.

if you want show quality pait go to a shop and have them wet sand it and stuff but get ready to pay out the ass

if your just looking for a new paint job to clean up the car a bit macco is fine just my :penny:

[Volleyfitz6688]

i've been to maaco once....and the screwed me over an did a really bad job. i for one will never go there again.

[Rayz]

Originally posted by ga5speed02
if your just looking for a new paint job to clean up the car a bit macco is fine just my :penny:

:agree:
I"ve had three cars painted buy our local Macco and was pleased with quality verses the price.
For a daily driver our macco does a decent job.

[car audio dave]

Originally posted by TA^Guy


On the flip side, I have seen decent work come from them on a rare occasion. There is a custom bike builder where all his custom bikes get their base coat and clear done at a local Maaco shop. I have seen these bikes in person and they are beyond HOT! Not to mention they have been in magazines and on TV.



actually, they do a single stage paint job, mixing the clear and color together. really crappy if you ask me.

i had them paint the grand am GT bumper. i asked for the best paint job available,and they gave it to me. 2 months later the bumper was half silver again. apparently they didnt sand it down, or primer or anything. when i brought it back they said, oh well. our warranty doesnt cover it if its rocks that chipped it.

[Nighthawk243]

Yeah, when trying to do Maaco, you're probably better off doing the prep work first.

[VanishingImage]

I hate single stage. Thats what I ended up using on my AAS side skirt after I had did a little damage to it. I ended up getting it too look good but WOW was it crappy going on. I think 3 stage is the way to go. Primer,Base Coat,then Clear,unless you want to add Kandy or Pearl,then its like a 4 stage.

[TA^Guy]

Originally posted by car audio dave
actually, they do a single stage paint job, mixing the clear and color together. really crappy if you ask me.
The one these bikes are painted at in NYC do base/clear coats paint jobs, atleast for this customer anyhow. He brings the bikes to them for base coats, then to a artist for graphics, then back to macco for clearcoat, buff and polish. Spoke with one of the builders myself. If you ever get a chance to catch the show "Superbikes" on SPEED, it was on a recent episode where they featured the NYC bike scene.
Originally posted by VanishingImage
I hate single stage. Thats what I ended up using on my AAS side skirt after I had did a little damage to it. I ended up getting it too look good but WOW was it crappy going on. I think 3 stage is the way to go. Primer,Base Coat,then Clear,unless you want to add Kandy or Pearl,then its like a 4 stage.
Pssssst.
If base coat/clear coat is a '3 stage' process then that would mean a 'single stage' paint would have no primer below it?

[Rayz]

Had my rear bumper painted over 2 years ago at Macco, I'm still very happy with the results :)

http://www.gaownersclub.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=20316

[coupe]

Originally posted by Volleyfitz6688
i've been to maaco once....and the screwed me over an did a really bad job. i for one will never go there again.


That depends, if you paid $500 for a whole paint job you probably got what you paid for.

The Maaco's in my area are high volume shops and dont charge much. Thats a red flag to me if i where to choose a shop.

Since Maaco is a franchise it is very possible that there are very good Maaco shops, ive just never seen one in my area.

IMO SS paint is the absolute best paint job to get. There is nothing i enjoy more than working on SS paint, so much better than CC and the finished results after a full 3-4 step polishing is jaw dropping.


When it comes to picking a body shop, the rule of thumb is you get what you pay for regardless if its Maaco or not.

[Mel&Kim]

I would not recommend Macco. I had a 68 camaro that the paint was flaking on. Just wanted a base clear paint job back to the orginal color. I had to have them paint it 3 times, and it still was not right. After the third try, they gave me the money back and I was stuck with a bubbled up paint with primer showing thru. Not happy at all.

[TA^Guy]

Originally posted by coupe
IMO SS paint is the absolute best paint job to get. There is nothing i enjoy more than working on SS paint, so much better than CC and the finished results after a full 3-4 step polishing is jaw dropping.
Have you been drinking again? lol

Originally posted by Mel&Kim
I would not recommend Macco. I had a 68 camaro that the paint was flaking on. Just wanted a base clear paint job back to the orginal color. I had to have them paint it 3 times, and it still was not right. After the third try, they gave me the money back and I was stuck with a bubbled up paint with primer showing thru. Not happy at all.
Who prepped and primered the car? Not all primers and paints are compatable with each other.

[coupe]

Originally posted by TA^Guy
Have you been drinking again? lol


Im dead serious, almost all professional detailers and enthusiasts agree that SS paint is very rewarding. The only down fall to SS paint is it oxidizes very quickly, but if your an enthusiast or a pro detailer this isnt a problem at all.

Im starting a few threads in the spring on it...kinda. I have 3 cars lined up for a full detail that have SS paint in april. You will see what im talkin about when you see the pics. Hope they dont cancel on me so i can make those threads.

[TA^Guy]

Oxidation isn't SS only down fall, it's one of them.

Clear coat paint jobs offer depth that a single stage can not. It also offers more choices when it comes to things like metal flake and pearls.

It also offers greater protection of the color coats from chips and scratches. Fine scratches are also more noticable in single stage than in clear coat.

If a area needs to be repaired a clear coat job can be blended easier than a single stage.

Single stage may look better after a professional buff and polish job, but that is because all the color is right on the top layer. It's like take a nice photo with vivid colors. Looks great and all, then putting it in a frame with glass over it. Still looks great, has more depth to it but the color has a slightly different feel.

However 6 months of normal car washes and driving the clear coat will look better and be more durable than a single stage. And if you have to buff and polish the paint that often to keep a immaculate shine you'll end up needing a new paint job in a few years time.

If the car is going to sit in a garage single stage will be fine, but if you plan on driving it a clearcoat paint job is far superior.

[coupe]

Originally posted by TA^Guy
Clear coat paint jobs offer depth that a single stage can not. It also offers more choices when it comes to things like metal flake and pearls.

CC haveing more depth is not true whatsoever, i dont know whay anyone would even think that.
As far as flake and pearls that is true to an extent, traditional enamel finishes you can have flake and Pearls and enamel is considered SS paint. Its not the taditional laquer sure but it is SS non the less.

Here is a SS paint job:
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d104/Rand81/detailing/chevelle012oy8.jpg

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d104/Rand81/detailing/chevelle047tj4.jpg

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d104/Rand81/detailing/chevelle052bt7.jpg

It has perfect depth, clarity, reflection and shine.

Originally posted by TA^Guy
It also offers greater protection of the color coats from chips and scratches. Fine scratches are also more noticable in single stage than in clear coat.

CC is actually nothing more than a clear layer of paint that is layered over the colored base coat. Becuase of this every tinny little scratch and imperfection is amplified. The light hits the CC, then hits the colored base coat then refracts back to your eye making the scratches appear to be severe. CC is very very delicate and needs to be cared for constantly just like SS. Becuase of the effect that it has at refracting light, it is in its own right, more delicate than SS.

Originally posted by TA^Guy
If a area needs to be repaired a clear coat job can be blended easier than a single stage.

When spraying a CC paint job the process is essentially the same, that includes spot repairs. Dosent really matter, most shops wont do spot repairs on either SS or CC anyways.

Originally posted by TA^Guy
Single stage may look better after a professional buff and polish job, but that is because all the color is right on the top layer. It's like take a nice photo with vivid colors. Looks great and all, then putting it in a frame with glass over it. Still looks great, has more depth to it but the color has a slightly different feel.

Now put in tinny scratches in the pic, especially the colored areas, then look at the pic at a bunch of angles. Bet its hard to see the tinny scratches.
Now put a new pic under the glass and scratch the glass, i bet those scratches in the glass stand out at all angles that you look at it in.

You guys wanna try this experiment go for it, you will see what i mean real quick.

Originally posted by TA^Guy
However 6 months of normal car washes and driving the clear coat will look better and be more durable than a single stage. And if you have to buff and polish the paint that often to keep a immaculate shine you'll end up needing a new paint job in a few years time.

It would take a decade of polishing every day to take the paint beyond no return. The strongest stuff i use is Optimum Hyper compound and megs #83. I could polish a car every day for 10 years with these with no worry's of permanent damage. This of course is assuming im working on a car that has a fresh factory paint job.

Originally posted by TA^Guy
[B]If the car is going to sit in a garage single stage will be fine, but if you plan on driving it a clearcoat paint job is far superior.

Not by a long shot.


Here is a good thread on SS paint.
http://www.meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11040&highlight=single+stage+paint

[TA^Guy]

lol, I really don't have the time right now to reply to all those statements in detail so I'll be quick.

Clearcoat DOES have more depth to it. Also the more clear that is applied the deeper the paint appears. As you said the light goes through th eclear to the color and back to your eye. Like looking into a calm swimming pool.

Clearcoat paints do offer better protection. Yes, it's just a pigmentless paint but generally speaking two coats of color two coats of clear offers better daily protections than typical two or three coats of color alone.

As for repairs, matching a area with single stage is more difficult than clear. Both are repaired the same but the clearcoat helps hid where the old paint and new paint are blended below.


BTW, that Chevelle looks great. Never said you couldn't get a nice job from a single stage paint job, but when it comes to lasting and durability a clear coat paint is my suggestion. Why else would automanufactures, and custom painters base coat/clear coat. Can't say it's more cost effective, because in reality you're using about twice as much material and time.