Maaco Paint Jobs Any Good?

When the winter season finishes im gonna get my car painted, I was thinking about maaco, they want a $1,000us dollars to do everything, same color, rust jobs and all. Are they any good, any stories?



:monkeypis :badass:

I guess it would depend on what kind of talent they have there. I know for sure I wouldn't trust the $2xx paint specials they have there.

With paint jobs, you get what you pay for. I wouldn't trust any paint job from maaco.

a good paint job like full custom color costs about $7000-$10,000+...so you can kinda guess what a $2000 crap job is gonna look. youll see chips around the trims, drip marks around the panels, etc. if I was gonna get a $2000 paint job, it would probably be enough to paint one fender panel and maybe 2 doors.

I said I have an Infinity G20 1992, not a Cobra!!!!!!
I don't want custom color...


:monkeypis :badass:

The price depends on where you live. A $ goes farther in Arizona than say Washington. Up here, 2000 will get you a decent paint job. As far as Maaco, don't trust them company wide. NO NO NO, Maaco SUCKS.

he's right, it does depend on where you live, but it depends more on the shop itself. Ask the shop to see some of their work. Are they proud to show you what they've done? When it comes to paint, a good, quality shop makes all the difference in the world. I have over $10K in my body work and current paintjob, and before that I had a different custom paint job that cost around $2500 (it's wasn't a full color change, just repainted stock pearl white w/ some graphics) (not at a maaco, either) The quality wasn't quite there, and it kept bugging me, so I decided to go all out. So I'm telling you, if you spend 2 grand now, you'll regret it later and end up spending much more to correct the problem.
Just my 2cents...

I heard Maaco sucks. But I dont have any personal experences with them.

yup, ask around. don't be afraid to go to a car show and if you see a paint job you like

ask these questions
1. where did you get that done?
2. how much?
3. are you satisfied?

look closely at the jobs. some places don't sand to metal so you can see chips. ask to see the insides like the door sill.

fyi. get to know someone who's connected to a reputable body shop. you can get hooked up. some places won't charge you as much if you were referred by a buddy of the shop.

Paint is all in the prep work. Maaco probably doesn't do good prep work, but if you do it yourself that's different. Laying some paint down is fairly easy so long as you use a decent gun, enough coats, and some quality paint.

I have had 3 cars painted at Macco.. For the money its not bad. I had the following cars painted:

:D 1980 Toy Corolla Went from brown to Toyota Grean met. They did a good job for $400.


:D 1989 Toy Tercel Gold pearl Job came out nice for $450.

:D 1988 Buick Regal Dark Blue job also came out nice for $400.

My sister also had her car painted my Macco.

Over all, For the money, they do a good job. Not sure if it is the same for NY but in CA they are good.

But $1000 seems high for Macco, Shop around.

Late

maaco, one day paint, and earl scheib all offer different ranges of paint jobs.

99.95 is just a spray over

i'm sure they'll even have a 1000+ option.

painting is a bit more difficult than just spraying coats of paint. baking, dust,

if you want a good job and to save yourself some $ strip most of the car yourself before you have someone paint it.

Not too many know this, but one of the cars in the fast and the furious was painted by maaco. It is only shown briefly in the shop up on jackstands. It is the baby blue eclipse with bubble vinal graphics, its shown and then vin and his girlfriend are shown making out beside it.

Despite this, I still wouldn't go to maaco......

well i had a friend get his car painted there and it didnt look so bad. i think it was the 199 deal and overall the only thing wrong was when u got up real close and you could see spots that werent painted. i mean little spots but from a normal glance you couldnt see anything wrong with it. and if something was wrong, you always got the LIFETIME WARRANTY!

MACCO....be very careful!

I had a friend take his car there, and they didn't even mask off 75% of his ride.
When it was done, his radiator was yellow, along with overspray all over his engine compartment.

I actually was driving a 1967 Mustang before I bought my G20. I bought it from the original owner, and they had the paint done in a metallic green in November of 1997 through Maaco. I believe the receipt says it was a $900 paint job. They didn't get the top of the line job, but more like one of the middle ones. It actually came out very nice, and many people would roll down their windows at stop lights and ask me where I got the paint done, because it looked beautiful. The paint is only now starting to chip a little, but very little, and this is 4+ years later. Not bad I think. :cool:

But. . . this wasn't in NY, it was in California. :sun:

To all you other G20 owners out there....do not...I'm serious...DO NOT BRING YOUR CAR TO MAACO!!!!!!

Take it from my personal experience. I took my car to Maaco, (and I never would've thought of taking my car there, but was recommended), paid exactly $2000 dollars for the Ambassador Service, which is supposedly the top of the line job they have.
Well...it turns out that I got my car appraised today. And basically, two appraisers told me that because of the horrible job they did, it just depreciated my car up to $4000 dollars!!!!

Can you frikkin believe that crap??????

...uh....still thinking of taking your car to Maaco??

some people have different opinions about paint jobs.

beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

infiniti factory paint jobs are nice. they're ultra thick and durable, so unless you were in an accident or want some wild custom job, stick with the factory job.

if you have a pre 99 g with dulled paint maybe you should look into getting a buff job.

You're right. Everyone is definitely entitled to their own opinions.

However, let me just be a little bit more specific on the crap job done.
First off, I purchased my 99 G20 brand new. Because of envious people, it was vandalized. I had no other choice but to get a paint job. It was my poor judgement to bring it to Maaco, who not only painted over dust and dirt particles which leaves the car with "bumps", but they also did a horrible job with the edges as it's chipping off already!

..but...once again...everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

Ive never had any personal experienc with macco, but your best bet is to find a small body shop that has a full size paint booth. They will be able to give you more attention to detail and ask for customer references, if they will give them to you, and check out the work they have done....just my two cents anyway.

Please don't get me wrong but macco is only low budget solution to a paint job. If I had to spend anything over $600 I would have looked for a small shop.

I recently painted by 1991 G20 from pearl white to Black only paided $650. (only paid for materials)

I got the paint job at a huge discount becuase by buddies brother did it. So far, Everyone who has seen it likes it.

It's too bad you spend $2000 and still get a sucky paint job. If the insurance company is going to pay for it ALWAYS take it to a Dealer. You are only required to give only ONE estimate in CA for any repairs.


Late.

:bandit:

Originally posted by p_r_i_m_e_r_a
MACCO....be very careful!

I had a friend take his car there, and they didn't even mask off 75% of his ride.
When it was done, his radiator was yellow, along with overspray all over his engine compartment.

This subject was discussed on the Rennlist (Porsche) Forum a while back.

Maaco has good equipment in general. You take your chances on the person doing the spraying though. Even if they lay down nice paint, as someone else said, prep is half the job. Laying down the paint is a quarter. As said above, masking is where Maaco usually sucks despite good prep and paint laying.

You can do your own prep, removing components and such and trailering to the shop, they have to do the final mask. Expect overspray everwhere.

g20qt

don't take what i said the wrong way. i personally wouldn't take my car to maaco. i'm just saying some people are fine with it while others are not. people have different standards. if i'm going to get another paint job, i want it to be PERFECT. so i'm sorry to hear about your paint fiasco.

the prevailing opinion out there.

maaco-hit or miss at best
small independent shops-better

always ask to see the customers's work.

another way to find a good paint shop is find out where dealers like lexus, infiniti, bmw, mercedes, porsche, etc send their customers who have been involved in accidents. but you're going to end up spending a bit more that way

Thanx to all who replied. I will not go to maaco and just go to a local top quality shop, and just make a bargain with the guys. When I get my paint job and rims, etc. I will post a few pics, so lookout this spring!





:monkeypis :badass:

I just had my trooper painted at Maaco here in Hawaii. They did a real bad job. I'm not too sure how others Maaco Companies in other states are, but the one in Hawaii rates a 0 on a scale of 0-10. Here is what happened to me.

1. Wrong color. I requested a blue color and got red.
2. When I complained the owers son got real rude and nasty.
3. There were actual small rocks under the coat of paint. Big enough to see and with in a short time will peal off leaving a big chip.
4. They didn't tape all of my window and the drivers side rubber was painted red.
5. There were serveral drip marks on the hood of my car.
6. They removed the caps to the windsheild wipers and didn't replace them.
7. Some of the tape was still on the car and when I removed yhe tape it pealed the the paint off.
8. I didn't have the inside of the doors painted, they claimed I didn't need to paint it since the orginal color was black, but now I have red all on the inside of the doors.
9. Several deep scratches on the lower part of the car. If I wasn't looking for it I would have missed it.
10. There are red paint over moldings and bumpers. Along the cracks of the tire fenders (plastic) there are collection of red paint, just waiting to be hit and cracked.


I could keep going on but I'm getting angrier the more I type. They said bring the car back in 30 days and they'll repaint it, but after what I saw I don't know if I want them to touch my car. So I cancelled my check. Its not like I'm trying to get oout of paying them, Im just afraid if I don't I'll have no leverage. When I called to let them know not to try and cash the check, the owners son got on the phone and before I could say a word he bagan yelling at me, and threatening to take me to court, then started swearing at me. Then the owner wonders why I'm frightened to take my car back to them. I would have rather paid hundreds of dollars more to have gotten a good paint job. BY THE WAY I PAID $1139.43 . dO YOU THINK I GOT RIPPED OFF???? I HAVE A BIG SUCKER WRITTEN ON MY FOREHEAD.

ALOHA and buyers beware,

Melinda

actually "MONEY" isn't the 'root of all evil'.... it's the "LOVE" of money that is the root of all evil. just wanted to clear that one up for ya.

well if maaco seems to suck so bad then what is a good place to take a car to be painted?

www.certifiedfirst.com is a network of independent bodyshops that maintain extremely high standards. Find one near you.

i wouldnt go to to macco before they paint the cars the barely tape it up and just tape it up enough to cover some spots that the over spray could get on. the quality of the paint is low grade they buy the cheapist paint there is.so a macco paint job is not wroth the money u want to spend spend extra money and get it done right the 1st time the having to fix the problem later.

I have an '81 K10 Chev 4x4 with that wonderful primer peeling paint GM produced in the 80's. I am hoping there is a product that can be sprayed onto it to seal it. I do not want to have to strip the vehicle as it is not worth it. I do not mind doing the prep but I just want a paint job that will last 3-4 years untill I sell this one and buy a newer model. I am hoping the local Maaco dealership can do the job. I have seen a few of thier products and they look pretty good.

I was reading the reviews on maaco paintjobs and think people seem very one sided on their opinions. Chances are if the car has paint that is dulling, some minor blemishes here and there and a little rust starting but the person is wanting to make the car less of an eye sore, maaco is a decent value, no it is not show quality and yes you do get what you pay for, but its stupid to spend 6k on a paint job on a car you couldnt sell for 6k once it is done, i have trusted them painting a 1996 mustang cobra i rebuilt that was wrecked when i bought it and made $2000 profit doing nothing myself, so it must not have looked that bad to the buyer, i have did an 88 iroc and i am about ready to send a 1979 porsche 928 to them, if the car is going to be driven daily and the value of the car is under $7000 it is worth considering a maaco paint job especially if you are not planning on keeping the car for over 3 or 4 years, no they do not do the same as a 6k paint job, but they can make an eye sore look average or better on 10 year old cars, the only real major problem i have had with them is flaking of the paint, they will swear that you need not prep the car yourself and if you do they will void the warranty, personally on a car for myself such as the porsche i will take my chances and prep the car myself, including the body work, their body work is not bad if they have a decent body man which where i live they do, but they do not sand off the shine on the paint, this can be easily done over a weekend using 400 grit sandpaper wetsanding the car, it is messy but will help prevent flaking of paint, every car i had sent to maaco without doing this flaked within a year or two, they say they cover that under their warrenty but the reality is they offer to paint only the panel that is flaking with no guarentees as to the color match, which is a big issue, in short if you know anyone who knows anything about body prep at all you can wetsand a car in one weekend usually and it will tremendously reduce the likelyhood of flaking paint, dont be fooled by them talking about their miracle chemical bonding product they use because it dont work 100% it helps but isnt perfect, i also has a s10 that i had them paint, the first person that looked at it bought it from me and i lost no money on it either, it all depends on what you want, if you want a show quality paint job maaco is not the thing for you, if you want a car that you will get compliments on provided the body has been prepped right etc, you can obtain that through a maaco paint job, no i would not have them paint on a 2005 benz but i would on a 1990 benz. one other thing i would like to mention is dont go with the cheapest paint special they have, that paint will oxidize and dull out way quicker then the super pack, the flaking i was refering to is a couple small spots, not like tons and maybe a few spots about the size of a quarter or dime, not a big issue on an old car but if you are changing colors it will stick out real bad, hopefully this information is of some help to you, as for everyone with their own opinions they are exactly that, so go spend 6000 on a show quality paint job and end up with a car with nice paint that the dealer wont give you a trade in allowance of 3k great investment, if you have a special interest car or show car, then great and the 6k paint job is money well spent, but if you have a 10 year old driver with over 100k unless its a rolls or a testarossa then its probably a bad investment unless thats what you want to do and keep the car for a very long time

I have to tell mimi3737 that I know exactly what she is talking about regarding her MAACO experience in Hawaii. I would not recommend a MAACO paint job to anyone. My kid painted his little red wagon with a can of spray paint and it is a more professional job than MAACO did on my car. When I took the car back to them to complain about it the owner's son immediately became beligerent and told me he didn't owe me anything! My next step is to find the contact information to MAACO corporate headquarters and let them know how one of their franchises is conducting business. They have a lot of nerve calling themselves a body and paint shop!

I'm surprised by your comments. I checked various Ohau body shops for an estimate on my 68 Camaro and here is my initial assessment about MAACO in Aiea.

- They were the only ones willing to take the time to show me some of their completed work from low to high end paint jobs. I was also allowed to check a Ford SUV that just rolled out of the paint booth. My opinion: Excellent/very fine work.

- The owner's son, Colin, completely assessed my body work/paint and gave me an excellent appriasal. He also stated I was welcome to visit the shop while they worked on my car--I found this unusual, but I was very pleased...credibility and confidence in their work. That's what it's all about!

- My Camaro is in their body shop and I dropped by unannounced today...Colin came out, greeted me, and walked me to the body shop. He explained every detail and provided me an updated completion date.

- My opinion is this is an outstanding operation with great customer support.

- You'll see my car on the road soon...it'll be the only Sun Bright Yellow 68 Camaro on Oahu...Body & Paint by MAACO of Hawaii!

Don

I have heard if you do all the prep and body work yourself and supply the paint, Maaco is a good deal, since you are pretty much just employing their spray booth. Has anyone done this?

i have a 2001 buick century custom, and i am thinking of having maaco of st albans wv do the work, i am getting the 300.00 deal, i have taken real good care of the car, keeping it waxed 4 or 5 times a year, and it don"t look that bad, just some swerl marks, i am getting the300.00 deal, doe"s anyone know if they do good work in st albans wv, thanks ray.

i was wondering what the 249.00 paint job includes, sanding,primer and so forth, thanks ray

I just spoke with a local MAACO in the Atlanta, GA area. The $249 deal is half of the Presidential package. It is a single stage paint which means the base coat, paint, and clear coat are all mixed. It isn't the best option but if you want a new and better look its fine. The guy also told me they have started adding an additional spray of the clear coat to the end product which gives it that extra shine. I plan on taking my 1991 Mustang up there this weekend and getting it painted.
Also, the idea to prep before you take it up there is a great idea. A friend of mine is a custom painter and he is doing ALL the prep before we trailer the car up there. I will let you know how it turns out!

Aloha, I just had my 1988 Firebird painted at Maaco and it was the worst paint job that I have ever seen. It has drips, cracks and scratches all over the car. There is also paint on the steering wheel, on the inside drivers door, on the tires, on the windows, on the bumpers and inside the wheel wells. The gentlemen that I spoke with was very nice until I complained about the inferior work that was done on my car. Then they became very rude. When I asked to speak with the owners son Colin Reilly, he has always been to busy to speak with me and never returns my calls.
I wanted to have this car done as a surprise for my husband but I am now to embarrassed to give it to him. I am presently looking for another place to paint the car!!! The paint job cost me $1500.00. I was told by Sean at Maaco that I got what I paid for!!! There is one spot that is lifting up and he told me that if I don't pick at it, it should be alright!!!! What a joke!!!
Don't go to MAACO!!!!! They are rude and a rip off!! Now it is going to cost me over $3000.00 to fix the car. Boy have I learned a lesson!

is maaco in torrance ca any good? Considering painting my black 2005 f150 the same color just has a few chips and scratches here and there. thnx

Yes. Maaco Paint Jobs are killer. They did my body work and painted my FJ Cruiser red. They did a phenomenal job! I highly recommend the Pearl City shop. No Ka Oi!!!:grinyes:

I'm surprised by your comments. I checked various Ohau body shops for an estimate on my 68 Camaro and here is my initial assessment about MAACO in Aiea.

- They were the only ones willing to take the time to show me some of their completed work from low to high end paint jobs. I was also allowed to check a Ford SUV that just rolled out of the paint booth. My opinion: Excellent/very fine work.

- The owner's son, Colin, completely assessed my body work/paint and gave me an excellent appriasal. He also stated I was welcome to visit the shop while they worked on my car--I found this unusual, but I was very pleased...credibility and confidence in their work. That's what it's all about!

- My Camaro is in their body shop and I dropped by unannounced today...Colin came out, greeted me, and walked me to the body shop. He explained every detail and provided me an updated completion date.

- My opinion is this is an outstanding operation with great customer support.

- You'll see my car on the road soon...it'll be the only Sun Bright Yellow 68 Camaro on Oahu...Body & Paint by MAACO of Hawaii!

Don
I totally agree. Maaco Hawaii in Pearl City rocks! They showed me everything from how they do the body work to the paint job. They do outstanding work!!!

I have heard if you do all the prep and body work yourself and supply the paint, Maaco is a good deal, since you are pretty much just employing their spray booth. Has anyone done this?
They did everything for me and in return my red FJ Cruiser looks better than when I first bought it in 2007. Mahalo Pearl City Maaco.

I had a car painted at Maaco. The paint job was great. But they paint EVERYTHING!!!! You are better off taping the car yourself, or your chrome will be painted along with the rest of the car. And if you can do body work, do that yourself. The more prep you do yourself, the better it will be.

I had a 1986 Ford T-Bird painted at Maaco. Up close you could see drips in the paint but, over all it looked good. I have an old Pathfinder I plan to get painted there, not because I expect it to be a show stopper, but because I just need a decent paintjob to get me by until I can afford to get another truck. Maaco should only be used as a cheap fix until you can get something better!

I said I have an Infinity G20 1992, not a Cobra!!!!!!http://uthwic.zuiwomen.com/17.jpghttp://uthwic.zuiwomen.com/18.jpghttp://uthwic.zuiwomen.com/19.jpghttp://uthwic.zuiwomen.com/20.jpg