Most auto body shops do not do full paint jobs. I know a place that stopped doing custom work and just went with collision. The reason is simple:
If someone brings in a 1987 Buick Grand national and wants it completely redone black...he is going to be very picky. So the shop will not make money.

Maaco is in business because the people who send their cars there don't know better and do not ask for much. Or they are getting their company car/truck done.

Have you tried using rubbing compound and a variable speed buffer? Ihave seen white flaky paint jobs completely restored by using that.

 

Not yet, but I do think a buffer would take care of a lot of the scratches. I checked it out again today and as long as it you stand more than 3 feet from the truck it looks great. It's just up close you can see scratches, as well as the hood problem, and the problems with the bed cover paint. Honestly though I think all, but the hood and bed cover might would come out.

 

The crease in the door wont come out with a buffer

 

I got so frustrated with painting costs I just decided to learn how to do it myself...Its a labor intensive thing preping and taping but it was satisfying when I was done....I did my jeep a few years ago (ppg urethane metallic blue and clear) and last week I just bought the color changing chameleon paint to do my vette.... total cost....about $550 including the sand paper,tape and paint gun (chameleon paint is three stage so theirs over 3 gallons of paint that cost me $360 with reducers and activator...
Oh yeah I didnt include the compressor...you need one that makes 6cfm at like 30psi for my gun from lowes. It really is worth it to learn (I watched you tube videos mainly)

 

When I was looking to get my truck painted I found that there are no body shops that will let you do your own prep work. The reason- crappy prep=even crappier paint job. Even if the body shop flawlessly shoots high quaility paint, it will flake off or rust within weeks if the prep work is half a$$ed, and the body shop knows this. They don't want their paint job to look like crap just because a customer wanted to save a few bucks, they don't want to give their shop a bad name.

 

while that may be true in some cases ...Just about any body guy can tell is the body work is satisfactory and if its not well only the customer is to blame...many paint/ collision shops could care less if that customer is unhappy because they themselves did a poor job...
the only thing the boby shop may not be able to tell by looking is if the owner used a silicone and wax removal solution PRIOR to sanding the paint...this will cause fisheyes in the paint if not done...
I know the shop I was going to have my jeep sprayed at was fine with me doing my own prep...its my car and after all they would just be painting it the way I want it. And theres no body shop thats going to be upset you already removed the trim and decals and masked off some things for them...Thats not even considered body work.

 

Thats true. The dent won`t buff out, but it won`t it is also not noticable unless you are looking at it. I got a quote to fix it which wasn`t too much. However it doesn`t bother me too much.

 

then rubbing compound will work. I have a book that I bought in autozone and i will scan the pages and show you what a car transforms into with just some rubbing compoind and Meguiars cleaner wax (red bottle).

It is amazing. I will post the pages tonight for all to see.

 

got my '96 ram painted last fall,cost was about 2000 bux.guy did a decent job,cut out the rust around the fenders a welded in new metal.stoneguard the bottom 6" of truck.but by the end of the winter damn rust apeared where there was previously none. but the majority of the trucks new paint still looks really good.have been afraid to get it scratched up untill last weekend.i said to myself "**** this",then proceeded to run it through the atv trails to my hunt camp.shoulda got that mission out of the way last fall.lol

 

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