I'm all new to the whole car scene since this is my first car (im only 17)

anyway i was wondering how much it would cost to change my car's paint job

i would do the prep work myself (if anyone could find a site for me that shows what you need to do for car paint prep that would be greatly appreicated)

i was thinking of a ruby red base coat with pearl white racing stripes

or if the stripes would cost too much, i could do without them

 

You dont wanna paint yourself, it would most likely turn out horrible. A decent paintjob can go for around a few grand, but if your looking for cheap MAACO can produce about $250 for a paintjob.

 

I think he meant doing the prep work himself which can be done easily depending on the condition of the paint job now. But definately DO NOT try to paint your own car, unless you want it to look like garbage. Depending on what you want, a good paint job can range between 1500-$$$$$; make sure you also go to someone who has been in business a long time and is very reputable.

 

Read any of the popular auto magazines. Most of them regularly run paint and body articles. Back issues can be viewed, and copied, at the public library or on thier websites. Some titles are Hot Rod, Car Craft, Popular Hotrodding, Mopar Muscle, etc. Avoid magazines that are for the wine and cheese crowd (such as Automobile, Car And Driver, Bimmer, Road and Track, etc.). A general rule is, If the car on the cover sold new for as much or more than your parent's house, you're not likely to find many tech articles in it. The best suggestion I can give you is to enroll in a paint and body course at your local Vo-Tech school. Not only will you learn to do the work yourself, you'll have access to experienced teachers and professional equipment to work on your car.