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So I know the prices can very and some time this week I will be looking into more detail on the price and work needed to be done. Since I got a lot of help here on the forums I figured I may ask how much a body shop will be just so I get a general idea. I don't need my whole car done just two of the doors. One has a scrape on it with some dents and has been like that since I owned the car. The other side has some new scrapes near the bottom of the door and they are just visible enough for my OCD to kick in lol.
Personally it would not be a smart move. I would first try a top end detail shop most all those imperfections are not needing painting. Any bodyshop will be painting way more than just a door to blend, and blending pearl white is not easy. And lastly depending on the paint used and application process in some time down the road you would not be happy with it. The best shops to paint would be very high end restoration shops, like that Wane Carini on the tv show chasing classic cars, not many average shops are very good. If its an I don't really care thing, then just rub out the bad areas and ones that need paint just use touch up paint your self, or have a good detail shop do all that if you do care.
Which doors do you have the damage on? There is a guy selling two passenger side Diamond White Pearl doors on OfferUp in Phoenix from a UCF020 LS for 150 a piece complete with window glass and door handles, window motors, etc. They look to have zero damage or scratches from the photos.
This way, you'll still have factory paint that'll more closely match your current paint due to the special 3 stage paint they used for this color car.
See about having the door panel rubbed out a bit. That may come out if it is clear coat damage only. The clear is pretty thick unless the car has been rubbed on regularly to make it thinner. When the local Lexus service dept gouged the panel removing the key cylinder their PDR guy took it out. Yeah the clear is pretty thin there now but the gouge is gone. The lower cladding I'd leave. Ours has a few similar spots and getting it matched is not going to happen unless this is the elite of quality body shops. I've had one body-paint guy get a match but he's since retired so subsequent paint has not matched at all. He was really good having been in the business 30 years.
I have been trying to find touch up paint but only have found it for the white pearl. The door is the one that seems tricky. I am more concerned about it not matching with the rest of the car if I do get it worked on. The skid on the side is new and has been bugging me. I have looked around online and heard the dealer can fix up small scratches. Do you think they will be able to fix up that one? I also have another one near the rear tire. I did try looking online for touch up paint for the skid but was not that successful in finding it. I don't also feel that conformable painting it myself because if I mess up then it is a bigger pain to get it fixed. I do take good care of my car and the body. I wax the car about every 2-3 months and I always wash it about every two weeks.
So I guess what I will be asking now is what would be the best way for me to fix the skid on the second image?
The skid on the second image will I think need to be repainted since it is through the clear coat.
Originally Posted by dicer
Personally it would not be a smart move. I would first try a top end detail shop most all those imperfections are not needing painting. Any bodyshop will be painting way more than just a door to blend, and blending pearl white is not easy. And lastly depending on the paint used and application process in some time down the road you would not be happy with it. The best shops to paint would be very high end restoration shops, like that Wane Carini on the tv show chasing classic cars, not many average shops are very good. If its an I don't really care thing, then just rub out the bad areas and ones that need paint just use touch up paint your self, or have a good detail shop do all that if you do care.
The Lexus Dealer near me does detail work I have contacted them into seeing if they can maybe fix it. A few months ago I showed my nebors the big scratch on the door since they did detail work and they said it can probably be buffed out a bit but it looks like it will need to be repainted. Sadly they don't live near me anymore.
What about the skid in the second image do you think a detail place can repair that? I did try to clean that skid off but the skid mark seems to have taken the paint with it :'(.
Originally Posted by Losiracer2
Which doors do you have the damage on? There is a guy selling two passenger side Diamond White Pearl doors on OfferUp in Phoenix from a UCF020 LS for 150 a piece complete with window glass and door handles, window motors, etc. They look to have zero damage or scratches from the photos.
This way, you'll still have factory paint that'll more closely match your current paint due to the special 3 stage paint they used for this color car.
The first image is the passenger door. The second one is the rear door on the drivers side.
Originally Posted by RA40
See about having the door panel rubbed out a bit. That may come out if it is clear coat damage only. The clear is pretty thick unless the car has been rubbed on regularly to make it thinner. When the local Lexus service dept gouged the panel removing the key cylinder their PDR guy took it out. Yeah the clear is pretty thin there now but the gouge is gone. The lower cladding I'd leave. Ours has a few similar spots and getting it matched is not going to happen unless this is the elite of quality body shops. I've had one body-paint guy get a match but he's since retired so subsequent paint has not matched at all. He was really good having been in the business 30 years.
Yea one of the reasons I have not taken the car down there yet is due to me being concerned it may not match with the rest of the car. However what do you think could be done with the skid on the second image?
You can get an idea of the metal damage by using a mild wax that has cleaning properties. Most cleaner waxes like the ones at Walmart-Target contain mild abrasives. Lightly rubbing over this area will give you an idea of whether it will clean up easily. If it comes off great, you saved yourself $$. The lower portion is definitely worn through and my suggestion is to leave it.
Our Corolla is the "parking lot car" I still find end spaces for it but some inconsiderate driver invariably parks really close and dings it. It's a "Corolla" so few care on these commuter level cars. Over the years it has had a share of impacts and pretty much all these unintended body works have rubbed out save the dents. Even the tire casing that was kicked up by a 4x4 onto the hood.
In order of abrasive cleaning the green is quite aggressive and the blue can has no abrasives. The Wax Polish Soft has a very fine abrasive and falls between the Metallic Polish Wax and the blue can. The dealership bottle is the generic with a medium level abrasive. I use this one first to test whether a more aggressive cleaner or finer is necessary. If it takes a polishing compound level remover I'll let the body guy do that, he handles the buffer with better skill than I would.
You can get an idea of the metal damage by using a mild wax that has cleaning properties. Most cleaner waxes like the ones at Walmart-Target contain mild abrasives. Lightly rubbing over this area will give you an idea of whether it will clean up easily. If it comes off great, you saved yourself $$. The lower portion is definitely worn through and my suggestion is to leave it.
Our Corolla is the "parking lot car" I still find end spaces for it but some inconsiderate driver invariably parks really close and dings it. It's a "Corolla" so few care on these commuter level cars. Over the years it has had a share of impacts and pretty much all these unintended body works have rubbed out save the dents. Even the tire casing that was kicked up by a 4x4 onto the hood.
In order of abrasive cleaning the green is quite aggressive and the blue can has no abrasives. The Wax Polish Soft has a very fine abrasive and falls between the Metallic Polish Wax and the blue can. The dealership bottle is the generic with a medium level abrasive. I use this one first to test whether a more aggressive cleaner or finer is necessary. If it takes a polishing compound level remover I'll let the body guy do that, he handles the buffer with better skill than I would.
Do you think some touch up paint can fix the lower portion or is will there have to be some serious work done? (The Silver area)
Do you think some touch up paint can fix the lower portion or is will there have to be some serious work done? (The Silver area)
I may be wrong, but that looks like primer to me. If it is, no amount of rubbing compound is going to bring it out. But touch up paint will at least take out the stark black color. You just can't be too picky with touch up because the color on the car will be faded and won't exactly match.
Touch-up paint will cover the worn area on the lower cladding. It won't match so visually is up to you if it is better, same or worse. Touch-up paint is usually thick so it goes on in lumpy fashion which IMO is worse. One of my buddy's thins it and sprays it through a larger nozzle air brush. It applies much nicer but depends on how close the color match is. And again, it still is visible in most instances.
If you don't know how to or don't want to do it because of fear of messing it up. Find a good shop that can just do small touch up. Lexus should be able to give you the paint code for that lower plastic panel, or a nice body / detail shop could match it. All that needs paint is the little scratch not the whole side of the car. People that are good at that stuff can do a super job, you just need the right person.
If you don't know how to or don't want to do it because of fear of messing it up. Find a good shop that can just do small touch up. Lexus should be able to give you the paint code for that lower plastic panel, or a nice body / detail shop could match it. All that needs paint is the little scratch not the whole side of the car. People that are good at that stuff can do a super job, you just need the right person.
Well I found a place that has great reviews and even has images of a LS400 being worked on. They quoted me $300 for the job. Also offer a life time warranty on the work they do. Ill still look around but I guess worst comes to worst ill just buff her out as much as I can.
Well I found a place that has great reviews and even has images of a LS400 being worked on. They quoted me $300 for the job. Also offer a life time warranty on the work they do. Ill still look around but I guess worst comes to worst ill just buff her out as much as I can.
I'd tale that offer. I know when I've bought rattle can matched paint, it is around $50/$60 for two cans of matched paint and a can of clear. For the lower clad, you could go with the rattle can, but you'd have to mask it off(but still won't exactly match).
Well I found a place that has great reviews and even has images of a LS400 being worked on. They quoted me $300 for the job. Also offer a life time warranty on the work they do. Ill still look around but I guess worst comes to worst ill just buff her out as much as I can.
So whats wrong with that deal? As long as they are not painting the whole door and just spotting and detailing it that's a good deal.
10-29-16, 11:21 PM
How much would a body shop be?
