hansjl

Here’s my sad story. My SAC got a deep gouge/key scrap in the passenger rear quarter panel, and a deep stone chip in the hood from a passing dump truck. I'd like to chop off the hand of the person that left thedeep gouge/key scrap. I filed a claim with my insurance company and it’s covered (including the new front windshield from the rock). The body shop owned by a person I’ve done business with for a long time had PPG come in for the paint match. Evidently PPG has a $16,000 camera that analyses the paint for depth and color and such. PPG said that the paint was thin and the match would be close at best and definitely not a 100% match. They also said the Renaissance Red was 1 stage paint which has no clear coat. He compounded the hood and quarter panel for red on the rag to confirm this. The damage repaint of the SC would be 2 stage paint (clear coated) on the hood, quarter panel, blends into the roof, doors, and fender. A promise of no tape marks is also there. After I found all this out today, his advise was to put an extra $1,600 into it above what he could get from the insurance company and paint the whole car. I’m sure it all wouldn’t be taken down to bare metal but I think some of it would be. The body is in super shape now except of the paint scratch and hood chips. I had the dent man remove every possible bent he could. There was one place on the door seam he couldn’t get that’s barely noticeable if at all but it too will be done. Bottom line, it's promised to be a "NEW" 95 Renaissance Red SC400, including all badges and stuff". As good looking as a show room car.

Well, here’s my dilemma, it’s a daily driver, 104K miles (20K hwy miles a year), and excellent mechanical condition but may need struts and springs in the future. The drivers seat isn’t the greatest in the world but the front drivers seats could be recovered and then the inside would be cherry. Considering the value and the chances of more rocks from the road, do I reach into my pocket and spend the $1,600 for the entire body repaint? Part of me says yes, the other part says no, so now I need opinions as to do it or not?????
I figure from 10 paces no one would probably even be able to tell the color shade difference except me. Money is money and the first rock chip in the front bumper or hood would drive me nuts!!!!!!

Here’s a picture of my SC from a previous thread post

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...&threadid=89540

Thanks in advance for your $.02…….

mikeloc24

Hans, as a friend (and I hope at this point we're friends) I would say to save your money. To me it's not worth it for the simple fact that another ding or chip is almost inevitable. A lot of people will say it depends on if you can bear to part with the $1,600, to me it's not a matter of affordability but rather how beneficial will this investment be? Will you be $1,600 happier if you get the entire car repainted? How disappointed would you be with having the blended paint job? The hard part is the color of your car, but what I don't understand is why "match" the paint when they could go and just get the authentic renaissance red from Lexus? I dunno, sounds kinda weird but if it were me I'd just have them blend it best they could. As long as it's a reputable shop and the work has a warranty you should be fine. I'm an auto enthusiast and I can tell you honestly I most times can't spot a blended paint job unless I'm looking for it. Will they be clear-coating the entire car of just the hood and other newly repainted surfaces?

My advice, think worst case scenerio...you drive the car everyday...everyday Hans...that right there puts the car in immediate jeopardy to get klunked again. And btw, we prefer you sane....

Hope this helps. pm me if you want to vent.

jeremyp111

hansjl,

It's a tough decision to make, no doubt. I've had my car repainted when faced with the same decision in the past and now I'm faced with the same decision again. This time I opted to have the paint matched and blended. I'm not so sure that was a good idea. My SC is Silver Spruce Metallic and there are 6, count 'em, 6 variances for this paint code. The body shop used the same computer and it is close, but not nearly exact. The blend is not noticable, but when you stand back and look at the rear vs the front, you can tell that one end is darker/greener than the other. I'll take a pic and post it in the morning for you. This work was done by a very very good body shop. The guy has an unbelievable reputation so that part isn't in question. You have to decide for yourself if it's worth it. $1600 may or may not be a lot of money to you, but that has to factor into your thinking. If you truly love the car and want it perfect then I say go for it. HOWEVER, I HIGHLY recommend getting the front end protected by one of those clear plastic protective coatings, like Expel. There are a few different makers of this stuff and it works. Ask your body shop guy. That way it'll protect your car from stone chips and such. This might keep your sanity in check.

Good luck,

J

carnal_c30

How long do you plan on keeping the car? Thats a big consideration, if you dont plan on keeping it that long then I wouldnt worry about it, sure you might take a hit for the paint tehn but not a 1600 hit

my brother dented my fender and I ended up repainting the entire car (Renaissance Red) and I love it.... the car just looks fresh and beautiful... it cost me about 1700 extra too

I mean my car is a 95 with 130k miles but it looks like a 99 or 2000, the parking ticket lady things my car is a 2002 she wrote me a ticket with MY 2002 Make: Lexus Model: SC400 made me feel pretty good

if you plan on keeping the car for awhile, 1600 to look good is worth it from there on you can maintain it, use expel or 3m protection for the paint, and baby the car

infiniti24

iTrader: (10)

Personally I'd pay the extra money. My car had the front and rear bumpers re-painted and it was done by a quality shop as well. Yet, the pearl white turns yellow over time and now you can tell there is a difference in the color. Very slight but never the less its not the same. So save yourself the agony of looking at a 3 tone car like me.

SClean4

I wouldn't paint the whole car over now, since you said the rest is in great shape, I'd just just the bad spots if insurance is going to pay for it and then put a clear bra/protection on the front. Wait to paint the whole car when it gets really bad because little things will happen from time-to-time on a daily-driven car, unfortunately. I can't even imagine how **** I'd be about a new paint job. I'm very protective of my car even now, although it already has too many dings and small dents and a lot of paint imperfections and scratches. I think I would be so **** with a new paint job...only until I got the first few chips or dings/dents and then I'd probably just say F it and not worry about it so much anymore.

818sc400

umm this thread is from 04. let it die

SClean4

WHAT! LOL, had no idea...