My Shine Auto Project Build Thread
I stopped by the shop to check up on my baby girl and for a friendly chat and here are some pictures.
Yikes, good bye clear coat
So many dings to be filled in
No more emblem holes!
No more antenna hole!
I think the most troublesome part is the hood. So many deep rock chips to be filled in.
Everything is on schedule so stay tuned.
Yea I do, PM me
Yikes, good bye clear coat
So many dings to be filled in
No more emblem holes!
No more antenna hole!
I think the most troublesome part is the hood. So many deep rock chips to be filled in.
Everything is on schedule so stay tuned.
Yea I do, PM me
Before I dropped off my car at the shop and right after Shine test fitted Rvaquino's car, I drove all the way back to Shine to consult about the kit's fitment and about my rolled fenders and wheel fitment. Ken and the in-house body guy Makito said that everything fitted fine on Rvaquino's car after some sanding here and there. The only issue are the pointy tips on above the headlights and they have corrected it in the later front bumpers.
Are the rear bumper support not going to fit? I thought only the front foam absorber needed to be trimmed.
Personally, I don't want to throw out a number since all cars are different and even different colors affect the price. There are many variables such as color, amount of dings and/or damage, and if you are install a kit or not. If its an aftermarket kit, its a little more due to the extra prep-work/fitment issues .
But I can tell you that the prices are very reasonable since I did shop around for a shop for almost a year and I settled with this one. Most importantly, the work has been verified by another member to be good.
Sure, I can probably find someone to paint the car for $1500 but 99% its going to look like ***. Its funny since I there were couple guys who spotted my damage in shopping mall parking lots and streets and solicited me. Some offers twere as as low as $1000 for repaint and quarter panel repair at their shop somewhere
Another even offered to fix the dent pdr style and "re-clearcoat" the car over its original paint
Here is the shop's address
Utu Autobody Repair
3500 Westminster Ave Ste F
Santa Ana, CA 92703
If you plan to stop by, tell him that Jerry from the Clublexus forum with a red SC inside his shop referred you. The owner is a middle aged Vietnamese man so if his son isn't there, bring along a Vietnamese friend. It helps if you can speak fluent Viet
But I can tell you that the prices are very reasonable since I did shop around for a shop for almost a year and I settled with this one. Most importantly, the work has been verified by another member to be good.
Sure, I can probably find someone to paint the car for $1500 but 99% its going to look like ***. Its funny since I there were couple guys who spotted my damage in shopping mall parking lots and streets and solicited me. Some offers twere as as low as $1000 for repaint and quarter panel repair at their shop somewhere
Another even offered to fix the dent pdr style and "re-clearcoat" the car over its original paint
Here is the shop's address
Utu Autobody Repair
3500 Westminster Ave Ste F
Santa Ana, CA 92703
If you plan to stop by, tell him that Jerry from the Clublexus forum with a red SC inside his shop referred you. The owner is a middle aged Vietnamese man so if his son isn't there, bring along a Vietnamese friend. It helps if you can speak fluent Viet
And about re-clearcoat, that's possible to turn the car back to like new. The thing is only the clear coat is damaged and the base coat must be undamaged. Basically, the clear coat will be sanded smooth and the sanding must not touch the base coat underneath. If it is, then a touch-up is needed, then the clear coat is sprayed on with several coats. 3 coats are the minumum. Then sanding with 1500 grit sand paper and finer grit as you go, and buffing/polishing will bring back the shining of the paint. The base coat is actually very dull. Only the clear coat shines. Many shops actually do this and they tell you that they repaint the whole car. I got so p**sed off at my paint, so I went ahead and learned about car painting.
I can't wait to see your car in person at the next meet. Nice red hot!
I paid $1900 for a shop in El Monte and the quality is so bad, the paint got cracked and there're some missing spots as well. My friend just recently paid $1700 to paint his SC and from what he said, it looks really good. From what I know, the high quality materials that are used to paint a whole car would cost a total of about $300. The rest of cost is just labor because a lot of sanding and preparation are required. And about 80% of the work is just surface preparation.
And about re-clearcoat, that's possible to turn the car back to like new. The thing is only the clear coat is damaged and the base coat must be undamaged. Basically, the clear coat will be sanded smooth and the sanding must not touch the base coat underneath. If it is, then a touch-up is needed, then the clear coat is sprayed on with several coats. 3 coats are the minumum. Then sanding with 1500 grit sand paper and finer grit as you go, and buffing/polishing will bring back the shining of the paint. The base coat is actually very dull. Only the clear coat shines. Many shops actually do this and they tell you that they repaint the whole car. I got so p**sed off at my paint, so I went ahead and learned about car painting.
I can't wait to see your car in person at the next meet. Nice red hot!
And about re-clearcoat, that's possible to turn the car back to like new. The thing is only the clear coat is damaged and the base coat must be undamaged. Basically, the clear coat will be sanded smooth and the sanding must not touch the base coat underneath. If it is, then a touch-up is needed, then the clear coat is sprayed on with several coats. 3 coats are the minumum. Then sanding with 1500 grit sand paper and finer grit as you go, and buffing/polishing will bring back the shining of the paint. The base coat is actually very dull. Only the clear coat shines. Many shops actually do this and they tell you that they repaint the whole car. I got so p**sed off at my paint, so I went ahead and learned about car painting.
I can't wait to see your car in person at the next meet. Nice red hot!
Thanks for chiming in on my thread.
I did some research on body work and learned quite a bit.
- Prepping a car for a paint job makes up a huge majority of the cost and hugely determines how the car will turn out. You can go to extreme lengths like how some of the muscle car guys or some of the guys on the Supraforums and completely strip/disasssemble the car down to its bare shell but thats not the financially sensible or even necessary for most of us.
- Same goes for material. Obviously, you don't want junk materials but you have to be reasonable as well. This isn't a Maybach or a rolling canvas like some lowriders or hot-rods.
Also, Steve, I might be in need of your services once the car is done
Besides, I have months of unwashed brake-dust, dirt, and grime on there so I doubt any over-spray will stick to it LOL