maco?
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 192
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From: Grants Pass, Or.
Depends on what you want. If you want a quickie job that will look decent for a couple years, Maco's your way to go. If you want something that will look good for the next five years, not chip around all of the edges, not have overspray where you don't want it, and the products you want used, you should have it done somewhere else. What I would do is take it around to some of the smaller body shops in your area. Try to find a shop that isn't mainstream, something with a smaller yellow page add, but something that's not so small they aren't even in the phone book. Usually those shops are the one's that do a decent job, don't cost a lot, and need to be worried about their reputation. Maco is capable of doing a nice job, but if its a day they've got 7 cars to paint, chances are they're going to spend the least time prepping them as possible. If you must go Maco, prep the car yourself. Maco actually puts out a nice looking finish if you go with their higher quality package, but they don't always do the best job on prepping their cars before painting. In their defense, if you were doing that many cars a day it would be impossible to spend enough time to be thorough.
Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 2,148
Likes: 0
From: Seneca, SC
I got my beater car painted at maco. I'm guessing that they're running the same sale that they ran for me this time of year. The paint wat applied about 2 1/2 years ago, and it looked pretty good. Like gt350h said there was some overspray, a good bit of orange peel on the roof, but overall a pretty good looking car. Then about a year later I noticed some cracks, which formed into flaking paint, and then eventually no paint on the roof of my car. It looks worse now than when I took it to them, and has started to peel off the trunk.
Their warranty is pro-rated like tires. If they mess you over like they did me the most they'll do for you is paint the car for a reduced price, and give you no extension on the warranty.
I would not go to a place like this. There is a reason that they are so cheap, and it is because they give out inadequate paint jobs.
Their warranty is pro-rated like tires. If they mess you over like they did me the most they'll do for you is paint the car for a reduced price, and give you no extension on the warranty.
I would not go to a place like this. There is a reason that they are so cheap, and it is because they give out inadequate paint jobs.
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 270
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From: N Richland Hills, TX
I would not go to a place like this. There is a reason that they are so cheap, and it is because they give out inadequate paint jobs. [/QUOTE]
This is an assumption that is not always true. It depends on the INDEPENDANT franchisee. I had a truck painted at MAACO in Irving, TX. I pulled all the chrome, took out all the glass, and removed everything I could.
The paint job was only $1800.00, the next cheapest estimate was over $5000.00.
My truck looks great, and I get tons of compliments on it. I tell people that I paid 5 grand for the paint and they tell me I got a deal!
[/QUOTE]This is an assumption that is not always true. It depends on the INDEPENDANT franchisee. I had a truck painted at MAACO in Irving, TX. I pulled all the chrome, took out all the glass, and removed everything I could.
The paint job was only $1800.00, the next cheapest estimate was over $5000.00.
My truck looks great, and I get tons of compliments on it. I tell people that I paid 5 grand for the paint and they tell me I got a deal!
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 192
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From: Grants Pass, Or.
I think he's meaning the majority of the time the paint jobs they produce are not so great. Our local one went out of business from too many comebacks. You may have gotten a good job out of them, but it sounds like you payed more than their average cost, so I'm sure that helped. But not everyone has your luck. My mother-in-law has a Hyundai that has 249,000 miles on it. That doesn't mean Hyundai makes a great car, it means she got lucky. Especially since the oil's been changed about 5 times.
Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 2,148
Likes: 0
From: Seneca, SC
yeah you paid a lot more than I was quoted. Five hundred was the most that they went for me. Didn't even offer a clearcoat over color paint job, just what they called "integrated clearcoat" whatever the heck that is. It seems to me that you did a little prep for them, and that is my only concession, I think that if you did all the correct prep work before hand, all the sanding, removal of trim, and whatnot, then handed them quality paint, including a primer, base, and clearcoat, that they might not give you a crap job.
The only thing that probably saved you was that you did some pre, which tells them that you don't want a crap job and are willing to pay for the good stuff. They probably actually took their time and did a good job on yours.
I handed them a washed car that was pretty old, they more than likely said to themselves "this car won't last three years, so don't worry about the prep, just spray on some sealer, bondo the dents, and spray on some color.
The only thing that probably saved you was that you did some pre, which tells them that you don't want a crap job and are willing to pay for the good stuff. They probably actually took their time and did a good job on yours.
I handed them a washed car that was pretty old, they more than likely said to themselves "this car won't last three years, so don't worry about the prep, just spray on some sealer, bondo the dents, and spray on some color.
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 179
Likes: 0
From: fort dodge iowa
ive heard there paint jobs suck...someone told me they took there car there and in a month he went to wash his car and the paint flaked right off
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Cargo Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 2,148
Likes: 0
From: Seneca, SC
that's been my experience. The only people that I've ever heard getting a good paint job from maco have done the prep b4 the paint was applied. They're ok at spraying a car, but they just plain old don't do the prep to make it a good paint job. It's the prep that costs a lot of hours to get right, so cutting that cuts the price. Unfortunately it also cuts the quality.
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