Technical What ABOUT Maaco? Chime in with Pros & Cons...

Earl Scheib @ $19.99? Hell, that was 50 years ago. That's like saying it's too bad gas isn't 20 cents a gallon. I know in the mid 70's it went up to $49.99 and early 80's it was $99.99. Even at those prices, it was a half ass masking job, same color only, no jambs, scuff and shoot. And the paint job didn't last long.

Unless you really know the painter at Maaco and his work, I'd be more inclined to find a painter doing side work at home or has access to a booth who would charge you a straight fee to shoot it with your material.

 

This is FANTASTIC information - Thanks loveoftiki!

~Jason

 

LMAO!

I suppose if he didn't speak English, he could take it as a "do a good job, or this will happen to YOU" warning. Because anybody that will tear up a $100 bill in front of you either doesn't give a fuck, or has got nothin' to lose.

And if he does speak English, he'll totally get the point.

Either way: WIN.

~Jason

 

I think I'd provide the materials, if it was something special I had in mind.

~Jason

 

Sounds like a real testament to the mix they were using that day!

~Jason

 

This is awesome news!

This sort of thing kind of gives me confidence that I can have my Cadillac painted there. I can get the paint on it, do final assembly at my leisure, then when it's together, cut & buff and call it "done" (for now - there's always something that makes it never done).

I saw on the site (I made the logo on the first page of this thread a link to it) that they were indeed having some manner of "Spring sale". I'll have to dig deeper and see what that's about. It doesn't mention much other than to talk to your local Maaco about it. But it might give me an excuse to go check them out. Hell, I just found one in North Kansas City, which is a damn sight closer to me than the one by porknbeaner.

~Jason

 

Bugs?!??

Holy hell...


~Jason

 

I would give the painter and the prepper each $50 , and I would never have the body work done by Maaco.

 

I still think Earl is a hell of a HAMBer, anyway.

~Jason

 

I'm glad somebody answered that. Hell, I don't know what's an insult and what's acceptable anymore.

I'm that ass that can't do math, and has his wife figure the tips. Math is hard, but it's never mattered because I'm pretty, and never have to buy my own drinks.

~Jason

 

Never used Maaco, had a 65 impala done by Earl Scheib in the mid 90's, upgraded paint. All trim and bumpers removed, blocked out etc. Couple of runs, Looked good for 6 months then the paint turned to chalk, it literally soaked up wax, buffed it a few different times until the paint got thin.
Dont think I'll do it again. don't know what kind of paint they used but tractor enamel lasts longer than that crap.

 

Maaco uses a higher quality paint than earl schieb . When I worked there 10 years ago we were using an acrylic enamel, with a urethane hardener. Schieb uses a basic alkyd enamel. It's pretty much house paint with a gloss additive. On another note I have always thought earl schieb paint would make a great patina job, really, if you let it sit in the sun and scrubbed it down a lot it would
Get thin and old in a matter of months. Could be cool
In the right car.

 

ok! i am tired of all the Earl Schieb crap. i had my Henry J done by them back around 2001 and i have never waxed it or buffed it and it has been in the desert sun since i built it. it still shines just like when i got it back from them. i think i paid about $200 for it on a special sale. it was a single stage with the clear mixed in but it wasn't a synthetic paint. i also had my Poncho Lemans painted by One Day and it was a synthetic and it turned to crap within a year. both cars were completely dechromed and were just shells. i miss Earl Schieb!! now having said all that, i think it has more to do with which place you have it done at and what kind of paint they use. also, my brother had a '47 Plymouth coupe done by One Day up in Ventura area and then had it cut and buffed and you couldn't put a towel on it and try to keep it on it. it would slide right off. so like everybody has said, check them out first and talk to the prepper and painter.

 

My brother had a '71 Karmann Ghia painted there, a '49 Kaiser special too, my mom had a PT cruiser painted there. I've found that if you find the 'right' Maaco, do the prep work and taping yourself and inspect it right after it comes out of the booth in the sunlight, outside, it'll come out fine. They use single stage 99% of the time, and the advertised $199 special is just that, a special. No prep, priming extra also,watch for sag and runs in the clear, not enough color, rail dust, etc..

 

I was curious, and clicked the "franchise opportunities" link on the Maaco site. I caught a blurb about how they have "buying power" and that although a franchisee can buy products on their own, 90% of them buy direct from Maaco.

I bet Earl Scheib is the same way. This may explain the variance in paint quality folks are describing. If a cost-cutting shop owner - one that doesn't care, or one of those folks that "doesn't have to have an automotive background" (as per the Franchise site) - decided to cut corners and buy the cheapest paint they could from "Jim & Bob's Redneck Paint Suppliers", I can definitely see this kind of thing happening.

Let's hope this new CEO guy that stresses customer service/satisfaction brings some uniformity to the company.

~Jason

 

Based on that, it WOULD make for a great patina paint job!

~Jason

 

Once, I had a friend that worked at Casey's General Store.

When everyone else made the pizzas, they were mediocre.

When HE made the pizzas, especially if it was for someone he knew, he made the most amazing, topping-laden pies you'd ever feasted your eyes on!

I guess it truly comes down to who's working in the spray booth that day, and how much of a crap they give.

~Jason

 

From what everyone else says, maybe folks better check out the other cars in the lot, too...

It would be easy to say you could judge what kind of painter a guy is by how his own ride looks. But you know how it goes - the mechanic often has drives the lot's crappiest car, because he's working on everyone else's.

~Jason

 

I took my $100 Ford Galaxie to Macco for their base price paint job, I did my own prep work and pulled all the trim. Cost a little over $600 13 years ago. I was relatively happy with the job but haven't been back since. Going there depends on the car I guess, I wouldn't take a "show" car to Macco but I wont put a $5000 job on a $100 car.

 

I own a couple of warehouse bays that used to be a Maaco shop. When I first bought it I had people coming in and bitching about their paint work until the realized we were a plumbing shop. On the other hand I took a big rig to another Maaco and was peasently surprised. Better work than I expected. Good enough that I left a fat tip. There used to be a paint supplier near me that set paint on the counter for free. It was stuff they mixed that didn't quite match and it was cheaper to give it away than to pay for hazmat disposal. If you weren't picky about color or were lucky that was a real deal. I think Swade painted the Bad Moon Henry Jay with a roller and from the pics it looks pretty good.

 

A friend took his race car( Gutlass) to one in Omaha. They traded him paint in exchange for having their name on the side. We did the work and prep, stuck around while they painted it and it was turned out nice. The painter told me he had his own shop for years and got tired of dealing with the public,now he stays in the back room and paints.

 

Ditto - I can't justify a show car paint job on a driver.

~Jason

 

Hmmmm... I should call a few paint stores and ask if they have any mistints. I've gotten some KILLER deals on mistints for interior house paint from Lowe's, Sherwin Williams, Home Depot, etc before. I never thought to ask at an automotive paint shop!

I've seen some roller paint jobs. They can take a lot of sanding to look good, but with a lot of sweat equity, they can turn out pretty nice! Ah, but that Rust-O-Leum thread has been done before. I'm more inclined to take it somewhere, to save time and avoid the mess.

~Jason

 

I knew it might be a place that offered refuge to industry veterans like that!

Did they actually PAINT their name on the side of the car, or did they give him a magnetic sign? And if they DID paint their name on the side, how big, and where was it?

~Jason

 

Depends on the shop......Wouldn't take a high bucks street rod or show car there, nor would I build one, but it seems like a good place to take a HOT ROD. Especially one that will look good with patina. If you are the fussy type, and dislike patina, you might want to step up for a high end paint job......somewhere else. But if you are on a strict budget, and like to drive more than show, just make sure it is the best Maco in town. Might want to tell the painter of the tip he will get if it looks extra good. You tip a waitress to carry your hamburger from the kitchen to your table, probably should give one to a craftsman that does a respectable paint job for you at a budget price.

 

Yes, it's an ages old story.
The shoemakers kids need shoes.
The mechanics car won't run.
The plumbers house drips
The carpenters house needs mending
And the mailman doesn't want to go for a walk when he gets home.

I often wonder what the gynocologist's ole lady has to say about all this

 

LMAO!

I actually just spit Dr. Pepper through my nose! LOL!

~Jason

 

Anybody got any pics?

 

the Highlander and Don offer spot-on advice.

remember, these shops are independently owned. One can be different from the next.

 

I was hoping YOU'D show up, bobwop.

I'm imagining with the cars you've sold over the years, you've seen all kinds of the good and bad, up close, and in person.

~Jason