Vehicle respray
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Vehicle respray
What is a vehicle respray?
A car vehicle respray involves repainting either select panels or the entire body of a vehicle. A vehicle respray is usually undertaken when certain panels to be painted the same colour as the rest of the car, or the entire car is changing colour, although changing colour can be a very in-depth process depending on the level of colour change and the style of paint to be used.
How to tell if you need a vehicle respray
If your vehicle has peeling clear coat, faded paintwork, or you are looking to change the colour of your vehicle, a partial or full respray will be the best option to bring your vehicle back to life, or personalise it to your taste.
If your vehicle is in good condition and you just want to change the colour, you could also look at getting your vehicle vinyl wrapped, which can be removed at any stage to restore the vehicle back to the original finish.
How important is it to respray your vehicle
If your vehicles paintwork has become flaky, chalky or you can see exposed metal underneath, this is a clear indication that paintwork rectification is needed. Exposed metal will rust very quickly, leading to even more expensive repairs or even needing to replace the vehicle completely, so having these panels resprayed will prevent any rust forming.
Flaky paintwork can only be repaired by having the flaking panels resprayed, as the clear coat has failed and is ‘peeling’ off, leaving the exposed base coat underneath. Leaving this base coat without the protective clear coat layer will cause it to be damaged, often exposing the metal underneath, encouraging rust to take hold.
Respraying the panels before this occurs will return your vehicle to a factory-like finish and help prevent rust forming.
How is a vehicle respray carried out
The way a vehicle respray is carried out is determined by the panels requiring a respray, or if the whole vehicle is being resprayed.
Separate Panel Respray
Some panels may be able to be removed from the vehicle, which makes having them resprayed much easier. However, some panels, such as the roof or rear quarter panels are usually welded to the frame of the vehicle, so these would be resprayed in place and masking applied to unaffected panels to avoid covering them in overspray.
The original paint will be sanded off the panels, any small dents or scrapes will be repaired before a new layer of primer and base coat are applied to the panel. The final step in the respray process is applying the clear coat, and reassembly if the panels were removed from the vehicle.
Full Vehicle Respray
With a full vehicle respray, the exterior of the vehicle needs to be fully disassembled to allow for the removal of all the old paint. This means removing doors, the bonnet and bumpers, and some interior components may also need to be removed. If the engine bay requires painting to match the new exterior colour, the engine may also need to be removed.
Once all the components have been removed, sanding will commence to remove the old paintwork and provide a fresh surface for primer. Any dents or damage will be fixed at this stage of the respray to ensure the panels are as straight as possible. Once the primer has been applied, the base coat will be sprayed before covering in a layer of clear coat to protect the new paintwork.
The components and panels will be reinstalled, along with the engine if the engine bay was painted before being detailed ready for pickup.
How much does a vehicle respray cost?
As with all body shop repairs, pricing can vary depending on the level of work required and the type of vehicle that you own. Very basic panel resprays can start around the $250 mark and reach into the thousands if you have a complex metallic paint finish on your vehicle or dents and damage that needs to be repaired before the respray can commence.
If your vehicle requires a full respray, be prepared to pay $2,500 and upwards, depending on the level of work required, the choice of colour you are changing to or if the engine needs to be removed from the vehicle.
If you choose a wild metallic colour or a multi-layered respray, you could be looking at $8,000 and up.
Where can you get a vehicle respray?
Most specialty body repair shops offer respray services, whether it be for panels or a full vehicle respray. If you have an older vehicle, or are looking for a certain finish, a restoration centre will be your best option to have a respray carried out. They will be able to guide you on every step of the process ensuring your expectations are met.
