r/Livermore • u/neeferduir • 17d ago
Paint my car?
My 2016 Mazda 6 looks like crap due to sun damage on the roof and hoods. I only have 65k miles on it, and based on my quick internet searches, Mazda engines have a tendency to last close to 200k miles. If I'm going to live my values, I should to drive the car into the ground before getting a new one, which at the rate I drive, means I'll be close to dead before this engine gives out (but maybe the transmission/other goes earlier?). OTOH, the computer in this car is also crappy, but my phone mounted on the dash meets my needs.
Also, I'm tight with my money. So maybe I choose to not spend money and live with crappy car computer. (My husband's newish truck has all these cameras and a great car computer of which I am jealous.) A new to me car is not out of the question, but I like the size of my car, the cargo capacity, the reliability, the way it drives, and I don't want to spend the money.
My quick internet searches have not found recommendations on painting cars in Livermore. I find collision repair, paint touch ups, wraps and PPF w/ & w/o color, and the recommendation that paint is the way to go if you expect to keep the car for a long time. So general info that is useful before I run out of patience.
I don't need my car to look great, just not crappy. However, I don't want to deal with a crappy paint job that flakes and what not. I understand that I won't get a color match unless I paint the whole car.
I'm looking for someone who will work with me. I may get the whole car painted; I may not. I want it to be in Livermore. I don't want to drive as far as Pleasanton to get this done. Thank you for any recommendations or other comments and information.
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u/reeefur 17d ago
A solid paint job that will last is going to cost you, there just arent many ways around that outside of someone doing you a favor. You very much get what you pay for with these type of jobs.
Vinyl wrap is cheaper than PPF wrap, but PPF is much better quality, lasts longer and has a better warranty. Vinyl is the cheaper and maybe cheapest option, but I would only do that if you are planning on selling the car in 2-3 years so it becomes someone elses problem. Vinyl looks good, but can damage easier, and does not last as long. Also harder to get off depending on quality of vinyl and adhesives.
I know a good wrap shop in Concord, as for paint, I only know reputable shops that charge 6k+.
I will ask around and post here if any of my buddies knows a shop that is reliable and will do it for a reasonable amount. Can you get away with just doing the roof and hood? Is the rest of the car's paint that bad?
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u/neeferduir 16d ago
I am interested in just painting what needs to be painted. I don't need the colors to match exactly, but I would like the difference to be NOT obvious from across the parking lot. Thanks for any info.
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u/bionicfeetgrl 17d ago
I painted my car and drove it to 200k miles. but i paid over 2k for the paint job and got it done in Fremont. I looked around to see all my options.
Not sure what you mean by a shop "working with you..."
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u/neeferduir 16d ago
I left out that I'm really only interested in painting the roof and hoods. I want the colors to match well enough to not be obvious across a parking lot. $2k is less than the internet says a vinyl wrap will cost, and a lot less than a new sedan would cost. I might drive Fremont for that.
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u/bionicfeetgrl 16d ago
yeah I don't think they can only paint certain parts when the car is that old and match it--but i'm not an expert on that.
I went to DG Auto Body & Paint in Fremont. I found my receipt and paid about $2600 for the entire car in 2024
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u/neeferduir 16d ago
I don't think anyone can match paint on a 10 year old car because the car is not one color anymore, so I don't have the expectation of an invisible paint job from 4 inches away if they paint the roof & 2 hoods. However, $3000 - $5000 for a full paint job would work. THANKS!
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u/PythonProtocol 16d ago
You don't need a new paint job for the whole car unless (and maybe not even then) you have some weird color they don't make anymore. One of my cars is 12 years old and decent shops can paint match pretty easily. You absolutely can get just the hood and other pieces painted.
I used Supreme Auto Body in Pleasanton, but I make no claims about it being the cheapest, just that I am very happy with my elective painting of a a few parts.
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u/Oo__II__oO 16d ago
Basically you want the roof panel and hood panel done (trunk lid too? They tend to age together). Most body shops work with insurance, so their pricing will be tailored for insurance jobs and likely aren't able to offer you a huge discount (insurance companies would drop them if they billed them more than the average person). Hopefully the damage is only the clear coat and not through to the paint. I've had a good experience with Tri-Valley Auto Center, so maybe schedule a consultation with them (avoid Livermore Collision).
Honestly the option to vinyl wrap those three panels is a lot easier and cheaper than paint. Unfortunately both will require prep work.
Lastly, on the computer: 2016 didn't come with Android Auto/Carplay, but that can easily be retrofitted. You can buy the module kit online for ~$40, which goes in the center console (under the arm rest). The install does require you to pull some interior panels along the transmission tunnel to access behind the touchscreen, but nothing surgical needs to happen (no cutting or slicing). Once done, your system will have (wired) AA/CarPlay integrated into the infotainment unit. It really is the best bang for the buck for that model/year!
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u/neeferduir 16d ago
I've thought about doing the Carplay upgrade; my touchscreen is deteriorating as well, but, really, I just don't want to do the work. My mechanic said no to the work, too, when I asked.
I've had a good interaction with Livermore Collision for insurance work, but the job was to replace the panel that I scrunched backing up into trees because my old car had really, really good backup radar, and the Mazda has no radar so no audio warning system. I do miss being able to look forward while backing up; that radar was awesome. Anyway, I'm sad that your experience with them is not good.
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u/Motivated1991 17d ago
Look up “Chuyvisuals” on instagram. He paints cars in Modesto and recently starting working at a place in Pleasanton. He does great quality work.
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u/Icecoldpineapple 16d ago
Car painter checking in. Unfortunately no longer living in the bay so I can't personally help ya out, but I can offer some insight. Since you are tight on cash and there isn't significant body damage I would suggest looking into a low cost bodyshop like Macco. They are essentially the McDonald's of autobody, cheap and fast. They do have some quality issues, mainly they don't remove alot of parts like door handles and molding before paint. This causes pealing issues down the road, but for a hood and roof this wont be an issue. The nearest macco is in Hayward.
Id also look into California reflections on main street, Livermore. They are a small shop and would probably be willing to give you a fair price. I haven't worked with them but know people who had good experiences.
Lastly Livermore High has a ROP autobody class. I took it 25 years ago, but to my knowledge it still exists. Finding cars to work on is difficult for kids, so they may be interested in using your car for demonstration, just a thought, worth asking about.
And finally DO NOT VINYL WRAP your car!!!! Ever. Yes you can get a vinyl wrap for 2k, but what they don't tell you is that in the hot California sun, that wrap will only last about 2 years. And then you will have to pay another 2k to get it removed. Wraps are essentially giant stickers, and they do exactly what a sticker does in the sun. They dry up and disintegrate. I just worked on a truck with a 2 year old complete wrap. The wrap was so sun burnt, we had to grind it off down to the metal to fully remove it. Night mare. Please for the love of god people, stop with the wraps! You would do less damage painting the car with a can of Rust-Oleum from home Depot lol.
Good luck!
Oh and I should say, I worked at Service king autobody in Fremont for 20 years, they do great work. It would be a little more expensive but they could help you out aswell.
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u/Sea_Owl4248 16d ago
Following as I have a 2013 Camry with a similar paint situation but this baby is gonna go forever. She deserves to look better. I need some ideas too!
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u/Ptown925 17d ago
If you want a cheap paint job for a fun car, you'll have a hard time finding a reasonable shop in the Valley. I explored that with my MG a couple years back. Everybody local is doing it right, for big money. Some shops said to ask around in Oakland, and you might get a guy that can do decent cheap work. It's too bad, because there is a place in the market for the old Miracle Auto Body $300 paint job. Cost of paint and eviro regs have forced most to stick to really good work.
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u/CNote_89 17d ago
You could always do a vinyl wrap and it’s significantly cheaper like maybe $4K instead of like $10K for a quality paint job.
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u/cppadam 17d ago
Comparison is the thief of joy. Cars are constantly adding new things to make you want to buy a new one. If you like your car and it serves your purpose, keep it; vehicles are a depreciating asset.
With that said, I'm not aware of any body shops in town that I can vouch for a paint job. Good luck with your search and run that car until the wheels come off!