A vehicle with scratched or worn paint will look unattractive and tacky. Paint correcting is the best solution for getting it fixed, but how much does paint correction cost? There are multiple variables that will ultimately determine how much you’ll pay.

Variables to Consider

The variables which will determine how much you’ll spend for a professional paint correcting job include:

• Expectations: Do you want showroom-level luster, or are you merely looking to enhance the family vehicle? The amount and type of work you need to be done will determine the price.
• Condition: If the vehicle has only minor imperfections, the cost to fix it will be reasonable. But if you’re dealing with serious damage such as rust, more materials and work will be required, which can substantially increase the price.
• Size: While not a universal rule, larger vehicles will generally cost more to paint correctly than smaller ones.
• Labor: The material cost for a paint correction job will be the same for professionals and amateurs. However, because professionals have greater overhead expenses the majority of the bill will consist of labor fees.
• Brand: High-end or exotic automobiles often use paint and surface materials that are more intricate than economy vehicles, and because of their steep price tag the work, attention, and cost required to maintain them tend to be greater than normal.
• Location: The city or state where you live will also play a role in how much you’ll spend. Generally speaking, major metropolitan areas such as New York or Los Angeles will charge higher prices for paint correcting than smaller towns, because of the higher demand, higher operational costs and more stringent regulations.

Should You Do Paint Correcting Yourself to Save Money?

Unless you have the training, experience, equipment, and time, doing a paint correction job yourself is not recommended, for numerous reasons. First, it can be exceptionally time-consuming. A three-stage paint-correcting job can last as long as six hours.

Second, if you make a mistake, the consequences can be serious. A rushed and cheaply done paint job will likely cost you more in the long turn because it will take additional work to correct. Properly detailing an automobile is a skill that takes years to develop. It is certainly not something that can be mastered overnight and requires considerable dexterity.

When you get your vehicle detailed by a professional, not only will they make the exterior surface gleam like new, but they will also work on the interior, cleaning and vacuuming the carpets while removing grime and dirt from every area. For those that value their time and have busy lives with work, school or family, it just doesn’t make sense to attempt a paint correction job themselves.

This is especially true when you consider the fact that a well-done job will last for a long time. A vehicle that is professionally detailed can go 5 years before requiring another one, sometimes longer. When you look at it this way, it makes even more sense to just get it done by a pro.