How to have my 911 repainted?

[Andrew Luu]

Hi Gang,
Could you please provide me with some nformations on how to have my 911 repainted by the factory and the cost of doing so?. Thanks you so much for all your help.
Andy

[Kmatts]

Tell everyone where you're located. I'm sure someone can recommend a shop that does quality work.

[Greg-slant/cab]

I am not sure what you mean by a "Factory" paint job. As far as I know they are not in the business of repainting cars. For a good quality repaint you should expect to pay $10K or more. If you do some of the work yourself you should be able to save money. I took my car completely apart, rubber, trim, panels, etc. To save money. Find a shop that is willing to work with you.
Good luck.

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Greg-slant/cab
http://www.geocities.com/gregslantcab/

[campbellcj]

AFAIK the Porsche factory only restores very historically significant and/or tremendously valuable vehicles. For instance, they purportedly redid a couple of Seinfeld's cars. I would expect to pay well into the tens of thousands for such a job. You would have to have a contact person at the factory to coordinate this with and get you "in". They might have to have a last name of "Porsche" or "Piech" for you to get very far. Plus, obviously you have to transport your car to and from Germany.

Most of us "mere mortals" find a skilled body and paint shop nearby, and go that route. It is very important to find a shop that has significant Porsche restoration experience, i.e. not just your corner insurance-repair guy who fixes Honda Accord bumpers all day long.

Check references and BBB records too...there are lots of shady characters in the body shop business.

Oh yeah, be prepared to spend a lot more time and money than you planned Once the car is apart, it is way too easy for the "well, since we're in here anyway..." syndrome to take over.

Good luck,

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Chris C.
73 914 2.0
70 911E Targa
campbell.chris@gte.net

[This message has been edited by campbellcj (edited 09-25-2001).]

[Rick Lee]

There's a body shop in Alexandria, VA called Wagon Works, which specializes in Porsches and BMW's. I may be talking through my hat here, but I heard they have a hood or booth there, which qualifies their repaints as factory-quality. I've also heard it's in the neighborhood of $6k. But that's a lot cheaper than going to Germany, and Wagon Works won't turn away your business. I test drove an '87 Carrera, which had been beaten up pretty badly in an accident and repaired years ago. Reviewing the service records, I learned that Wagon Works brought it back to its original glory for about $14k. When I saw it, it looked absolutely perfect.

[Andrew Luu]

Thanks everybody,
I live in Northern Virginia/Washington D.C area. I was thinking about taking auto painting classes offered at local community college and do all the prepping works myself as Greg had suggested and then taking it to an autobody shop. Perhaps someone can recommend a reputable P-car autobody shop in the Washington D.C area?. Thanks so much. Andrew.

[Rick Lee]

Check out my previous post -- just above yours.

[jabb]

If you are going to do the prep work yourself you need to find a body shop that will work with you on this project. Lost of body shops will not touch the car if you did the prep work. They are out there just a matter of finding one. You also need to prep the car with a primer/sealer that the body shop agrees they will paint over. Certain finish paint require specific primers.

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• Joe A.
• 84 911 Targa
• 75 914/6 3.0

[wckrause]

I think a big problem with doing the prep work yourself is that it gives the paint shop somebody to blame for any problem or flaw.

I'm thinking about doing all of the disassembly and reassembly but letting the paint shop do all the repair, prep, and paint work. Others on this board have done that.

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Bill Krause
'79 911SC Euro
MY PELICAN GALLERY