What to do ...paint job

I have a car that needs a refresh. I priced up a respray and at $4000 ish it is too much to spend on what is really a cheap $3k runabout

I looked at wrapping it (vinyl wrap) and while cheaper, I have no idea how long it will last. Salesmen tell me one thing (years) mates tell me much less.....

I looked at trying it myself but dont want to ruin what is really a straight and unblemished car apart from a very faded and tired paint job. It is still mostly original 1989 MX5
.

I saw someone saying plastidip was an option Spray on plasticoat to me sounds like a possibility as if I get it wrong, it should peel off and leave me no worse than I was before (also a possibility with the vinyl, I guess)

I am not looking to make it look new again. So it wont need to be a full respray quality. I just want it to look red and mostly unscratched again.

Has anyone here done any of this to a vehicle? Advice?

I have painted a few things..

Most of that $4000 will be prep work.disassembling,masking,sanding, undercoating,priming,resanding etc.

The actual top coat, plus clear coats are the fastest part of the job.

Do some research, build a home made temporary spray booth.Hire a big compressor,buy a decent spray gun and do it yourself.

red is the color that deteriorates the worst never buy a red car..... having said that you have one so is the paint just faded and chalky or does it look like the clearcoat has started to peel? if its just faded then its probably painted in 2 pack enamel and a damn good cut and polish using quality product will actually bring it up a treat..... but it wont last too long and you can only do it so many times. if the paint is looks like its peeling off in sheets in places then its likely been touche up at sometime using low quality clearcoat over the basecoat or poor prep or both and a repaint is the only option. even with a top quality paint and clearcoat done correctly only carries a limited guarantee and the paint company always has an out (usually pointing the finger at poor prep). unless your in the trade then the major brand of paint are possibly not going to be sold to you as they have no idea as to whether the products health and safety requirements and application procedures will be followed . the 2 pack paints are highly toxic loaded with cancer causing agents that get released into the air when being sprayed . a makeshift booth is not gonna help it needs to be filtrated and yo need to wear the correct gear that shit can be absorbed thru your skin and even your eyes so just a filtered mask isnt enough. paintshops pay alot of money for compliance and containment of materials they pay huge wages its not a trade that you see many old painters alot die of cancer at what is a generally young age 40s-60s....
you could use a 1 k paint (one you dont have to use a hardener with) but this wont last long and you will be wondering why you wasted your time and money
and lastly mx5s were built by tiny japanese people and are very time consuming for kiwi blokes with pudgy penis fingers to pull apart and refit

I just painted our second cars roof because it needed a dent taking out for a wolf and the clear coat had gone. I’ll do the boot and bonnet next (i didn’t want to bite off more than I can chew) I’m planning to do my Holden after I’ve built up some confidence. It’s quite hard but can be done at home even with cans.I have a large compressor and bought a good spray gun. I used super cheap paint but but ended up with “orange peal” because my gun was set wrong but rubbed it smooth with 1500 wet and dry then put the clear coat on.
Like norsk said it’s all in the prep work.

'89 mx5 ?
Are you a hairdresser ? :D;)

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Originally Posted by Ftx325

'89 mx5 ?
Are you a hairdresser ? :D;)

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i didnt want to ask that question

Is this a 'project' or a keeper? If not, then just drive it.

I am an amateur and have done a couple of these missions.... lots and lots of work.... and some more....
Like LOTS of work.

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Originally Posted by Ftx325

'89 mx5 ?
Are you a hairdresser ? :D;)

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Those things are meant to be great handling little beasts.
Also an original one will be worth a mint in the near future.

reminds me of.......... "when i first saw you , your hair blowing in the wind......and you ......too proud to run after it"

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Originally Posted by scotty

i didnt want to ask that question

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Always a bit of a standing joke with my mates when they first came out. We had a list of 'never be seen in' hair dresser s cars' and that one was top of the list...ha ha.
That said I used to have an early 90's red MR2 with targa top roof and that was also on the list , although a bit further down. At least that was styled on the 'Magnum P.I.' ferrari scaled down , and used to handle like a go-cart.
Still made sure my mates never saw me drive it- told em it was the missus car..lol.
I always drove my monaro v8 or later my 355 Chev powered jag xj6 when the mates were around.

i have owned 3 mr2's inc a 340hp turbo. gundoc took his wife for a spin in it and she was yelling slow down!!

audi tt is the hairdressers car, and jeeps are popular with lesbians apparently

well maybe its setup for the right purpose i guess
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FCB8sx2rWY

I’d have one, mind you I do cut my own hair.

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Originally Posted by scotty

red is the color that deteriorates the worst never buy a red car..... having said that you have one so is the paint just faded and chalky or does it look like the clearcoat has started to peel? if its just faded then its probably painted in 2 pack enamel and a damn good cut and polish using quality product will actually bring it up a treat..... but it wont last too long and you can only do it so many times. if the paint is looks like its peeling off in sheets in places then its likely been touche up at sometime using low quality clearcoat over the basecoat or poor prep or both and a repaint is the only option. even with a top quality paint and clearcoat done correctly only carries a limited guarantee and the paint company always has an out (usually pointing the finger at poor prep). unless your in the trade then the major brand of paint are possibly not going to be sold to you as they have no idea as to whether the products health and safety requirements and application procedures will be followed . the 2 pack paints are highly toxic loaded with cancer causing agents that get released into the air when being sprayed . a makeshift booth is not gonna help it needs to be filtrated and yo need to wear the correct gear that shit can be absorbed thru your skin and even your eyes so just a filtered mask isnt enough. paintshops pay alot of money for compliance and containment of materials they pay huge wages its not a trade that you see many old painters alot die of cancer at what is a generally young age 40s-60s....
you could use a 1 k paint (one you dont have to use a hardener with) but this wont last long and you will be wondering why you wasted your time and money
and lastly mx5s were built by tiny japanese people and are very time consuming for kiwi blokes with pudgy penis fingers to pull apart and refit

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The clear coat has been 'polished through' on the rear and was doing this when I bought it....The front panels were repainted not long before I got it due to some cock in a carpark scratching those panels also before I got it. And I think the doors are still original paint. So most of the panels are not only slightly different rreds, but different paints as well. (2k red in parts, red with clear in others, etc)

I just want to smarten it up a bit so it is all the same colour....

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Originally Posted by 40mm

Is this a 'project' or a keeper? If not, then just drive it.

I am an amateur and have done a couple of these missions.... lots and lots of work.... and some more....
Like LOTS of work.

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Technically it was not supposed to be either......I got it originally as a cheap traveller as my father was crook for a few years and traveling from chch to Blen in the weekends to see him was going to run the legs off my wee Suzuki Vitara and I did not want to use the wifes car as she would then be stuck at home. (Refuses to drive the Vitara)

I intended selling it when Dad passed, but it was so much fun to drive that I started using it for the work commute (25km each way on open road.....) My wife enjoys day trips in it and it is really fun to drive. To the extent, I never really cared what others think it is.:pacman: It is definitley one of those cars that puts a smile in the dial......

I had a mate that started insinuating either a mid life crisis or questionable manhood so I gave him a drive in it....two weeks later he got one. His Brother started to do the same to him, so he was told to drive it or shut up...now the brother wants one too.....

They are very well set up for people who enjoy driving. They absolutely love corners, and they run really well. Lovely days like we are having now and drop the top down and just go somewhere.....doesn't matter where, just pick a direction and go....

Maybe we should be paying attention to what hairdressers like to drive. Because if this is what they like to drive, then they might be onto something .....:thumbsup:

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Originally Posted by 40mm

Those things are meant to be great handling little beasts.
Also an original one will be worth a mint in the near future.

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Indeed. Any alterations on mine have been 'bolt in ' extras that can be easily undone. The style bars are one such addition. Made to look like roll bars, their actual job is more like a torsion bar as they are fitted to the chassis directly above the rear suspension on each side. They lock the back end down and it sharpens up the 'get up and go....'

Both my wife and I have fallen for it. I toyed with getting a later one as an upgrade, but I think that the original one is the pick of them for value and fun.

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Originally Posted by Ftx325

Always a bit of a standing joke with my mates when they first came out. We had a list of 'never be seen in' hair dresser s cars' and that one was top of the list...ha ha.
That said I used to have an early 90's red MR2 with targa top roof and that was also on the list , although a bit further down. At least that was styled on the 'Magnum P.I.' ferrari scaled down , and used to handle like a go-cart.
Still made sure my mates never saw me drive it- told em it was the missus car..lol.
I always drove my monaro v8 or later my 355 Chev powered jag xj6 when the mates were around.

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My wife has a new gen Mini Cooper. I actually quite like driving it, get heaps of smiles from pretty girls which is great, odd smile from pretty boys which is not so great but take the good with the bad

As a sportscar fan I like the little MX5s and may certainly own one at some point. Very neat little unit proving max power and price are not the key criteria for a fun driver car.

Tim - send me a pm. I have an auto painter who is extremely good with price and may do the job for alot less than $4k - esp if no panel to tidy up.

I borrow my dad's little triumph spitfire on the odd occasion and take that for a blat with whichever family member I think deserves a ride , usually my daughter. That's a great wee summer car with the roof off and goes and handles surprisingly well for an older car. Gets lots of looks and always a conversation starter wherever you park. He has been threatening to sell it but I have convinced him to keep it for now.
A real classic wee sports car that one and has a character that the japs just can't quite emulate.

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Originally Posted by Ftx325

'89 mx5 ?
Are you a hairdresser ? :D;)

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Here we go...getting ready for the new year?;)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ftx325

I borrow my dad's little triumph spitfire on the odd occasion and take that for a blat with whichever family member I think deserves a ride , usually my daughter. That's a great wee summer car with the roof off and goes and handles surprisingly well for an older car. Gets lots of looks and always a conversation starter wherever you park. He has been threatening to sell it but I have convinced him to keep it for now.
A real classic wee sports car that one and has a character that the japs just can't quite emulate.

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Handle better with a bag of cement in the boot.
The only car that tried to kill me was a shitfire.

shitty paintjob = slightly less likely to be pinched..... well atleast thats what I tell mysell when look at the toyota in driveway with clearcoat gone off roof and bonnet.... keep threatening to just spraycan paint it....lots of light coats...but think it would be divorce material if I did.

ok, had to admit i did once own an mx5, my idea was to fit a 13b plus running gear into it, however following a workplace accident and the feeling in my arm for several years i sold it.

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Originally Posted by gonetropo

ok, had to admit i did once own an mx5, my idea was to fit a 13b plus running gear into it, however following a workplace accident and the feeling in my arm for several years i sold it.

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That woukd have been a fun car, I liked doing sleepers in my youth (1976 civic with an 1800 accord engine in it claimed a decent number of wins from unsuspecting rivals)

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Originally Posted by gonetropo

i have owned 3 mr2's inc a 340hp turbo. gundoc took his wife for a spin in it and she was yelling slow down!!

audi tt is the hairdressers car, and jeeps are popular with lesbians apparently

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Wife has a wee red TT, great fun to punt about in, giving the boy a lift one Friday night, bunch of fuckwit boy racers though they would have a little fun and hem us in at the Kilmarnock lights and give us grief. No communication needed, we jumped out fast and went for a car each, quite funny watching carload of boy racers drive backward down the road and the one in front drive off through the light that was now red, bet they don't harass hairdressers again.

in my youth my "sleeper" was a triumph 2.5............but it was powered by a jag 4.2. still not as fast as the mates mini with a worked 1750 maxi motor in it though

the ariel atom v8 is a conjoined twin hyabusa with a blower.

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Originally Posted by 40mm

Those things are meant to be great handling little beasts.
Also an original one will be worth a mint in the near future.

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Yup, Mrs ebf had one for a while

Still the most fun car we've ever owned. Rear-wheel drive, weighs just about nothing....

I wouldn't think it would take much paint to cover one of them, from what your describing as what you want it sounds like you could achieve it yourself with paint that at a price point that matches the value you want invested in the car, I have used the acrylic paint supercheap sell a couple of times, in a good gun it sprays ok but found it needed more thinners than anticipated to run in nice and wet, came off the gun nice and buffed up easy. There are better paints out there but cost goes up quickly and application gets more involved

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Originally Posted by Ftx325

'89 mx5 ?
Are you a hairdresser ? :D;)

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A gay hairdresser ?

I just finished painting my motorhome using Altex yacht paint (NZ made).

I sanded off the clear coat and most of the top coat with 120g. No need to use a primer if the paint/primer underneath the top coat is still good.

Add 20% Penetrol to the Altex. And then roll it on with a 4" foam roller. :thumbsup:
Some of you are probably thinking 'He used a bloody Roller!'. But it turned out great...really great.
If you are interested in an easy $400 DIY paint job then this is the method.

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Originally Posted by Hermitage

I just finished painting my motorhome using Altex yacht paint (NZ made).

I sanded off the clear coat and most of the top coat with 120g. No need to use a primer if the paint/primer underneath the top coat is still good.

Add 20% Penetrol to the Altex. And then roll it on with a 4" foam roller. :thumbsup:
Some of you are probably thinking 'He used a bloody Roller!'. But it turned out great...really great.
If you are interested in an easy $400 DIY paint job then this is the method.

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My old boss did that with his car many many years ago (early 70s I think) He was very proud of the job too so it must have come out OK. I dont know if my rolling would be any better than my spraying. Will touch base with the guy @mudgripz referred me too.

@Hermitage which kind of Altex paint did you use?

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Originally Posted by Hermitage

roll it on with a 4" foam roller. :thumbsup:
Some of you are probably thinking 'He used a bloody Roller!'. But it turned out great...really great..

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my grandfather used to brush paint (repaint) cars back in the day..... flatten it out between coats then after the last coat flatten back again then cut and polish ...by hand .... a repaint took about a month to complete got a mirror finish.....but thats how it was done before we all had compressors and spray guns

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Originally Posted by rupert

@Hermitage which kind of Altex paint did you use?

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I used Altex Regatta single stage marine paint which is classed as a "Polyurethane Modified Gloss Finish" from Discount marine http://discount-marine.co.nz.
You can also use International Toplac which I believe Bunnings sell.

I stayed away from 2 part paint like Altex Elite 321 marine paint as 2 part poly gets unworkable really fast in these hot summer days. Rightly or wrongly, I believe rolling and tipping with two part polyurethane paint is for the professionals who have the right equipment - tent to control temperature and humidity and "spacesuit" protection for safety.

With single stage paints like the Altex Regatta, there’s no need to apply a clear coat layer, because the paint was made with ingredients that give it a glossy finish. I added 20% Penetrol (Bunnings), to the Altex Regatta to help it self-level.

Basic method I used was:

a ) lay on a thin coat of the Altex Regatta to one section or panel of the car at a time.

b ) immediately go over that same area with a 3 or 4 inch high quality hog brush to wipe away any bubbles.

c ) let dry (12 hours)

d ) wet sand with a 1500 or 2000

e ) repeat steps a to d until you reach a level of uniform color (2 or 3 coats)

f ) lay down one final coat with no wet sanding.

Done