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All,

A general question.  I have a VMC 56 can machine.  I don't have the stuff to paint a machine, so I stopped by MAACO after work.  Here's what I took them:

1. Cabinet - already primed, sanded, and ready to shoot
2. Coin door - already primed, sanded, and ready to shoot
3. Main door - needed prepped (sanded), primed, and painted

I told them I didn't need any body work done, I just wanted the paint.  The estimate was $600.  I thought that was a little high, based on 2 of the 3 items were ready to go.  Am I wrong?  Is $600 too high, too low, or abou right.  I didn't want to stick $600 in a machine that's not worth that right now.  Maybe in years to come...

$600? What about their ads that say they'll paint a car for $100 (plus probably a few hundred to mask it).  I think I paid about $250 to get some body work done and paint my Cavalier CS-80...of course it took about 6 months for them to do it!

When I paint a machine materials alone cost me around $300.00 but thats for everything.

Joey

Brent,

That's what I thought.  Basically, I think the guy was quoting me insurance rates.  He said he considered the cabinet and the main door as bumpers, which he said cost $200 each to paint.  Then, he said the coin door was like painting a mirror twice (one front and one back), which he said they get $60/each.  Then, there was about $100 for prep on the main door.  That kind of p--sed me off, since this isn't an insurance job and 2 of the 3 pieces are already primed and sanded.  They could squirt those in no time.

Sounds like the guy was an idiot. How do bumpers and mirrors relate to a flat spray of a coke machine, jeesh...
I can understand that they would need to clean the paint gun mix your color choice and repeat for the next customer. Time is money in that biz. $600 seems high. Maybe stop by the independent paint shops and have them give a call next time something red is getting painted.

Surprised that it is $300 in materials. Enamel, clear coat or something else?

Great thread hope others chime in.
Creighton
 

My father in law just had a Chevy Lumina painted for $300.00+ Tax. It was a white car was repainted white, they did some minor body work I mean a few small dings. Car turned out really nice I was very surprised a great deal for the money. Good luck .

I stopped by a Maaco when I got one of my first machines...it needed a little prep and some paint...they quoted my $800 and they were doing cars for  1/2 that  :Oo:...I said no thanks and checked out some local shops and they all wanted between $800 and $1000. I found a guy that used to own his own shop and he paints them for me and does the body work as needed for less than 1/2 what they were asking.

         Maaco is a large chain so who do you think pays for those expensive television ads in the long run?

         Sure, you can check out independant shops but if they are reputable they still won't sell you a cheap $300.00 job. And there are cheap paints which last about a year before they wear off like chalk or there is paint with expensive hardeners that shine like a mirror. These still require color sanding and buffing after the paint has dried. But you get what you pay for.

       Sorry you chose to break down and paint a machine that is not worth $600.00 Wayne,
but that's why most people justify restoring round corner machines rather than the square......... these costs are the same.

       I use the expensive materials and could not do your described job for less than $600.00, but of course I also have to cover overhead.

       Keep shopping and you will find someone who will work cheaper but he probably won't bid a second machine for the same price.

       Just my exprience
        

I agree MoonDawg you get what you pay for but in my farther in laws case it was worth the $300 the car is not worth much more than that. I said it was just painted but it is nearly a year now. It's not going to add value to a 91' Chevy  like it will to a restored machine he just wanted it to look good for a few years before he gets something else. I would not bring something I have money and time invested in such as a classic car or soda machine. Just my opinion.

90 grad  where do you live? anybody on the site live near him that could recommend a shop to him? If you were in chicago I could recommend a shop. I agree those chain body shops are not the best place to take what they call specialty items. But like everything else Paint has gone up quite a bit, its definitell not as cheap as it use to be. would like to get some input from SIGNGUY

I live in Street, Maryland which is in northern Harford County (about 30 miles NE from Baltimore).  I just stopped in MAACO because it was close to work and I recalled a few people on here getting some work doen with them.

Glen, I agree on the cost not equaling the machine's value.  That's why I was VERY leary in the first place.  I had no choice to paint this one.  It was a 3-color pepsi machine and was pretty ugly.  It's a can machine, so I was going to keep it.  I thought if I could get a decent (not real showroom quality) job for no more than $300, it would look good in the club room. 

I do have a pretty good line on a Vendo 110 (large door), so getting all the info I can right now will serve well in the future.  There are a few more shops around here (non-chain), so I may test the waters and see what their fees are.

Thanks!

I have had a few low budget restorations done at Maaco. If you do the body work they paint isnt too bad and it can still be sanded and buffed. They use Sherwin Williams paint so it's not too bad. Especially if it stays out of direct sunlight. The biggest problem is fading. I paid $150 for them to do the full machine. But the owner of the Maaco is a collector and they paint all of his gas pumps and coke machines. They had several projects going on in the back of the shop. They had a few visible pumps, V81, and so on. So maybe they are more used to doing that kind of stuff. When I was in Florida I would go to Econo Auto Body which is a chain like Maaco. I would bring them the paint. Usually Dupont centari single stage and they would do the body work and paint for $200 and they did a great job. I ended up becoming friends with the head painter and he did my paint jobs off the clock for cash. That is who painted the Frosty machine.

Great story josh sounds like you made out, but how does that help 90grad.  They want to charge him   600 dollars and sounds like 75 % of the work is already done.

Forget Maaco. Just go find a local car painter and have it done. As long as there are no runs sanding and buffing will make just about any paint job shine.

I paint profesonally at a high end body shop and have painted a few cars on the side and its always funny to see peoples faces when they see what paint actually cost . I painted a complete chevelle for a guy and the material alone cost over $1200 .  Sealer, base, clear etc. and that was before he payed me .  :smile: $600 sound high for macco just to spray it . Should be able to get it sprayed any where for around $300 if you preped it all yourself .

Great info all, Thanks!!
Questions. My RT-V56 was factory shot with Dupont Enamel. Great shine still after 50 yrs. Will anyone spray enamel? If so,how does cost compare to a base/clear job? Understand the base/clear looks great but is it overkill for an  indoor machine?
Creighton

No shops really spray enamel anymore just industrial shops . But you can still buy it. It is a lot cheaper and is easy to apply and if you bought some any painter or shop would be able to  apply it for you . A lot of old timers swear by it.The base coat clear coat job will last forever and can be repaired a lot easier if you ever scratch or damage your machine . 

I have found that most of the budget places spray Sherwin Williams base clear. Its cheap but its good quality for coke machines. The only problem is it will fade if it is outside for several years. But if its an inside machine or in the garage there is no problems. It will last a lifetime as long as the prep is done right.

Update... The mamger of MAACO called me the other night and said he could use single stage paint and paint it for $300.  I still passed, as I don't like dealing that way for a simple paint job.  It seemed too much like buying a car.  How, all of a sudden, does he drop his price by 50%?  I will use the $300 toward getting a roundtop painted, probably by some one else.

Its a Cut throat world out there at the moment...

Be careful that you don't cut your nose off just to spit your face...

Dave's right. The manager may be doing it as a side job, the holidays are coming up, and i can't imagine in this economy, many people are getting their cars painted....

The manager and I had a good talk and I told him I really didn't want to invest a whole lot of money into a machine that isn't going to return it just yet.  Down the road, maybe.  I did tell him I was going to have a roundtop painted, which I am, and he said to bring it in when I was ready.  So, we parted ways, for now, very amicably.

Well I had my Pepsi painted for $300 and I had it striped down to bare metel.
and the same shop painted my Coke machine was $500 and again strip down to metel
but this time there was body work   .

 This is a third generation owned body shop and local so they are looking to keep there people
working .

Pat