[mweisdorfer]

I have an e90 335i sedan. Been kicking around the idea of a a full respray..

Has anyone done this?

What did you pay?

[whyzee125]

I haven't done it on an e90 but IMO a decent full respray with good prep and a final cut/polish will run minimum $2,500. Any less and honestly it's not going to be worth the painter's time and he will end up cutting corners.

[Serf27]

2500 won’t cut if you want something to last. You’re looking at almost double that price from a plain shop.
You go to a big shop and they’ll quote you more than the car is worth.

[Alkapwn]

Toying with the idea of doing it myself for that reason. I've never done it before though. What better way to learn right?

[Serf27]

Originally Posted by Alkapwn

Toying with the idea of doing it myself for that reason. I've never done it before though. What better way to learn right?

Learn on scrap body panels.
There’s also a lot of prep work involved.
And there will be a lot of sanding and buffing afterwards to get a good finish, unless you have proper equipment and years of spraying experience.
You can definitely diy. But look at some YouTube videos and practice first before doing your own car.

[tcphoto]

I don't know if a complete respray makes financial sense on my car, it would probably cost a third of it's Private sale value. I got into detailing last summer and it makes a world of difference. Although, I have some intense swirl marks on the hood and roof which will require wet sanding and I've been procrastinating. Depending on the condition of the paint, it may be worth spending $250 on a kit or having someone do a paint correction first.

[haaken675]

If it's a car you intend to keep and simply never sell, its going to be worth it. I was quoted around $3k for a full respray and color change (nardo gray). Haven't gone through with it yet as I've been sooooo busy, but I have come to the conclusion that every shop varies so look for reputation and procing and pick the on that crosses the line at best value between the 2.

[sub150]

A good paint job is going to cost $10k and don't expect it on decent timeline.

[hokie4life03]

Originally Posted by sub150

A good paint job is going to cost $10k and don't expect it on decent timeline.

I was just quoted $5500 for a full respray and bodywork. $6100 if change out front and rear bumpers.

[mcp]

Originally Posted by sub150

A good paint job is going to cost $10k and don't expect it on decent timeline.

10k is a *great paint job on everything except exotics

you're looking at
2-3k for OK
4-6k for good
6-10k for great
10k+ for custom work/exceptional/rushed great

lower end of the rates would be cheaper easier to get paints, cash discounts, and shop choice and the expensive ones would be fancy paints, paying with credit, etc.

[Jaronbwall]

What's a good estimate for a front and rear bumper only? Does removal save any money?
These are are only parts on my car that are beat up from rock chips, and loading stuff.

[iurukov34]

following

[Serf27]

Originally Posted by Jaronbwall

What's a good estimate for a front and rear bumper only? Does removal save any money?
These are are only parts on my car that are beat up from rock chips, and loading stuff.

$800-$1000. Maybe $600 for a cheaper shop.
That’s with bumpers removed and stripped of any grills or diffusers.
If you have a lot of rock chips and all the old paint has to be completely sanded off, it could be more.

[richas]

For reference, I just got a quote of $1800 to repaint the front end, hood, and front fenders of my e91. (From a very reputable shop)
(Jet black) that includes prepping and clear coating the headlights

[hokie4life03]

Originally Posted by mcp

10k is a *great paint job on everything except exotics

you're looking at
2-3k for OK
4-6k for good
6-10k for great
10k+ for custom work/exceptional/rushed great

lower end of the rates would be cheaper easier to get paints, cash discounts, and shop choice and the expensive ones would be fancy paints, paying with credit, etc.

I am getting a second quote on Friday... I hope you're wrong but I think you're right.

[lowrydr310]

Originally Posted by Jaronbwall

What's a good estimate for a front and rear bumper only? Does removal save any money?
These are are only parts on my car that are beat up from rock chips, and loading stuff.

I bought new front and rear bumpers on ebay which were "primed and ready to paint" then took them to a local family-owned (non-franchise) body shop. It cost $300 to prep/paint/finish each bumper, so $600 total. I'm VERY pleased with the results... quality of the paint job is excellent and the color match to the sample I provided was 99.99% perfect.

Getting the bare parts painted and installing them yourself is significantly cheaper than having a shop remove and install any existing parts. It's also VERY easy to remove front and rear bumpers on the E90.

The only problem I ran into is that it made me learn that my front end, including hood, fenders, and bumper had been painted before without a perfect color match. I had the new bumpers color matched using the fuel door as a sample so the rear bumper matches perfectly and now my hood and fenders have a slightly more yellowish hue than the rest of the car, which is noticeable against the new front bumper.

I'm contemplating a full paint job to get the front end to match, and to fix two deep scratches on the passenger door... but at this point I'm not ready for that expense yet. I went through this once before investing a lot of prep time and money to do a complete paint job on a '93 Acura Integra, then literally a week later something flew off a construction truck on the highway and ruined the hood and roof.

[Jaronbwall]

lowrydr310 Excellent! Yeah $600-700 to repaint my current bumpers sounds great. I'm more than confident for removing stuff. If I can swap downpipes bumpers should be easy.
I already refinished my head lights a few weeks ago using the 3M Restoration Kit. It a great product! Used the Meguiars Headlight Sealant to complete it and protect from fading again.

[krhodes1]

Originally Posted by Jaronbwall

What's a good estimate for a front and rear bumper only? Does removal save any money?
These are are only parts on my car that are beat up from rock chips, and loading stuff.

I had the rear bumper and hatch spoiler of my e91 repainted two years ago for ~$700 at a very good bodyshop. Looks factory, perfect paint match.

Would have saved $150 to do the R&R myself, but my dumbass roommate who scratched the car was paying.