Levi KeswickMany people buy their cars from dealers, no questions asked. Over time, though, the exterior paint fades, chips, or rusts, which can ruin its performance and cosmetics. That’s where repainting your car comes in handy. However, before undergoing this project, here’s what to know before you repaint your car so that you know what to expect.
Time
As with any automotive project, it takes time to paint a car. Whether you want to tackle it yourself or use a vehicle paint shop, expect a week-long project. It’s not as simple as spraying new car paint over your vehicle. A new paint job requires fading, oxidation, and treatment over the previous layers. You want a smooth, even finish. But this takes time and dedication to achieve. Prep work and finishing touches also feed into the project’s length, so don’t be surprised if it takes a little longer than expected. It’s better to wait and have the car paint you want than rush things and risk disaster.
Do You Need To Repaint?
Not everyone needs to repaint their car. New car paint jobs fall under three main categories: renovation, resale, and personal value. For many car owners, the purpose of a new paint job is to fix minor scratches and dents. In that case, it’s best to go with the original factory exterior paint color to keep the original appearance. Note that new paint doesn’t fix everything, and fresh paint can actually highlight problem areas. Inspect your car beforehand and make necessary repairs before freshening the exterior. Resale and personal taste repainting involve more cosmetic changes. These can help increase resale or personal value depending on your wants. While not as necessary as a renovation paint job, you should still keep them in mind.
Resale Value
Of course, with that in mind, resale value is a crucial part of what to know before you repaint your car. Aesthetics play a large role in a car’s value. Chipped or peeled paint can reduce the market value regardless of the vehicle’s overall condition. Repainting your vehicle increases demand and freshens up the look. Just as renovating a house makes it more valuable for resale, refreshing an older automobile with fresh paint makes it more appealing to dealers or private buyers.
Personal Tastes
There’s also nothing wrong with changing the paint color for personal tastes. Not every dealer offers the car color you want unless you specifically order it. Even then, there’s no guarantee you’ll get what you desire. Given how most auto manufacturers only offer six base colors (black, blue, red, white, silver, and grey), you may want to repaint your automobile. You can take it to a paint shop to get a unique hue, such as dark brown, orange, yellow, or purple. If you don’t plan to sell or trade-in your car anytime soon and want something unique to your tastes, don’t be afraid to get a new paint job with the color you want.
