OK, daft question. How much does a total respray cost?

OK, daft question. How much does a total respray cost?

Author
Discussion

Brian Lacey

Original Poster:

198 posts

205 months

Wednesday 15th June 2022
quotequote all
As title, daft question time.
A small/middling size SUV (Audi sq2, VW T-roc etc). Ticks all the boxes but wife wants a different colour !!!
I have no idea what a respray for the whole car would be, so 3 to 4K£ ?????
Just give me a ball park figure if possible.
Thanks
Brian.

Jimmy No Hands

5,011 posts

157 months

Wednesday 15th June 2022
quotequote all
Wrap it. Be much cheaper and reversible if necessary. A full respray would (in my experience) be around £3k at a reputable place, yes.

Earthdweller

13,595 posts

127 months

Wednesday 15th June 2022
quotequote all
Brian Lacey said:
As title, daft question time.
A small/middling size SUV (Audi sq2, VW T-roc etc). Ticks all the boxes but wife wants a different colour !!!
I have no idea what a respray for the whole car would be, so 3 to 4K£ ?????
Just give me a ball park figure if possible.
Thanks
Brian.
Wow

scratchchinrofl

The simple answer .. yes dear in three years time you can pick whatever colour you like for the next one

thumbup


GroundEffect

13,844 posts

157 months

Wednesday 15th June 2022
quotequote all
What a waste of several thousands.

Uggers

2,223 posts

212 months

Wednesday 15th June 2022
quotequote all
To be fair I can see where the wife is coming from.

Colour choices for cars these days offer 100 different shades of grey.

I'd get it wrapped as an easy solution that can be reversed. Just make sure you go to a reputable one.

MattyD803

1,723 posts

66 months

Wednesday 15th June 2022
quotequote all
Brian Lacey said:
As title, daft question time.
A small/middling size SUV (Audi sq2, VW T-roc etc). Ticks all the boxes but wife wants a different colour !!!
I have no idea what a respray for the whole car would be, so 3 to 4K£ ?????
Just give me a ball park figure if possible.
Thanks
Brian.
I know you want a 'ball park'.....but the size of the playing field is very very large to entertain such a question.....things you would need to advise:

Type of paint finish (Flat, metallic, satin, pearl etc)
Any repairs / dings needing sorted at same time?
Engine Out?
Door jambs?
Windows / Sunroof out?

My estimate would be £12-15k for something that is presentable as a 'factory-finished' car, including engine bay and door shuts. For £3k, you'll get a quick back street 'blow over' which will be peeling around the window rubbers within months, a non colour matched engine bay and door jambs and a general finish full of orange peel / imperfections. It would also devalue the vehicle massively.....not to mention rid you of any body warranty provided by the manufacturer (usually 10 years).

With all due respect, those make/models of car are ten a penny.....so either buy one in an acceptable colour or get it properly wrapped....but your probably still looking at £3-5k for the latter anyway....and the same thing about de-valuing the vehicle potentially applies, plus insurance headaches etc.

Matt

Pistom

4,978 posts

160 months

Wednesday 15th June 2022
quotequote all
Brian - have you considered changing your wife for one who likes the colour of the car - it could be a cheaper and more satisfactory option.

Alternatively - if you still have sentimental attachments to your wife, change the car.

Respraying to a different colour will always leave you with some kind of compromise.

Even a wrap has issues.

wpa1975

8,840 posts

115 months

Wednesday 15th June 2022
quotequote all
Agree with other posters, just wrap it.

A full respray could be £10k if done to a high standard with a colour change plus even then the engine bay will be a different colour.

Brian Lacey

Original Poster:

198 posts

205 months

Wednesday 15th June 2022
quotequote all
Thanks for instant response.
I am of the age when once upon a time cars came in all sorts of colours and tones, now it is black, grey, sometimes white or blue. Neither of us is over keen on any of these.
The car will be a 'keeper", I expect to own it from 2/3k miles to 150K, that will be years and years so over that length of time a colour change is not such a stupid idea.
Hadn't thought of wrapping, will have a look at that.
Cheers
Brian.

vikingaero

10,379 posts

170 months

Wednesday 15th June 2022
quotequote all
It's not a classic or supercar.

I have a couple of bodyshops that I've used over the years. Obviously £15k would get you a complete engine out colour. £3-5k should get you a very high quality respray with door shuts, but not engine bay done. And the best guy I have is a retired ex-bodywork chap who has his own spraybooth on his land and did a full Audi A4 which had been keyed for £2k. It took 2 weeks for him to do it as he's not the fastest, but only checking I think we only found 1 tiny inclusion.

Driver101

14,376 posts

122 months

Wednesday 15th June 2022
quotequote all
Brian Lacey said:
Thanks for instant response.
I am of the age when once upon a time cars came in all sorts of colours and tones, now it is black, grey, sometimes white or blue. Neither of us is over keen on any of these.
The car will be a 'keeper", I expect to own it from 2/3k miles to 150K, that will be years and years so over that length of time a colour change is not such a stupid idea.
Hadn't thought of wrapping, will have a look at that.
Cheers
Brian.
What colour does she want? There's a yellow SQ2 on AT now if she's looking for a bold colour.

Ordering new can't you request a different colour through Audi? I've seen brand new Audis in bright pink.

I wouldn't think about respraying a nearly new car. Equally a wrap doesn't look as good as a paint finish and they don't last forever either.

georgeyboy12345

3,524 posts

36 months

Wednesday 15th June 2022
quotequote all
Just tell your wife to stop being so silly

Shnozz

27,502 posts

272 months

Wednesday 15th June 2022
quotequote all
Buy your wife a pair of tinted glasses in whatever colour she wants the car.

Julian Thompson

2,549 posts

239 months

Wednesday 15th June 2022
quotequote all
Life is short. Paint the car the colour you want and enjoy having something unique. As long as you choose something really nice I’m sure you’ll find someone to buy it later, it just means you won’t be able to use “we buy any car” style outfits for disposal because it won’t be “normal”.

Couple of points though. Firstly, think about how hard this new finish is to match if it needs work. Some of these new triple layer paints are a flipping nightmare and end up having to have many panels painted to blend repair work. Check with your paint guy about this and go in forewarned.

Secondly, since you’ll have a perfect car once it’s done consider the PPF stuff to protect it. A full clear layer will cost a fair bit but eliminates stone chips and minor scrapes. Might be worth considering/factoring in.


Jonny TVR

4,534 posts

282 months

Wednesday 15th June 2022
quotequote all
change car or wife or both

SkodaIan

717 posts

86 months

Wednesday 15th June 2022
quotequote all
If the colour is so important, why not pick the car by colour rather than make or model?
Although VWs and Audis only seem to come in boring colours, other makes aren't so limited. Of cars of a similar type, I've seen quite a few Peugeot 2008s in bright colours and the Kia Soul and Stonic has some pretty decent bright colour choices too. If she wants something from VAG, based on what I've seen on the road, Seat seem to offer the best colour range though even then it's a bit of a case of black, dark blue, grey, white or orange.

Emeye

9,773 posts

224 months

Wednesday 15th June 2022
quotequote all
It amazes me how many threads on PH attract posters who want to be critical of the OP's life style choice, rather than just answering the fking question.

As others have said, it is worth checking with some of the manufacturers and ask how much for a customer order colour on a new car - I am sure Audi and BMW used to do it for a few grand - probably cheaper than a full respray and you end up with a factory finish.

A guy I knew wanted a white Range Rover sport for his missus, but he couldn't find a white one - he just bought another colour and wrapped it. It looked ok from 10 feet away, but not great up close.

MattyD803

1,723 posts

66 months

Wednesday 15th June 2022
quotequote all
Brian Lacey said:
Thanks for instant response.
I am of the age when once upon a time cars came in all sorts of colours and tones, now it is black, grey, sometimes white or blue. Neither of us is over keen on any of these.
The car will be a 'keeper", I expect to own it from 2/3k miles to 150K, that will be years and years so over that length of time a colour change is not such a stupid idea.
Hadn't thought of wrapping, will have a look at that.
Cheers
Brian.
I am not sure if you've already got said car, but I am sure I have seen the T-Roc in funky green's, Q2's in yellow and reds? PErhaps mistaken, but are there maybe certain years/models that might get you the splash of colour you are after?

Zetec-S

5,890 posts

94 months

Wednesday 15th June 2022
quotequote all
Different colours will be rarer, but will be out there. If you have to pay a premium for one in the colour you want just do that, rather than messing around with a respray.

Painting a car is one of the first things they do in the factory, so trying to achieve anything like the same quality without stripping it down again will be impossible.

Wrapping might be an option, but it won't last 5-10 years / 150k miles without getting tatty. So factor in 1 or 2 replacement wraps in that time too.

liner33

10,695 posts

203 months

Wednesday 15th June 2022
quotequote all
MattyD803 said:
My estimate would be £12-15k for something that is presentable as a 'factory-finished' car, including engine bay and door shuts. For £3k, you'll get a quick back street 'blow over' which will be peeling around the window rubbers within months, a non colour matched engine bay and door jambs and a general finish full of orange peel / imperfections. It would also devalue the vehicle massively.....not to mention rid you of any body warranty provided by the manufacturer (usually 10 years).
Depends on where in the UK you are I'd say and where you go. My £3k job on my Skyline was pretty good a couple of years ago now

However I wouldn't entertain doing it on a run-of-the-mill car , wouldn't even wrap it as that's £2-£3k for a decent job, just buy one the colour you like