Ordering Pre-Painted Autobody Parts Versus Using a Paint Shop

When it’s time to paint your vehicle—or a portion of it—it’s natural to want two things: factory-matched paint and services that are provided at a reasonable price.

The question is, what’s the best way to make both of these things happen?

Traditional Paint Job

Car and Driver provides estimates of the average costs of traditional paint jobs for vehicles. The article points out how there are national chains that can slap on a coat of paint for a few hundred bucks. That might satisfy your budget. They warn, though, that “there are plenty of potential pitfalls to slapping a cheapo paint job on your car or truck. For starters, the quality of the paint might not match what was originally used on your car.”

They also note how most newer vehicles have a clear-coat finish on them, as well. So, this can easily boost the price of a basic paint job to over a thousand dollars.

If you’ve got an older vehicle, one where you aren’t hoping to sell it for a reasonable price in the future, a less expensive job could work. Having said, that, a full third of people who went for the cheaper option at a paint shop were unhappy with how their vehicles looked afterwards. To begin to obtain the kind of vehicle repainting that led to showroom-level satisfaction, consumers paid at least $2,500—with an average amount spent being nearly $5,000

Here’s something else to consider with a traditional paint job. If there’s a problem with the body, say rust and dings, then painting over the problems is a short-term solution at best. For a paint job that will make your vehicle one you’re proud to drive and show off, these imperfections and issues need to be addressed before any paint is applied. And that will, naturally enough, cost more money.

Pre-Painted Autobody Parts

Let’s say you’re looking for factory-matched painted fenders but wonder if they really will match the rest of your car. Perhaps you’ve always gone the traditional route of going to a shop but are now exploring ways to save time and money. Will the quality really be good?

Well, it depends. As in any industry, different companies have different standards about the quality of materials they use and the time and attention they give to their work. So, it’s important to pick a company that provides the quality you deserve.

Here’s what one customer said about us on Google Reviews, a review where we received five out of five stars:

Positive: Professionalism, Punctuality, Quality, Value

We needed to replace a front bumper cover for a 2008 Toyota 4Runner. The main problem was we could not find one that was painted. Came across Paint a Part and found not only the extract bumper, but they provided the ability to order it painted. They are reasonably priced, so gave them a shot. Bumper arrived in about a week. Matched color perfectly. Excellent service and we would recommend them.

Here's another five-star review:

I have had an excellent experience with Paint A Party. Bought the front and rear bumper for a 2006 Honda that had been seriously modified before it came into my possession. It took about 3 hours total time to make the transformation from a beat up 14-year-old car to a really nice Honda Accord that looks as if it drove off the showroom floor. Really impressed with the quality of the workmanship as well as the prompt delivery. Would recommend them to anyone.