Any recent experience with RDU area body shops?

Scott Johnson · **Posted:** Tue Apr 09, 2013 10:58 am

Karl Shultz wrote:

The paint on my Mercedes is getting worse. I can see the checking beginning on the lower half - clearly this is the reason the P.O. had the work done that she did, it just took longer to show itself on the sides of the car. At this point I'm worried that to get something worthwhile, the car will have to be taken down to bare metal.

For Sale signs are cheap.

Karl Shultz · **Posted:** Tue Apr 09, 2013 4:53 pm

Charlie, what you wrote affirms my fears. Having now noticed the checking on the sides of the car, I'm quite certain this is why the top of the car was painted, and the rest not. The horizontal surfaces failed first, as they would. Now the sides are going.

Scott Johnson wrote:

Karl Shultz wrote:

The paint on my Mercedes is getting worse. I can see the checking beginning on the lower half - clearly this is the reason the P.O. had the work done that she did, it just took longer to show itself on the sides of the car. At this point I'm worried that to get something worthwhile, the car will have to be taken down to bare metal.

For Sale signs are cheap.

I've actually been considering that.

The car has 52K miles on it and is mechanically perfect. It has none of the common problems that W124s sometimes get, and those it has experienced, have been fixed. The wiring is all upgraded, the throttle body is good, the cruise control is good. The stereo works, the sunroof works, really the only thing it needs is a headliner. And paint.

The issue, of course, is that while the car is mechanically perfect and low mileage, MB nuts won't want it because of the paint problems. I bought the car short sightedly - blinded by the astoundingly low mileage - so I'm going to take a bath on it if I sell it. But I suppose that if I paint it, I'll end up losing that same money anyway.

I love the car, though, and for a daily driver, I'm not sure what else I'd get. It gets comparable real world fuel mileage to a modern Accord or Fusion, and is far more interesting than something like that. Property tax on the thing is like $50.00. :lol:

But maybe it's time.

Sigh.

RodneyWright · **Posted:** Tue Apr 09, 2013 5:36 pm

hummm, need to start thinking about cars that Karl would like to drive. What about an Audi S4/A4 or a C class Merc? I don't know if you're a ford guy, but the new '13 mustangs look very nice. I don't know Karl, you're hard to buy for =)

Scott Johnson · **Posted:** Tue Apr 09, 2013 7:50 pm

RodneyWright wrote:

hummm, need to start thinking about cars that Karl would like to drive. What about an Audi S4/A4 or a C class Merc? I don't know if you're a ford guy, but the new '13 mustangs look very nice. I don't know Karl, you're hard to buy for =)

Karl already did the Audi S4. It scared him in many, many ways.

Why not just let the MB be a daily *beater*. Have a nice car as a garage queen and one that you just get to drive, paint be damned. Or, convert it to an IT car.

DickRasmussen · **Posted:** Wed Apr 10, 2013 8:36 am

Karl,

It is really pretty simple.

Figure out all costs associated with several more years with the Merc including a "decent" paint job.

Estimate what the total cost of ownership would be for anything new or newer that you would be willing to own/drive.

My guess is that if the Merc doesn't surprise you with significant repair costs that it will be the least expensive acceptable option for several years . . . assuming you would keep it that long.

However, if the time is rapidly approaching to "move on", then start shopping.

Easy for me to say since I buy new and keep almost forever. I hate the car payments on the 2013 Mustang I hardly drive but it was "time" and I love the car. :lol:

Dick

Karl Shultz · **Posted:** Wed Apr 10, 2013 4:25 pm

Scott Johnson wrote:

Why not just let the MB be a daily *beater*. Have a nice car as a garage queen and one that you just get to drive, paint be damned. Or, convert it to an IT car.

Mostly because I haven't had a car payment in about 8 years, and I'd like to keep it that way. Sell the Merc and buy the nicest $5000-7500 Miata I can find seems like a reasonable strategy.

DickRasmussen wrote:

Karl,

It is really pretty simple.

Figure out all costs associated with several more years with the Merc including a "decent" paint job.

Estimate what the total cost of ownership would be for anything new or newer that you would be willing to own/drive.

My guess is that if the Merc doesn't surprise you with significant repair costs that it will be the least expensive acceptable option for several years . . . assuming you would keep it that long.

However, if the time is rapidly approaching to "move on", then start shopping.

Unfortunately it's not quite so simple.

I don't think there's such a thing as a cheap paint job when you have to take a car all the way down to the metal. My guess is that I'll have to do exactly that if I want the paint to stay put.

Meanwhile, there are many gremlins associated with these cars that I have yet to enjoy. That's a big part of why I bought a low mileage, well maintained car, but this stuff is often age related. Just like my knee, no matter how well I take care of it, the creaking that developed last month just won't go away.

It could also be a case of shiny-new-thing-itis. :oops:

jeremy gast · **Posted:** Wed Apr 10, 2013 4:53 pm

Karl you need to park your wifes car and ride the bike for a few days she is gone. You wont think about the paint any more!!!!

DickRasmussen · **Posted:** Wed Apr 10, 2013 6:49 pm

Karl Shultz wrote:

Unfortunately it's not quite so simple.

I don't think there's such a thing as a cheap paint job when you have to take a car all the way down to the metal. My guess is that I'll have to do exactly that if I want the paint to stay put.

Meanwhile, there are many gremlins associated with these cars that I have yet to enjoy. That's a big part of why I bought a low mileage, well maintained car, but this stuff is often age related. Just like my knee, no matter how well I take care of it, the creaking that developed last month just won't go away.

It could also be a case of shiny-new-thing-itis. :oops:

How long would a "decent" non bare metal paint job last if you assume 3 years is the max you would risk with the other possible problems? If you sell/trade the car what are the chances that is what would happen if it isn't crushed?

We are fighting the age related stuff with our 88 camper van (and ourselves

). There is NO way we can afford/justify a new Class B (the ONLY size we want) so we are trying to make this one and the open trailer versus the enclosed trailer I want last until I'm too old to deal with CM anymore, even as an also ran. :lol:

Good luck!

Scott Johnson · **Posted:** Wed Apr 10, 2013 8:29 pm

S2000's are getting cheap, get one of those!

Karl Shultz · **Posted:** Wed Apr 24, 2013 10:44 pm

Update: I think I found my place.

MikeWhitney wrote:

Karl I had my WRX painted at Cary Auto Body on recommendation from others for a decent cheap paint job, and I think I got a 100% decent cheap paint job. $900 for a respray of 1/2 of the car. Shiny paint and good coverage with some runs and a not-great color match on a hard-to-match color. For a cheap 10 year old car I thought it was just fine. Something to consider. Fyi I did bring the car to them basically disassembled. And they did put a couple of scuffs on the windows. Again, in non-OCD perspective I had no complaints for the price. Just wish the color match had been a bit better, but it still looked great to 9/10 people.

Mike, I went to see Mark at Cary Auto Body, and that place seems like exactly what I'm looking for. I showed him the rust and gave him the entire backstory. His first quote was $2800. I then asked him if he'd work with me if I stripped the car for him, and he said "sure!" If I can get it stripped as well as I think, I have the job down to about $1800 including fixing the rust and painting the entire car, with the bumpers and the cladding off. Pretty good.

The tricky bit is going to be getting that cladding off. It's held on with 20 year old plastic clips, and we all know how well that goes. Fortunately, the Merc is up to one of the Whitney standards of buying cars - it's well supported on the Internet. The 500E guys in particular have done everything:

http://www.500eboard.com/forums/showthr ... g-amp-Trim

So, I think that's that. I had just about talked myself into selling it and buying a Miata. Or something super dumb like a 944 S or an early Boxster.

BriceJohnson · **Joined:** Thu Apr 13, 2006 7:33 am **Posts:** 2230

almost every panel on my mazda has been painted by Cary Auto Body at some point, and only in very specific light can you spot which two panels are the OEM paint. I've been happy with their work, and Mark will work with you to get the quality and price balance you're looking for.

Karl Shultz · **Posted:** Thu Oct 22, 2015 4:05 pm

Bumpity bump bump.

Some dingaling ran into my wife's 328i. It's limited to bumper damage, but I need to get some estimates done by a pro. She's really upset and I want it to be good as new. Who do we like these days? Seems like it changes all the time.

The guy who painted my MB did a great job, but he's really far away, out in Efland.

RodneyWright · **Posted:** Mon Dec 21, 2015 10:22 am

Following this post and the remarks about Cary Autobody. When I click on the link it looks like it's now Cary Collision. Is that still the same company or have they changed hands? The same folks still working there? I'm going to hit up Estes over on hiway 50 since that's a stones throw from me and they've done good work in the past for me. Since this is for Pam's BMW, this needs to be done right.

RodneyWright · **Posted:** Mon Dec 21, 2015 3:55 pm

Has anyone dealt w/ Gerber in Garner? Amica recommended them for the work. Looked on line and didn't find many comments, but of the 2 I saw, both were positive.

jeremy gast · **Posted:** Mon Dec 21, 2015 5:06 pm

Talk and deal with Ernie if you have a choice.

RodneyWright wrote:

Has anyone dealt w/ Gerber in Garner? Amica recommended them for the work. Looked on line and didn't find many comments, but of the 2 I saw, both were positive.

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Any recent experience with RDU area body shops?

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