Just a quick note on Paint:
I recently got a quote from the PPG paint store in my area for 1 gallon
of metallic "Deltron" 2 part with clearcoat. FOR JUST THE PAINT THEY
QUOTED $595.00. PPG makes less expensive paint that would be about
$200.00 for the amount necessary to paint a Vanagon.

Dupont also makes excellent paint that should last forever. I have a
15year old car that rarely sees a garage with some 10 year old Dupont
paint on some panels, original factory paint on others and some new
Dupont on yet more panels. It has held up excellent. The best DuPont
will probably cost as much as the best PPG. A pro shop can probably give
you excellent paint for less than the above price because they blend it
themselves and only blend what they actually intend to shoot.

The most important thing to find out when getting a affordable quote
from a body shop is what quality of paint will they use. The second most
important... Scatch that: the most important thing is the "prep".

Well with all that said, I agree with Brent on being scared of Maaco or
Earl Scheib. I once had an aquaintence in a body shop tell me that his
cost (yes his cost) for materials was more than Earl would charge for
the whole paint job.

Respectfully submitted,
JB

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On Behalf
Of Brent Weide's Yahoo Account
Sent: Tuesday, October 18, 2005 7:48 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Affordable Auto Painters in Portland, Oregon area. Anyone?

I've just gotten jacked around by the second auto body shop in the
Portland area.
North West Auto Care bumped their estimate by $300 (from $405 to 690)
after missing their duedate twice and after they'd had the parts for
three weeks and I had prepped and delivered my 91 Multivan body cladding
to them for paint.
Looking for affordable painters who do decent quality work. I'm scared
of Maaco and Earl Schweib, heard too many stories. Seems like the bigger
shops are not interested in this type of work.

---------------------------------

Brent
Portland, Oregon
1991 MultiVan Westy
VW Vanagon Resto

Brent Weide
Portland, Oregon
http://www.weidefamily.net/vanagon/