Problems with my painter, question for painters?!
Tourer
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 404
Likes: 1
From: Athens, Georgia
I probably wouldn't expect a great paint job for $1000, I am in the process of trying to find someone to paint my bike now, 03 Ultra, without a tour pack most guys want $4000-UP for show quality work with any graphics at all, and yes, I was shocked the first quote I got. I think the guys like 5151 get $8-10K for a paint job. gs
Road Master
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 954
Likes: 3
From: Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
I'm thinking for a thousand dollars you probably got what you paid for. Around here the average for a decent paint job for the entire bike, not counting a tour pak, starts around the $2000-2500 range. I'm not saying you couldn't get a better deal from a personal friend, but $1000 is dirt cheap!
Road Warrior
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,519
Likes: 2
From: St. Augustine Florida
1st. I would get the rest of the parts back
2nd. I would explain face to face why the check did not clear
3rd. Take the deposit as a loss and lesson learned.
As gbulldog said...the original cost would have thrown up flags. I had a 2001 RK painted that was in pretty decent shape, standard road pebbles a few minor scratches. Final cost was $3500.00 for a decent 1 solid color paint job. I could have spent up to $8600.00 but it was just not in the cards at that particular time.
Good luck with this and let us know how it resolves it'self.
2nd. I would explain face to face why the check did not clear
3rd. Take the deposit as a loss and lesson learned.
As gbulldog said...the original cost would have thrown up flags. I had a 2001 RK painted that was in pretty decent shape, standard road pebbles a few minor scratches. Final cost was $3500.00 for a decent 1 solid color paint job. I could have spent up to $8600.00 but it was just not in the cards at that particular time.
Good luck with this and let us know how it resolves it'self.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 1,282
Likes: 2
From: Yukon, OK
I also tried to give a guy a chance and got screwed, i ended up taking all my stuff to a guy 120 miles away that was good at cars and was wanting to break into the bike world and i told him up front about my last guy and he said dont worry about it....he took my bags and beafed up the side and bottom and the job turned out awsome...he did basic black with red rassburry flames on the bat wing and the tank, the dang paint looks a foot deep when you look at it, and it cost less than 1500.
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 125
Likes: 1
From:
well I am having him fix it, if all else fails, I am out a total of $800 right now. I got a really good guy (whose work I have seen) who said he would do the same thing I got (but right) for around $2800. That is pretty cheap considering I know a bunch of people that had stuff painted by him and it's amazing!
Road Master
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 858
Likes: 0
From: around
if he's right about it being his paint gun chems, then the others are right. They're fish eyes and no amount of color sanding and buffing will help that. The parts will have to be stripped and resprayed because the fisheyes won't buff out because they'll be all the way through the clear. If you take them to a very talented painter and have the same paint, he/she might be able to repair small sections of the parts.
Cruiser
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 195
Likes: 0
From: MN
JU
Tourer
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 270
Likes: 2
From:
All kidding aside, get your stuff back and pay a quality painter to remove and repaint. I would expect the first painter will hold your tank until you fork over something. I have done my share of painting, and sometimes even the cleanest shops will have dirt, I once had a little curly hair show up, My first HVLP gun orange peeled the clear. I am not sticking up for the first painter, I always used fisheye eleminator to the paint. I don't even know if they still do that. I haven't painted in like 10 yrs.
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 3,364
Likes: 33
From: So Cal The Golden State
WOW, You are going to give this guy grief for $1000.00. You did not look at his portfolio. You got what yoou paid for. He should wet sand and fix bubbles. But $1000.00 No offense but you are the type of customers I don't want. And if you did not like why did you take the some of the stuff home.
Cruiser
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 140
Likes: 0
From: boston ma.
my advice is as follows.
cut and run from this painter. you said there were problems in the clear coat ....AND....the design work. thats 2 strikes and this aint baseball.
only hire a painter who's work you have seen personally. touch, look, feel, and after talking with at least a few of his customers. ask them how dealing with the painter was and how they liked their job.
ive had over half a dozen bikes custom painted. the books dont cut it. the guy who paints my bikes now has a list of names a foot long,,,he says call them ,,go see them,,, thats the kind of thing ya want. having your bike painted is a really personal and intimate thing for most of us. ya need someone ya trust really well and feel confident about.
custom painters are a dime a dozen.............................the good ones are not ! expect to pay top money for a top quality job.
cut and run from this painter. you said there were problems in the clear coat ....AND....the design work. thats 2 strikes and this aint baseball.
only hire a painter who's work you have seen personally. touch, look, feel, and after talking with at least a few of his customers. ask them how dealing with the painter was and how they liked their job.
ive had over half a dozen bikes custom painted. the books dont cut it. the guy who paints my bikes now has a list of names a foot long,,,he says call them ,,go see them,,, thats the kind of thing ya want. having your bike painted is a really personal and intimate thing for most of us. ya need someone ya trust really well and feel confident about.
custom painters are a dime a dozen.............................the good ones are not ! expect to pay top money for a top quality job.
Last edited by heavy K; Mar 28, 2009 at 03:39 PM.