Maaco They charged to strip the paint to bare metal, but did not do it. Mechanicsburg Pennsylvania
I had a 79 camaro painted by MAACO and I had asked for the paint to be completely stripped. They charged extra for this service. A year later, the paint went bad due to them not stripping the old paint.
When I went back to complain and wanted my money back, the manager blatantly lied by saying it is out of his hands because someone else must have owned the franchise when it was done.
When I called MAACO corporate, they said they have nothing to do with individual franchises.
I have since let as many people know how MAACO is a RIP OFF! Please pass the word.
Joe
Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania
U.S.A.
3 Updates & Rebuttals
Dave
Jacksonville,Florida,
U.S.A.
Joe
#4Consumer Comment
Fri, January 26, 2007
Robert is correct, unless you had a Laquer paint job, which does tend to crack over time. If it was laquer, then yes, the car must be completely stripped of laquer paint and primer before re-shooting, otherwise the cracks will show up again within a year or less. I restore classic cars, and do know this happens all the time. However, laquer is not that common anymore, and was used all the time until the late 60s. But, you never know.
He is also correct - NEVER TAKE YOUR CAR TO MAACO if you want a quality paint job!
Joe
Mechanicsburg,Pennsylvania,
U.S.A.
Of course you would want to strip it to bare metal
#4Author of original report
Fri, January 26, 2007
The car was a 79 Camaro with 21,000 miles, NO RUST. The paint was all cracked up on all the top surfaces - deep cracks - and you could see it starting to form on the sides. Of course you would want all that taken down to bare metal, just like any reputable paint shop would do. And if they say they will, and charge you for it, then the reputable ones will in fact do what they are charging you for. Not MAACO. Had they done this, the deep cracks would not have shown up again after a year, and further checking showed the original paint still there under their work.
Robert
Jacksonville,Florida,
U.S.A.
Why would you want the car stripped to metal?
#4Consumer Comment
Fri, January 26, 2007
This is the LAST thing you would want done. The factory paint is the best primer coat you'll ever get, as long as the vehicle isn't a rust heap. If it is, replace the panels. The new panels come with a primer coat, and you do not strip them.
Bringing a car down to the steel is the worst possible thing you can do. It allows rust to form immediately. Auto manufacturers prevent the rust from forming via electrical current. The primer is shot on, and the current is removed. I have never seen a paint shop do this.
If the paint "fell off", it's not because it wasn't sprayed on bare metal. It's because the paint was improperly applied. If the paint lost it's shine(oxidation), it's because the clearcoat was never applied. I'll assume it's the latter, as it takes about a year for this issue to show up. There is a simple fix though. Take the car to another shop. Have them buff the paint and then shoot a clearcoat. Without the clearcoat, the paint will just get worse.
Keep in mind, you went to MAACO. A paint shop that charges several thousand dollars for a paint job will do it correctly. One that charges a few hundred will not.