Thats a typical maaco job. They're notorious for crappy jobs and I think there are actually websites dedicated to bad Maaco jobs. Good luck getting any of your money back.

I don't want to sound overly negative here, but you didn't honestly think this was going to be a good job did you? Anytime I have ever had paint quotes, they have all been in the $4K - $5K range to do a entire vehicle and this wasn't even for anything "custom". Even if you paid an extra one or two hundred dollars, it would still have been crappy.

Put this in perspective. What do you get for $200 now days...

About three tanks of gas.
Groceries for a month.
Very basic, straight forward auto repairs with minimal parts.
Utilities for a month.
A fraction of the rent or mortgage.

There is no way a body shop is going to put any materials or time into a two hundred dollar paint job. They still have a profit to make and MIGHT put $120 worth of materials and labour into this.

I recently visited a couple of shops with decent reputations and was told the average is $400.00/panel.

Take plenty of pictures to prove your case before you try to fix anything.

Pay them with a credit card and then file a claim against them.
The credit card company will letigate for you.
I make all purchases with a credit card and then pay it off each month.
This way if anything ever goes wrong there is a record of the transaction and the credit card company handles all disputes for you.

Maaco is known for their horrible prep. if you had taken off the license plate, molding, headlights, taillights, spoiler, etc... you would have a far better job.

yeah, i hear to do almost all the prep work yourself and even to tape and mask it up in the parking lot when you get there before they paint it.

ive only heard of a very very few maaco jobs that have ever been decent. :?

I may have came out better if he had preped, but that'* beside the point, the point is that is their job, not his. IMO, if you have the capabilities to prep it yourself, you should also be able to paint it yourself, then why did you go there in the first place? And messing with his radio? That'* just plain not being professional IMO. Or maybe i'm wrong, who knows.

IMO that'* vandalism. They destroyed private property. At the least, they painted portions without his consent I don't know. I'd never go there. My buddy and I just rattle can any rust spots. As for the radio...speaking from a repair tech standpoint, the only unprofessional part was that they didn't change the stereo back when the car was done. It'* only wrong if you're caught, and they got caught!

ha, vandalism. i wish but since he took it there and gave them permission to paint it thats pretty much out the window. but the radio, what are you gunna do? it happens in most shops, unprofessional, yes, but you cant do anything about it. the place i go to just turns off my radio, and i dont care.

I don't know what I'd do. There'* a really low cost place very close to me where 1337ssei and his family members constantly get very high quality paint jobs. For $150, his dad will get a black Grand Am wetsanded with all clearcoat flakes fixed and trim peelings put back. It'* a great deal, I think. 1337ssei'* car was fixed for $700 when his uncle backed into him and dented a door or two. He at that time also had his bumpers repainted, as I believe, and there was some painting done elsewhere. Not sure where.

For a $200 paint job, you shouldn't deal with overspray. You should always have less paint than more for such a low cost. This is terrible, and may Maaco go out of business for their shoddy workmanship. And what'* with the manager locking himself in the office? What a douche!