Paintjob time - any advice?, Getting a Maaco job Options

[GriffGirl]

Okay, so here's the deal– my hood is badly faded and the bumper has mad rock chips. Someone opened up a Maaco not too far from me and is having a special on their "Supreme" Paint Service, so I'm going to take advantage of it and have my car painted. I'm keeping it silver, but am changing the silver from Alpine Silver (Maaco calls it Silver Metallic) to a silver that's a tad darker and has more metallic flake in it. I can't remember the name of the color.

I know there are things to be aware of, such as removing whatever I want removed and not taped off, etc. I figure a moderately sh1tty paint job will look better than the way my paint looks now. The guy @ Maaco warned me that with a single-stage paint, there's a greater chance of flaws. When I asked "like what" he said there could be some orange peel, even some dirt. DIRT!? WTF? I'm not expecting a $2k paint job for what I'm paying here, but dirt!?

Lastly, I have a crack in my bumper. Maaco wants $180 to repair it. If I had the $180 to repair it I'd just replace the whole bumper. (anyone in the PNW have a bumper for me! ) So I'll repair it myself. I know it won't be top notch, but I can do the best I can with whatever guidance you 6GCers might have to offer me! Current photo of the crack can be taken/posted if that would help.

What prep work can I do myself? What things can I do before hand to get the most out of the Maaco job? What can I do once I get the car back from being painted, to "help it along" and make it look as good as possible?

[GriffGirl]

read me!

[dgbldr]

read me!

Bumper repair: if it's not cut through, use flex epoxy as filler. For example Bondo 806. If it's cut through, put a patch on the back first. Cut a piece of fiberglass cloth to cover the cut and 1-2" further in all directions. Mix some flex epoxy and work it into the fiberglass, saturating the patch, then apply. Area must first be roughed up slightly for adhesion or wiped down with acetone.

As far as bodywork, sanding, etc. if you haven't done a lot of it or have someone to help you through, it's tough. Get a scrap body part to practice on or take a bodywork class at a local community college, etc. It's not a DIY job you can read through like changing your clutch. It requires considerable experience to look right.