Tank Painting

Hey All,

Just a general Question here, how much should I look at spending to get my tank painted??? There's minimal rust underneath and the inside looks clean... The frame has some slight rust, I can attempt that myself based on other threads, but the tank is a bit more visible and want it to look halfways decent. Thanks for any info.

Mars.

 

There is a guy on Ebay that is reasonable and some of his pics look pretty good. Price varies according to demand .Usually around $200.

 

I made the mistake of taking my tank to my local Maaco shop.

Guy quoted me $100 if I stripped the tank for him. He went on about chemical strippers, licensing of his employees, etc. That should have been my first clue.

So, he said if I stripped it with chemical, there would be no problem.

I brought him a completely stripped, down to the metal tank. I thought it couldn't be any easier, right? Wrong!

It took him a week, and when I picked it up, it was not completely dry. Also, there were bubbles and lint in the paint, in the top, and it looked bad. The orange peel was so bad on the sides that I would be afraid to take the tank into a grocery store because the oranges would be jealous!

He thought it looked "great!" But, offered to "polish" it up for me to get out the flaws, but I had to bring it back to him, mounted on the bike because he didn't have a way to hold the tank while polishing it. WTF? Heck, I thought, I could have painted it in my garage with rattle cans, and have it look this bad!!

He said that if it is mounted on the bike, it is easier to polish because the tank won't move around. I am thinking that people paint tanks and side covers all the time, off the bike with no problems. Also, doesn't he have some kind of "jig" or something to hold a tank? He's Maaco for heaven's sake!

Long story long, from 3 feet away, it looks good. See the post in the XJ Chat named, "Tank Badges," and you will see how good the tank looks from 3 or more feet away. But when you are sitting in the saddle, you can see the flaws.

I was tempted to ask him what he would charge me to paint the tank correctly, but I thought to leave well enough alone. If that is the best he can do, well, then, that is the best he can do.

He won't get any more of my business or recommendations, that's for sure!

Yeah, I know, I got what I paid for...

 

He never learned a basic business rule. If you treat a customer good, he will tell 10 people. If you treat him bad he will tell 100 people and that was before the internet!

 

A-men Yamasarus!

Actually, I kinda lied.

If ANYBODY asks who painted my tank, I will tell them Maaco in Bryan, Texas!

 

I had a pickup painted at Maaco about 20 years ago. Had runs and sags all over. Took it back and they did it again, a little better so gave up. Figured if they couldn't get it right in 2 tries the third wouldn't likely ge a lot better.

 

Right NOW ...

Right freakin' NOW ... is the best time to get your bike painted.

The trick is to do all the PREP and bring to a Body Shop ... Parts that are READY to Paint. Ready...to...paint.

Do an "Under-the-table" Deal for CASH and somebody is going to be very happy to stay a couple hours after closing to blow-on some paint for you.

Christmas Bonus for two.

It takes some smooth talking and you have to be bold ... but, if you walk-in with an envelope full of small bills and a few 20's, here and there, somebody is going to eyeball your cash-stash and offer to blow-on some color with that cash going from the envelope ... out the door ... in his pocket after your parts are sprayed with color.

1. The parts need to be ready for the spray booth.
2. You need to bring along a can of the color to get blown-on.
(Or, have him show you what colors they have "left-over".)
3. You need to sell him the idea of the Bonus and how ready you are with the cash and paint in hand.

I know this works because I've done it several times myself.
In this economy ... you can NOT lose!

BIG PLUS ... if you go in and have your parts sprayed with a color that they are already working with ... something "Already in-the-gun" ... just show them the dough and tell them you need 'em painted and you got a few hundred dollard for whatever sexy color they have worked with this lately or will combine and make a custom color for you.

Merry Christmas from the Paint Department