Hello guys,

I want to paint my 2001 Toyota Celica GT. It is stock blue (Spectra Blue Mica 8M6) and I'd like to paint over the dents and scratches in the same color. However, I am a poor college student with a budget of roughly $500.

Over the past few months I have researched (Googled) many different sprayer setups, paint brands and methods. Eastwood looks good to me but their number of products is overwhelming and the methods for spray painting vary greatly (i.e. primer vs sealer).

The only thing I do know is that I'd like to use this cheap-o paint sprayer - http://m.harborfreight.com/high-volume-low-pressure-spray-gun-kit-44677.html?utm_referrer=direct%2Fnot%20provided

It's not ideal but I don't have space for a compressor (in my budget or my mom's single-car garage). Not looking for a show car finish either and from the video reviews I've watched, the finished product should be good enough for me. However, I'd like to get the most bang for my buck with paint. Can I ask you smart people for tips?

Tl;dr: What primer/base/clear should I use on a budget? And should I use primer or sealer when it's the same base color?

Your link isn't working but if it's a cheap "all in one" paint gun and compressor (or turbine) - then forget it.

Hate to be the bearer of bad news but unless you want to do the Rustoleum roll-on special cheap paint job (google it), there's really no way to paint a car on a $500 budget including tools.

I fixed the link.

The $500 is not including tools.

so, I looked at your link. The reviews say that some people were brave enough to use that thing on a car and they were happy with it. Not something I can recommend you try in good faith but if you believe the reviews they figured out how to get it to work.

Are you planning on repairing the dents/scratches on the car before you paint it? If the car was repaired and ready to paint you can hit your budget:

Primer kit $90
Base (3/4 gal will do that entire car): $225 (guess...would need to validate)
Reducer (2 gallons...you will need to over-reduce all products if going with that sprayer) $64
Clear kit $110

I'm quoting you the line I sell here; you might be able to find other in a similar price range.

The only time you can skip primer/sealer is if the car's existing clearcoat is in great condition and you can prep it by cleaning thoroughly and sanding well with p600 or p800 grit before shooting base over it. Clearcoat is an excellent sealer, itself.

Of course, if doing repairs those areas will need to be primed over and feathered into the adjacent clear before shooting base.

I'll be testing it on some scrap panels first to make sure it's not awful, but I completely get not advising it. Still, thanks for understanding. I'll be repairing dents but they're all rather small, it's the scratches that are bad. A pint of bondo should be more than enough and I've got plenty of sandpaper.

Thanks for telling me how much I'd need - that's something I've been struggling with. Maybe I'll end up buying from you! Why over-reduce though? I'm not opposed to it but these guys talk about using less than recommended for it - http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewto ... &start=240

The clear is pretty bad, lifting on the hood scoop and roof. Would I prep then shoot sealer, then primer? Or should I just use one or the other?

The only reason I say to over-reduce is to help that gun setup out. You might need to do 4 thin/reduced primer coats instead of 2 (as example) but it'll have to be that way, for that gun. You'll need to experiment, like you said.

If the clear is failing, it needs to be sanded off. Preferably down to factory primer. Then yes you can prime/seal with the 2K primer I mentioned, then color then clear. Done all the time.

At the point where you are doing repairs, sanding off old/failing clear, etc. then I advise just prepping the entire car and priming it overall. That way you have a nice, solid, consistent surface to shoot your color over.

Get the paint code off the car and send to me if you want an accurate quote on the base. Contact form link is up top in the site header.

chris wrote:The only reason I say to over-reduce is to help that gun setup out. You might need to do 4 thin/reduced primer coats instead of 2 (as example) but it'll have to be that way, for that gun. You'll need to experiment, like you said.

If the clear is failing, it needs to be sanded off. Preferably down to factory primer. Then yes you can prime/seal with the 2K primer I mentioned, then color then clear. Done all the time.

At the point where you are doing repairs, sanding off old/failing clear, etc. then I advise just prepping the entire car and priming it overall. That way you have a nice, solid, consistent surface to shoot your color over.

Get the paint code off the car and send to me if you want an accurate quote on the base. Contact form link is up top in the site header.

Cool, makes sense. Just to be clear, only primer is needed; no separate sealer? If so, would epoxy be better?

Regardless I'll do as you say and prime the entire car. I'll fill out that form now.

Since this is your first project I'm recommending you prime the car then (wet) block sand out the primer as prep for color. True, you could just go with a dedicated 2K sealer but I have a feeling you are going to get texture in your application that you'll need to sand out anyway, and the 2K primer is a better answer in that case. Plus the primer I use dries like porcelain, and it's an excellent sealer on it's own - zero shrinkage as it dries. Not every 2K primer can be recommended this way.

Epoxy would be expensive, harder to use for a new painter - and total overkill for this project.

Understood. I too predict lots of sanding in my future. Thanks for all of your help thus far!

You know, I almost hate to look at reviews on tools because well, maybe it's just me but I just find some of them UNBELIEVABLE (ghost reveiwers??? ) Okay the reference by Chris about "over reducing" is almost a given with ANY turbine sprayer (yes, even systems costing thousands of dollars). A small unit like that doesn't develop much CFM and very little pressure. You are going to be feeding it automotive coatings that are up in the 35 to 50% solids range. Based on its' horsepower rating that is only a single or at most a small two stage turbine. The rules of physics regarding turbines is 2 p.s.i. per turbine wheel. So that thing is in the 2 to 4 p.s.i. range at max. I am assuming (based on other simple systems like this) that a small amount of air is being diverted down the gun body probably next to the pick-up tube to help "pressurize" the cup so materials more easily go up that pick-up. That means you have only that much pressure to push those heavy bodied automotive coatings up that tube. In good turbine systems we want more like 6 to 8 p.s.i. and I prefer more like 10. Worse case scenario, that may just be a simple siphon pick-up tube with no pressure to the cup. Bottom line.... either way you have got to make that fluid flow more easily, hence, the over reducing. Again, as Chris has said, we are not saying you can't do it with that system.... we're just saying you better do a lot of experimentation, hope for a planetary alignment, and cross every finger and toe you have.
I have 36 years of building, selling, and servicing HVLP turbine spray equipment and use it every single day in my wood shops. Take a look at some of my posts on turbine spraying. Even with that system the general rules apply.... oh, and whatever you do don't be tempted to put a longer hose with that thing.... the back pressure will probably burn it up. Put the turbine on furniture casters so it follows at a distance behind you and check and clean your filters frequently. Make sure and use a heavy enough electric cord for the distance you'll be operating at.