Should you repaint your car?

Repainting your car is a huge decision and a big job. With a multitude of steps and options to think about, this should not be an impulse move. When considering whether you should repaint your car, here are a few factors to take into account.
Current condition 
Is the original paint on your car looking more like bare metal than your car’s original paint colour? Are there large sections of missing clear coat? Deep scratches? When considering the condition of your car, the overall age of your car will not matter as much as the current condition of your paint. 
Benjamin Mutebi, a seasoned car painter from Kireka in Kampala, actually encourages repainting older cars, whether for your collection or resale. When we talk about the condition of your car, the focus should as well be on whether there is significant damage to your car, such as deep scratches, dents, holes and rust. 
Remember, repainting will not fix bigger underlying issues with your car such as a frame out of alignment. 
Price 
Full car painting is not cheap, even lower-quality jobs. When determining whether it will be worth repainting your car, consider the value of your car versus the cost of the paint job. If the cost of the repaint is worth more than 30 per cent of your car’s value, you need to seriously consider if it makes sense. 
Although when it comes to our own cars we understand that it is not always about cost, keep in mind that with most things in life, you get what you pay for. 
According to Mutebi, the prices paint shops charge for all types of quality paint jobs range from Shs1m for common and easy to work paints to up to Shs3m to Shs5m for higher quality and rarer paints. The amount involved in preparation for the paint job affects the price as well. 
“All the roadside garages you see almost always have a ‘guy’ or know a ‘guy’ who claims to do a good job and charge reasonable amounts to paint your car. This might not be a bad option if you are on a tight budget. But know that there are plenty of potential pitfalls to slapping a cheap paint on your car,” Mutebi says. 
He adds that the quality of the paint might not match what was originally used on the car. Most newer cars, for example, have a clear-coat finish that adds extra work to the repainting process if you want to do it right. Add some repairs to exterior dings and small dents, and these steps can bump the price to well over a million shillings. These less expensive paint jobs will not have the same level of care and attention put into them as pricier options.
Finishing time
Whether you are restoring a car to its former glory, or want a nicer colour for your car, there is one question that must be addressed; how long does it take to paint a car? 
A full body paint job is not a one-day job. If you want it done right, it requires at least a week and half or two to three of work to repaint your car. If you cannot live without using your car for (at least) a week, you will need to explore other options for transportation. While the question might be a simple one, the answer is a bit complicated and is reliant on a number of factors.
Model 
The most obvious factor on this list is the model of your car. Generally speaking, a full-body paint job on, say, a van such as the Alphard is going to take more time than a paint job on a Premio. However, your car model will have a much smaller impact on the process if all you need is small part fix up. The body work does impact the time factor. In order for a car to look its best, any dents or other kinds of damage will need to be addressed before painting. Depending on the damage, bodywork can take time to complete.
Prep phase
The prep phase includes several steps. First, you need to make sure that you have the correct paints for the job. Second, the areas to be painted need to be sanded down. Third, any glass or other material you do not want paint on needs to be covered and taped.
Applying the paint 
The paint application step is typically the quickest factor in determining the answer to “how long does it take to paint a car?” The car first needs a primer coat, which will take a few hours to dry. The colour coats can vary in how long they take to apply.
Some paints, can take about only 30 to 90 min to dry, while others may need to dry overnight. All in all, an entire paint job, including any final touch-up work, can take anywhere from a few days to some weeks. 
Budget
Finally, keep your budget realistic. Let’s say you have an older car with high mileage, valued at less than 10 million. It is looking a little tired, but you love the car, and it is still running well. Opting for a cheaper repaint in the same colour is fine if all you want is a quick exterior freshening for minimal cash outlay. 
This, however, might not hold true if you are looking to sell this same car. Spending some money could bump the asking price, although probably not by more than you will spend on the paint job. 
On the other hand, if you have a car that is either a classic or something with a higher value, skimping on paint can be a recipe for disaster. You could adversely affect the car’s value and potentially be stuck with a finish that is not even close to what the car looked like when new.