Automobile painter

Does anyone know, from first hand experience, of an excellent auto painter?

TIA

The body shop in  west Ajijic, just west of the Waffle House and east before Villa Nova on the Carretera.
I think it's called Lake Auto.

Or you could use the shop 2 doors east of Car City in Riberas (not Monkey's, the next one). I have had my own vehicle done there and have sent many others there with nary a complaint.

FWIW

One word of warning from experience.

Only have your car painted in absolutely dry weather w/no moisture in the air at all.

If you don't do this, if there is any moisture in/under the paint at all, when it becomes hot, the water will expand and cause small, and sometimes large as a dime, bubbles at the surface.

If this happens, there is little you can do other than prick the bubble with a pin and hope when the underside dries, the paint returns to the surface flat.

This is not the fault of the painter, just due to the fact the painting is usually done in an area that is not fully enclosed and no local painter as far as I know, uses a drying room w/lights.

I have had this happen 2X.

I have used both, both are good. Whoever you use, and only if this s important to you, also tell them you want to let the car stay in the extra drying time needed for them to give the new paint a good polish (pulido) , helps eliminate "piel de naranja", if any. Most places will let the car go home as soon as the paint is touch dry but before it can be polished, so you have to ask for this. Depending on your needs, you can also arrange to bring the car back so they can polish it later. Up to you.

That takes a "wet sanding" to remove and there better be more than one coat to play with. A good painter shouldn't have any orange peel anyhow......jaja.

CanuckBob wrote: A good painter shouldn't have any orange peel anyhow......jaja.

The orange peel effect can be minimized by using roller covers with a thinner nap.

That's right CBob, that is also why its important to bring this up "up front", for obvious reasons. Again, only if the OP wants to go that route. I have no experience with Viajeros solution. Sounds interesting.

Viajero paints his cars with a brush and roller........jajaja.

CanuckBob wrote:Viajero paints his cars with a brush and roller........jajaja.

nothing like a backyard paint job-SNORK!

CanuckBob wrote:Viajero paints his cars with a brush and roller........jajaja.

It's all in the prep and I only use the finest quality lambs wool roller covers and premium paints.

Latex or Acrylic?

CanuckBob wrote:Latex or Acrylic?

I can remember when it was either lacquer or enamel, depending on the manufacturer.

Come on Slainte stick with the shctick. We are giving Viajero the gears for using a brush to paint his car.

BTW.....Automotive lacquers have been banned NOB for quite some time now.

CanuckBob wrote:Latex or Acrylic?

Any good oil based paint will work,and I've found that Spackle is much easier to work with than Bondo for repairing minor dents,just a tip.

You can actually paint a car with rollers and brushes if you have mastered the "roll and tip" method. It takes two guys: one to roll the paint onto the surface and one to follow along immediately, using just the tip of a soft brush to smooth the paint. This is how they applying linear polyurethane paint to airplanes and boats.

Alex,my posts were tongue in cheek,but you're right about the "roll and tip" method of painting,when I was contracting we occasionally used it for the more demanding clients,not on cars though.

I used to work on boats.

Semalu has a real valid point. I have seen two or three cars from painters in Ajijic with the orange peel look... you have to be aware that it is there but when it is, it is.

One car was the fault of the owner... not taking it back to the painter a few days later for buffing. The other two were just bad paint jobs. I have NEVER seen a bad paint job come out of Lake Auto.