Trailer Painting

[MangoMike]

I kept my Can-Am trailer and had a hitch installed on my GW/Lehman trike. Trailer works fine, but with a metallic grey/silver wing, and a blue trailer it looks a little weird. So I thought I'd have the trailer painted.

Received my first estimate yesterday for $750, which does not include painting any of the interior.

Does this seem like a reasonable price?

[Bullet]

When you can't do your own work plan on paying out the kazoo. Do some price checking around your area, that's the only way to find out. Check with the BBB and see if they got any complaints against them as well before you commit. Goldwing paint is about 100.00 a quart, then there's the reducer cost and of course most of the money panned out is for labor. 9 tenths of the work involved in a good paint job is in preparing the body for paint.

[2002Trike]

I concur w/Bullet,
However, remember, sometimes you do get what you pay for. Spend little / receive little
John

[Foevrluvinit]

I'd like my trailer repainted. Let me know if you find a good deal for a good paint job. Maybe I'll get it done.

[John Luciano]

My friend had his Bushtec 1999 trailer painted Yellow to match his 2004 yellow wing

[John Luciano]

My friend had his Bushtec 1999 trailer painted Yellow to match his 2004 yellow wing $1,800 , but it looked better than the wing paint. Took 7 coats. Primer ,flat white , yellow, pearl, clear yellow, and multi coats of clear....what do u think. See attachment... Very cool because it has the 1500 tail lights

[Rollin Thunder]

HI Mike: Ok don't laugh or roll your eyes. But check out Macco. NO listen I belong to a Chevelle club. Mine is a 1970 and we have some very nice Hot Rods in the club. Some of the guys have had their Cars painted at a Macco. And believe me I know something about paint. Those paint jobs came out VERY nice! Try it you nothing to loose and money to Gain

[Livin2Ride]

I kept my Can-Am trailer and had a hitch installed on my GW/Lehman trike. Trailer works fine, but with a metallic grey/silver wing, and a blue trailer it looks a little weird. So I thought I'd have the trailer painted.

Received my first estimate yesterday for $750, which does not include painting any of the interior.

Does this seem like a reasonable price?

Mike I'm no paint expert so I can't comment on the price you were quoted. One thing I wanted to bring up is how many more rock dings you are going to get from 2 rear tires tossing stuff at the trailer. My Can-Am trailer is getting pretty pitted after about 12,000 behind the trike. I am going to have the front half of the trailer painted with the stuff they use for the bed lining on pickup trucks. If I were you I would only paint the rear part of the trailer and shoot the front with bed liner in a matching color.

[MangoMike]

Mike I'm no paint expert so I can't comment on the price you were quoted. One thing I wanted to bring up is how many more rock dings you are going to get from 2 rear tires tossing stuff at the trailer. My Can-Am trailer is getting pretty pitted after about 12,000 behind the trike. I am going to have the front half of the trailer painted with the stuff they use for the bed lining on pickup trucks. If I were you I would only paint the rear part of the trailer and shoot the front with bed liner in a matching color.

I was wondering about this and thought the BRP protection might be enough, but it doesn't sound like it. I like you idea of painting the front with bed liner spray.

As for Maaco, I am willing to give them a try. One problem is the price of the paint, but I'll face that where ever I go.

Thanks...

[Rollin Thunder]

Hi Mike. You know the more you can do to help. The less its going to cost you.. Like taking off any trim or things on that order. The less they have to do the lower the co$t. Just a hint on how you could save. When your talking to the guy about the paint job. Tell him your retired and what can you do to lower the cost some. Most of them will tell you what they you can do to help out. GOOD LUCK

[MangoMike]

Good idea, I will certainly ask what I can do to hold down the cost.

[DTR 11TG]

Good idea, I will certainly ask what I can do to hold down the cost.

Mike, I have to agree with Rollin Thunder, I have seen some nice paintjobs come out of their doors. The one's I saw had almost all the prep work done before it hit Maaco and since at least 80% of a paintjob is prep work, it pays to prep it yourself & with friends.

The only other things I can suggest are to check with friends of friends or neighbors, but I bet you already did that. The other thing you could check into would be to ask at teaching schools, Tech schools or Junior College's, some will take in work for teaching, some will only charge for the cost of paint.

[MangoMike]

Great ideas 92, thanks, I'll look into some of them.

[John Luciano]

Schools are closed now. They may be accepting work for next year... Do not about your neck of the woods, but here the Tech school could take a month or 3 to do the job.

[MangoMike]

Here's an update. Maaco will paint the trailer and match the bike color for $350. This is their best paint, not the cheaper option. Only problem is they can't replace the 3M stone guard. I thought I'd have Line-X paint the front to serve as a stone guard. They wanted $250 to paint the front. But, will paint the entire trailer, using their best treatment for $400 in black, $600 if they match the color. Since my bike is dark, metallic grey, I thought the black would be fine, but my wife is leaning towards the color match. With Line-X the application dries immediately. Maaco requires a long curing time.

I like Line-X, and it does provide superior protection.

No worry about scratches, etc. Now to convince my wife that black will be fine (I'm such a cheap skate).

[tkglider]

Maybe try wide stripes over your blue trailer in your bikes color much cheaper.

[Rollin Thunder]

Mike. Remember going cheap sometimes isn't always the best way to go. If you have to do it twice !

[MangoMike]

I agree, and I'm not looking to "go cheap", just don't want to spend more than I have to. But your point is well taken.

[bcop31]

I just put my 1987 Bushtec trailer in a body shop to have it painted the same color as my 2007 Goldwing Trike: Crucible Orange. They are painting the trailer for $650.00. I checked one other shop and they quoted $1,000.00. I have seen another trailer that was painted in the shop I took mine to and it looked great. It was Pearl Yellow. They are not painting the interior, but the shop is doing all the trim removal. I will let you know how it turns out when I get it back in a week or so.

[FuzzyWuzHe]

Another thing I'd look into ... Honda paint is way expensive ... I had a trailer painted to match my 01 wing ... the painter used a ford paint and going down the road it looked great. In some sunlight it looked close, but not perfect. But he changed me $700 less than anyone else.