Hi everyone, and thanks in advance for your help. I've found a deal on a modded civic here in TN - the car is painted flat black. I like flat black, but ONLY if its been done well (smooth and even, not blotchy or faded-looking anywhere). I haven't been able to see the car in person yet, but in the photo the paint job looks kinda iffy, although the guy selling it (who seems very honest by the way) says that it looks great. My questions are:

1. in what case, if any, would I be able to just applysome kind of clear/ semi-glosscoat on top of the black? would this smooth any unevenness in appearance? In general. . . what are my options for making the flat look better w/o getting a whole new paint job?

2. can anyone give me a ballpark estimate of what it will cost?do I have different options depending on how much I want to spend?

3. your opinion on the way the job looks in the pic... to my untrained eye it looks less than great. But you all have seen alot more than I have, so what do you think? Might it just be a bad picture or shadows or something that's making it look blotchy to me?

Sorry if I've left out any information that could be helpful in answering this question. Any input is greatly appreciated. I've tried searching forums on this topic (I know there are alot already out there) to find an anwer, but haven't been able to discern any solid answers.

**Oh, AND one more thing: maybe I'm showing my ignorance here, but does it look to anyone else like this car steers from the right side (normally the passenger side)??


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Those rims and lights are cool... but I don't think it is really flat black from the hood it looks like the clear caot has peeled off, but if the rest of the car is nice, pay him less and get it painted. Sorry i don't have paint prices - good luck.

 

yeah, I'm thinking (and hoping) that those places on the hood are just wet spots. if you look at the hose and the water on the ground it makes you think it just wasn't completely dry. Thanks man!

 

looks like someone did a right hand drive conversion , nice. well to be honest with you , u should try to get the car cheap since it needs some bodywork , like for example paint and i dont know whats ur taste on bodykits but i would deff take that kit out and put some OEM bumpers back on , i cant really tell you more since that pictures is really low quality.

 

TYPICALY people jsut spray paint flat primer over the car....

now if you want a NICE EVEN flat black then you need to buy the real stuff FLAT BLACK PAINT.
look for some HOT ROD FLAT BLACK... its a paint and clear coat setup.... just like real paint cause thats what it is... so it will have a perfect color al the way around and the clear coat will make it last!

but IMO i dont like messing with other peoples body work if its been primered.... you want to go over the whole car with a small magnet and see where the bondo is... because if not properly applied bondo can flake right off, or have holes from the rear where water will get around it and make it fall right out...
i prefer to find the bondo and sand it down to bare metal and redo it and fix it right....
if ya spend that much money on paint you want to be sure the base is right.....

 

funny part is... RHD cars still have the gas door on the left side of the car...

 

ooooooooooo ya now that you say that i look at my civic again and it looks like he just reversed the picture...... look at the wiper arms/antena as well GOOD EYE

look now i got 2 RHD civics... hahahahha




o crap... nope i was just cross eyed.LOL

 

^^^ LOL

 

HAHA!! nice. my car is primer and when its wet it looks just like whats on the hood, so i dont think its peeling or anything, just wet...
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Yeah, you guys are right! I just rotated the pic in microsoft paint and it looks normal. Well, that really cleared up alot of confusion...thanks all!