Painting rig

[cjc]

Have any of you had your coach painted? I'm considering such an investment and would like to know any experiences that you might have had. Costs? Who did it? Anything that you might want to tell me about your experience. Thanks.

[geof]

.....Since you are in South Florida I assume you have a better/cheaper/more durable[sun fade] painting systems than we do up north[Ohio]...painting a tractor costs $1500 here in Cincinnati at a used truck painting shop for what is considered a "good job" AKA "reasonable job" ....since delamination[peeling] is a problem with Volvos-I understand it has something to do with the plastic used in the fairings- I'd look for a truck paint shop around larger cities up north or in central Florida rather than in south Florida...I'd also insist on a written warranty spelling out specifics-one being peeling-fadeing-staining from mold like on roofs and things like that.....I have been in many RV parks and the trailers/coaches look bad/green mossy color after one year without a lot of maintenance/cleaning/waxing...etc etc...'specially the tan colors.....geof

[cjc]

Thanks for the info, geof. I was hoping to find someone who had their entire motorhome painted with some graphics in a two part system like they do on conventional coaches.

[SandCarFan]

Here's at least one source ...

http://www.performancepaintinginc.com/index.htm

[SandCarFan]

BTW, anyone know who made this rig? It looks like the rear axles are proportioned well for front to rear weight distribution. What is this, a 30' unit?

The cab over looks like a NRC or a Trendsetter by United Specialities

[Warpath]

It's a NRC, they use it on their website.

cjc -

Are you talking full body paint, or a design or some strips? I did some investigating on this and called a number of shops last year and did not get far before we where talking $15,000 plus on a full paint job.

Here are some links I ran across

http://www.rvsg.com/com_trucks.asp
http://www.carreradesigns.com/ctt.html
http://www.rswilsons.com/index.htm
http://users.cwnet.com/~thall/starje...to_reality.htm

2003 28' Show Hauler Motorhome on a 1995 FLD 120 www.showhauler.com

[cjc]

Thanks to all of you. Warpath, those are the numbers that I heard about also. It's not very encouraging. The gray coach with the graphics is definitely an NRC. That one was done by Performance Painting in Elkhart. I heard that the cost of that paint job was in the neighborhood of $22000. They seem to be at the high end of the industry.

[smokin]

Kinda makes white of whatever color your rig is look very good

2000 Volvo 610 Motorhome "Bullwinkle da Moose"
Pulling a 32' Newmar Fiver

[SandCarFan]

Personally, I think most motorhome paint jobs, and even some of the white ones with extensive graphics are a bit much.

The following vehicle has graphics more in line with my taste. Anything more is a bit too gaudy.

[geof]

......the more you stand out in a crowd the bigger the target you are...me, I want to be just another truck and trailer on the outside.....geof

One of the appeals of the truck conversion motorhome is the lack of graphics. The dark colors and a bunch of swirls and twists of a few stripes do not appeal to me.

If you follow the regular rv boards you read posts from buyers of diesel pushers who just gush about the "full body paint" on such and such a rig. At a extra cost of $10,000 to $12,000.

Plus living in Colorado, at a high altitude, I would think that all the dark colors would be harder to keep cool in the summer sunshine.

[SandCarFan]

I looked into the cost of these paint jobs and like others, quickly found the cost to be pretty high for nothing more than glitz ($12K to 35K). Plus straight white ages better, is easier to keep cool in the desert sun, and doesn't show the dirt at the sand dunes.

I currently have all white on my current truck and trailer ... nothing but white, no graphics.

[cjc]

Ok, ok, you guys have convinced me. I'll keep the 14 grand in my bank account and use it for something else. LOL. Well, maybe not. I still have a yearning for a nice flame job, but not like the one on that Kingsley. That's too much.

[geof]

....cjc....having spent the last 25+ X-mas seasons just over the bridge from you... I have seen that that FLA. sun/salt spray/hudmity can do to trailers-houses-campers-boats and my skin in patches here and there....good decision!....best thing you can do is find a place that will wash your rig at a reasonable price maybe once a month or more and make that an "investment" in your equipment....there used to be some Cuban crews that would pressure wash your house/roof for $100 cash when they got off their regular jobs....I had them pressure wash everything house-boat-car you name it! They would pressure wash it for cash.....best deal going in Lee County....I've sold everthing in Fla and now I stay in a motel near the Airport-at least till June when I get my new rig finished.....geof

[Sledgehamer Motorsports]

cjc...another option if you want to be more subtle is doing some graphics in vinyl. Whatever I end up with...I am going to do a checkered flag theme that will cross from the Rig..to the trailer.

(if I use the wrong terms please forgive me...I am new to this level of RV'ing and traveling. One day when I grow up...I wanna be like you all *grinning*) Please forgive me and my since of humor or lack there of depending on the side of the big pond or northern border.

-Eric-