I want to paint my Taco. Would you recommend Maaco? (2024)

New here. Hope this is right forum to post. Does my new-to-me 97 Tacoma needs a fresh paint job? The OEM coat is now 24 years old. It depresses me. It has faded, streaked, and dulled, but is still intact. No metal, no rust, no dents. Is it too soon to paint?

Best price I found was at a local Maaco. I wish their paint options were broader. I’m concerned how long their single coat would last and how much they would sand the old OEM coats (7).
Would you recommend Maaco? If you’re in the greater SF Bay Area, is there another paint shop/detailer you’d recommend?

Advice welcome.

You might just want to try a full paint detail first. You'd be amazed at what a professional can bring back to life. My buddy had an old sh*t box corolla that for whatever reason he loved, but it was so beat it was literally pink instead of the original red. Took it to a highly rated detail shop and it came back looking like a fire engine. We we floored to say the least lol. Then his co*ke head ex girlfriend keyed it and rammed it into a telephone pole, but that's another story.

As long as there isn't any rust, bubbling, peeling, and the clear coat is mostly intact they should be able to bring it back to life. Would also be a hella lot cheaper than a good paint job that's going to last.

The clear coat seems to be gone in patches on the roof of the cab and parts of the hood.

Have the truck paint correction done on everything but the roof and hood. Have them done in wrap with color of your choice like close to matching color or matte black. Wont have the problems in those areas again. Just a thought.

20tacoma17, I’m not sure what you are saying. I’m in the process of choosing a new color for the whole truck. Current color is Forest something, a very very dark green. I want something lighter. Don’t want the truck to be in two colors. Except I though not to paint the black shell. It looks fine.

Well unless they have gotten better over the years Maaco paint jobs usually do not last. They look good at first and great if you are selling the vehicle. Even if they have a good painter their prep work is minimal and it's one of the most important parts of a good paint job. I could be wrong if they've changed?

I doubt Macco is going to paint the inside of the doors and hood area. So when you open door, you will see old color. As with anything you get what you pay for.

Welcome to TW! Just an FYI, if you hit "quote" in the bottom corner, the person you're responding to will get a notification.

Please post some photos so we can all do our best to assess. As of what you've said, I kind of second the recommendation of having a full detail/paint correction done first. It is amazing what they can being back to life! At the very least get their opinion.

Maaco paint job one coat doesnt last long, maybe 5 years and thats it, ive seen it peel, chip, fade, clear coat after just one year. Get an extra coat if you go maaco. itll deff last lonher if you keep in shade.

O lordy.....not maaco.

Find a real body shop or a custom car shop.

A full paint job involves stripping the truck of all the panels, then prep and paint. The cost can easily run into 4 digits. You can choose any color you like from the many books of automotive paints. Or find a Sherwin-Williams Automotive Paint store, visit with them.....you won't believe the scope of color choices. The store may recommend a quality body shop or a body shop guy may stop to pick up color for a job.

Don't do a hack cheap ass job. You will regret the choice.

Burrito782 and Redwing 44, here are some pictures. My ‘build’ so far is to add the camper shell and got two new tires. Yes I know it is dirty. Maaco said not to bother to wash because they would sand the dirt off. I don’t mind having the old color on the inside of the doors. 4K is too much to spend and I have to think how long the truck and I are going to last anyway.

If you want overspray on your frame , suspension and chrome trim then let Maaco paint your vehicle

I worked at a Maaco shop a long time ago as a sander until I got fired for wanting to sand all the areas that was being painted. I just could not comprehend how the paint was going to stick when nothing was being sanded below the beltline. You get what you pay for unfortunately.
Remember Earl Scihiebs paint shops? My dad had a fairly new car repainted there after it was involved in an accident. After they painted his car they immediately parked it outside still wet. It rained a few minutes later. When he saw the car with its textured surface caused by the rain hitting it he refused to pay them. They locked him in the building and threatened to beat him up until he paid them. He was later able to sue and got his money and a new paint job elsewhere. All that just to save a few bucks. You get what you pay for.

I would've taken the beating Rick James style, but that's just me...

Since you’re already wondering how long it will last. Put the money to making sure it’s reliable and forget the paint and then drive it till it dies.

I understand cars. This vehicle is totally solid mechanically (knock on wood). Its body is nearly flawless. Only 157K miles. Have all records going back to December 1999. The previous owner was my friend, client, and auto mechanic of some thirty years. He died suddenly and totally unexpectedly the June before last. Didn’t feel well one day. Something hurt and a half an hour later he was dead. His wife sold me the truck. He was a mechanical master of all things Toyota, and very dedicated to the wellbeing of his clients’ cars. I miss him very much. He may have frequented this forum. He certainly wrote in other auto mechanics’ forums. His name was Geoff Luebbert.

It seems that Toyota (and other manufacturers) stop making OEM parts after about 30 years. That was what happened to my 1983 Toyota Truck. There is still aftermarket with its much less reliable parts. It gets much more difficult to keep a car going after 30. Also more parts start failing then, not because they are worn out with use, but because they are too old.

OK. Not Maaco. You all have convinced me.

Will try the ‘full paint detail’ route that Redwings and Mmaira have suggested.

Even though there are water restrictions in the severe drought here, I’m going to hand wash it using a microfiber mitt and car soap. But it will probably get dirty again fast with all the fires throwing debris in the air.

I can’t believe they told you to not bother washing the truck. And then to state that they’d sand the dirt off? Wow. Gee let’s save on sandpaper by scrubbing the dirt into the old paint! First step to a quality paint job is to clean the surface with an aggressive scrubbing and rinsing off!

If it was my truck I’d be detailing it and refinishing the hood and roof. A good shop can blend down the window pillars and into the tops of the front fenders so the paint will appear to match.