Cost to get hardtop paint matched?

[onewhippedpuppy]

The factory black panels have a pebbled finish on them, it is not perfectly smooth. They are two different part numbers. The LineX was applied over the factory finish which is smooth and not porous, which is a crap surface to paint in any way. You’ll need to prep it regardless if you want anything to stick. It doesn’t matter what coating you use, if the surface isn’t properly prepared then nothing will stick.

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[Barnaby’sdad]

That sounds like someone trying to take you for a ride IMO.

Why? I’ve seen take off panels for sale (folks replacing the hard panels with the Besttop flip-up) for well under a grand.

I find it hard to believe that a reputable body shop is going to repair the panels for less than that, as they’d have to prep and refinish the entire panels to get them to match and then they’re not even going to match the rest of the top.

That “quote” from them was likely their way of saying “we don’t want the job,” without coming out and literally saying it.

 

[foxwalkhq]

The factory black panels have a pebbled finish on them, it is not perfectly smooth. They are two different part numbers. The LineX was applied over the factory finish which is smooth and not porous, which is a crap surface to paint in any way. You’ll need to prep it regardless if you want anything to stick. It doesn’t matter what coating you use, if the surface isn’t properly prepared then nothing will stick.

From everything I've heard they always sand/prepare everything they spray with Line-X. There is no such thing as a surface that they don't sand down. When I got my bed done, I had to sign a paper that says I am aware that they will be sanding down the bed, ruining the factory paint and that Line-X is a permanent modification to the truck.

I don't know about paint but I would think they'd have to prepare that?

I just looked at it, it is the textured but it looks like it's so fine that it wouldn't be hard to sand smooth. I don't think it would be something that would cost a fortune to do just for like fixing a single panel like the other guy said they tried to charge him.

Just FYI the Line-X guy told me it would probably cost $1000 to Line-X it. Most of that is probably because it's the premium color matched Line-X and not the regular black they put on truck beds.

 

[dcmdon]

Not sure about painting color match, but you might want to think about wrapping it??

Can you wrap a black top with its texture??

 

[onewhippedpuppy]

Seems like it would have been easier to just drive to the body shop as opposed to asking for input and then telling everybody that said input is wrong. There’s way more prep work on a textured and non-porous surface than a surface that either is painted or designed to be painted. At least if you want it to actually stick.

 

[jeep4x4bp]

I wouldn’t be surprised if to paint it was 12-1500.00 or maybe even more. Line-x will also add a bit of weight because likely they will wet sand and spray over what’s on there now.

 

[foxwalkhq]

Seems like it would have been easier to just drive to the body shop as opposed to asking for input and then telling everybody that said input is wrong. There’s way more prep work on a textured and non-porous surface than a surface that either is painted or designed to be painted. At least if you want it to actually stick.

This is the second time this week I've gotten this kind of message about "asking for input" and not liking the input. First of all I think this is a pretty good thread regardless. It's pretty informative, but as far as "asking for input" I asked for how much it would cost. Probably the most extreme response I got which really isn't all that extreme was the one telling me I just wanna spend money for no reason.

But hey we're all adults here. It's no sweat off my back.

The guy at Line-X said there would be no problem whatsoever and I've heard the weight argument before in threads about truck beds.. I honestly don't think it's gonna be that much weight. They have samples of the material by itself on the counter and it's not very heavy at all. I mean we're talking about vehicles where like steel bumpers are 140 lbs, RTT can be like 150 lbs. I mean, being very generous I would think it would be 40 lbs max. I would guess closer to 25.

The guy that owns the place says that he's done many Wrangler hard tops before, and also Line-X is a specific brand that is a completely separate material than Rhino or other liners. I dunno if saying that is relevant here but a lot of folks use brand names interchangeably for stuff, like I'm gonna get a Kleenex, or I'm gonna use white out to correct my paper. Even if it's not "white out" brand corrective fluid or Kleenex brand tissues.. but from everything I've heard from across the board Line-X is a very superior product and it's also changes a lot in the last 15 years so, something applied 15 years ago is not gonna be the same as something applied today. The entire product is different now.

I just got an estimate for $1066 btw for the Line-X .. I think I may just go for that for peace of mind removing the hard top. They did tell me they can fix cracks and other issues that may pop up in the Line-X but the guy told me they rarely ever see that, and it usually does take a decade.

I wouldn’t be surprised if to paint it was 12-1500.00 or maybe even more. Line-x will also add a bit of weight because likely they will wet sand and spray over what’s on there now.

12-15 hundred or 12-15 thousand? 12-15 hundred I would do without even thinking about it.

But I honestly think it's more.. because the option is $2295 when custom ordering (body color hard top) and the dealer told me it's more expensive to do it aftermarket.

 

[jeep4x4bp]

Hundred as I posted. I’m just roughly guessing but I don’t know what removing the texture surface entails. Imo like others stated I think you would come out better finding one for sale second hand and selling your OEM one

 

[ShadowsPapa]

it's a bit cumbersome to take off the freedom panels and have to worry about how to prevent them getting dinged or scratched or even chipped. Yes they have a bag, but it doesn't matter-- that bad is super super light material that's not gonna protect them in the least (I think, could be wrong)..

I am not that tall at 5'8" and have a bad back, and arthritis. I don't find the panels that cumbersome. Heavy for me, yeah, but not that bad.
The bag works fine - I have had them in the bag tossed in the back of the truck driving around and have not had any issues.

When my black Freedom panels were rock chipped, the body shop said it would be cheaper to buy new panels than to repaint the chipped ones, due to the preparation involved.

Likely true, esp for the factory black unpainted ones. I've dealt with painting things like that - a ton of prep and for the flairs on my Eagle, I had to add a special additive to get the paint to stick and flex properly.

 

[Jteakus]

Just guessing but a black hardtop on Jeep's website is $1,695. The color matched top is $2,695.
Top will have to be sanded, smoothed, taped, painted, cleared, buffed, and installed. if you can get a quality job done under $2K I would be surprised.

 

[foxwalkhq]

I am not that tall at 5'8" and have a bad back, and arthritis. I don't find the panels that cumbersome. Heavy for me, yeah, but not that bad.
The bag works fine - I have had them in the bag tossed in the back of the truck driving around and have not had any issues.

Apologies. I did not mean cumbersome in terms of heavy or difficulty of lifting or anything else. But they are quite large, and if they were painted with the OEM paint and clear coat they are quite fragile. Less so if they're black but there are a couple scratches on the side of the back of the hard top and I've never even taken it off road yet.

I am .... really ... careful with my stuff. I put my phone carefully in one pocket. Nothing else goes in that pocket. I don't use my phone until I get a tempered glass screen protector on it, even if it means I don't have a phone until it arrives in the mail.

And you could not pay me any amount of money to take off the freedom panels and "toss them in the back of the truck" in the bag.

There's this dude Robmotive on YouTube who when he traded his Gladiator Sport to him mom for her Mojave that was too tall for her, she mentioned that his freedom panels were chipped and he seems to take really good care of his stuff also, also rented one not sure if I mentioned here, but a white Wrangler with body color top, and the paint was chipped on the freedom panels as well, and their Wrangler was immaculate.. 2018 Wrangler that looked like it was a 22 they just picked up off the lot.. but the freedom panels were chipped.

I am extremely extremely paranoid about the least thing happening and I am very cautious with stuff.

What I meant by cumbersome is that the freedom panels are quite large and a bit awkward to turn around especially in a confined space like 2-car driveway where there's a car next to you.

And I already can imagine what you're thinking "You bought a Jeep bud, and you plan to take it off-road.." and some jokes about extended therapy sessions.. lol

Just guessing but a black hardtop on Jeep's website is $1,695. The color matched top is $2,695.
Top will have to be sanded, smoothed, taped, painted, cleared, buffed, and installed. if you can get a quality job done under $2K I would be surprised.

Yeah I actually would be super shocked. Maybe a Maaco job or plastidip.

 

[onewhippedpuppy]

This is the second time this week I've gotten this kind of message about "asking for input" and not liking the input. First of all I think this is a pretty good thread regardless. It's pretty informative, but as far as "asking for input" I asked for how much it would cost. Probably the most extreme response I got which really isn't all that extreme was the one telling me I just wanna spend money for no reason.

I have no dog in this fight, but your responses come across as very defensive to every answer that you don’t like. How much will it cost is 100% dependent on the body shops in your area, some may tell you to pound sand or give a big number because they don’t want to mess with it. Some may toss you a cheap number because they are slow and do a crap job. My last bit of advice, as somebody who has been restoring cars for damn near 30 years and has owned a specialty used car dealership, is to get referrals to a body shop that you can trust. Because there are a LOT of them that are shady, often including those affiliated with new car dealerships.

Also as somebody who has a factory color matched hard top that is immaculate, it’s not that hard to keep it nice.

 

[CrazyCooter]

My guess is $2-3k.

I just bought the materials to repair, sand, and single stage paint 5 wheels and it was $330!

 

[foxwalkhq]

My guess is $2-3k.

I just bought the materials to repair, sand, and single stage paint 5 wheels and it was $330!

Yeah that's what I was thinking is $3k originally when I first thought about it.

@ShadowsPapa, I actually just took the bag out of storage and looked at it. I stand corrected it actually seems very nice indeed

Don't get me wrong. I don't really care if they get chipped or whatever.. The whole thing about not having to worry about it getting damaged is just a Pro of the Line-X option. I mean I can literally just lay the panels and the top on their back anywhere and not worry that eg. concrete or pavement is going to scratch the hell out of them etc. where as I'd have to be a bit more careful with the paint option.

 

[Mister Lamb]

Color matched hardtops are oogly save your $$$

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