Cheap way to paint a fender...

[Novice_cardude]

I recently had a bit of a fender-bender. heh, part of the Gen 3 curse I guess. The damage was minor enough I didn't report it to the insurance company, and I'm fixing it myself. I have the parts I need, and i'm ready to do some shade-tree collision repair, but I don't have paint on my new fender.

I was able to buy a brand new fender with primer on it for $22, but I don't know where to get it painted, or get the paint so my friend can spray it. I've researched some things, and I know I need dual stage paint... The base, the clear coat, the reducer and hardener, etc. I just don't know where to get it, or if it would be cheaper to just have a body shop spray it for me. I can fix pretty much anything mechanical with my car, but i've never done body work before, so this is all new to me.

Anyone here have any experience with the painting aspect of body work? I gave up on hand matching the paint, because it's most likely too expensive. I don't mind having a slightly brighter fender. The paint code is 4m9, by the way.

Any help would be great! Thanks.

[dc_98_cam]

I've been planning on touching up a front bumper ...probably require the special bumper flexible primer, color, and clear coat.
I might try this source...
https://www.paintscratch.com/cgi-bin/storefront.cgi
They might have something for your fender.

I don't have any actual information on results though...

[DFBonnett]

As DC noted, try Paintscratch. Read the FAQs carefully. I did a bumper on my daughter's Mitsu and a whole fender on my Crapillac with their stuff. Results were very good and the color match was dead on. Take your time with it. No shortcuts. Paintscratch is a bit pricey but the products are worth it, IMO.
FWIW
YMMV

[Novice_cardude]

Wow, that paintscratch place doesn't look too bad. And that's not too expensive either. I'll still shop around, but most places i've checked want about $65 for matched base coat, and over $100 for the clearcoat and hardener and such. Thanks for the info, when I get it done i'll post some pictures.

[ELL]

I second paintscratch products
have used them to touch up paint a lot
Pretty good prices too.

time consuming though...

[datnguyen24]

Seems like your friend has experience painting are you planning on using a spray gun or rattle cann? Look around your area or stop by your local auto body shop and ask them where they buy paint you'll save $$ buying local then paying shipping. I brought a 12oz rattle cann online for like $25 shipped I paint my TRD Lip Kit the same color as my car so I primed and sanded it for weeks and waited another week for the paint to arrive thinking 1 cann would be enough I ran out but luckly there was a auto shop near by that matched paint in a rattle cann for $15.70 same color and everything. bargain shop first last resort order online.

[BMR]

Another good place to get color-matched paint is color rite:

http://http://www.color-rite.com/