The price of paint supplies has gone crazy high in the last ten years. (Well other things as too)
But, yesterday I picked up a quart of epoxy 2K primer and a tiny can of activator (half pint) plus one gallon of reducer.

Ten years ago what I paid would have bought me a gallon of premium 2K epoxy primer a large can of activator (quart) and a gallon of reducer. In fact there were no quart cans of 2K primer available as there was no market for an amount that small back then.

Ten years ago the paint store gave away bondo spreaders and ratio mix cups as well as nice re-usable metal paint stirrers and paint filters. Now they charge for that stuff. They might give you one or two wooden paint stirrers an a couple of Chinese strainers. (Junk)

Ten years ago there was 3M premium tape, tan in color. Now that same tape is green and the old tan tape is made cheaper. The tan tape looks the same but it doesn't work the same. It won't peal off cleanly after a day or so; only the more expensive green tape will. The premium tan tape ten years ago was a $1.00 a roll or a sleeve of twelve for $10.00 a case four sleeves (48 rolls) was $32.00. These days you would have to take out a loan to buy a case of green tape.

It boils down to a 150% increase. I realize that there is inflation but the inflation that has occurred in ten years is no where near 150%.

Ten years ago you could buy all premium materials, etching primer, 2K primer, bondo, poly-fill, sealer, base coat, clear coat and all reducers, activators and clean up thinner, sandpaper, tape, roll masking paper 6", 18", 24" 36", color sanding paper 1000 grit 1500, 2000, heavy compound, medium compound, fine cut compound and finish wax. Also undercoating and rock-schutz for the rocker panels for a little less than $1,000.00. Now you can expect to pay three or four times that amount, maybe more depending on the paint manufacturer and color you choose. Red costs more... as in double. (The red pigment used to be made from lead...no longer usable... so whatever they are deriving the red pigment from...lead free... must be a bitch to produce)

Labor cost has only gone up 50% in ten years.

OK rant over. Sorry for bitching but I had to get it off my chest I was so bummed when I walked out of the paint store with my less than premium 2K primer. The guy gave me a verbal guarantee that it won't sink after the paint goes over it. I told him like Arnold, "I'll be back" ...if it does.

So next time you get what you consider an outrageous estimate for a trick show or restorative paint job all over; now you'll know why. It's not do-able for reasonable any more using premium products and who wants less than the best for your pride and joy.

Humm.....I guess me but I can't afford the good stuff any more.

I hate going to my local paint supply store. No prices anywhere, but I have to have the stuff, so I get it and then I take it to the counter and about have a heart attack at the total cost. I then have to take it all back to the shelf and find the same stuff in smaller size containers .

i work at advance auto, and they have me do price changes occasionaly. well, i've done it about 3 or 4 times since i've been working there, and each time everything usually goes up. the few dollar items ($1-$10), go up by about 50 cents to 1$. the more expensive stuff ($20-$200) goes up anywhere from $1 to $3. Over time that sure adds up.

So what is driving the cost of paint? Is it government air quality regulations? Industrial expansion in India and China? Higher quality factory paint leading to a decreased demand?

In economy a ten year table can be viewed as inflation. The answer to this is time, history, etc. It's been happening since the age of trade. Short term spikes can happen for a number of reasons: economy, supply and demand are just a few.

Basically it boils down to the ingredients used in the make up the product.....paints now days are more complex i guess you could say.
In days past paints were a simple mixture--not so any more.

It's the man trying to keep us down.

I have a plan to save money!

that's fing hilarious. Dude.

I think the prices of the Cars themselves are rising and i think that is freakin awesome, personally. Especially the buses. My (bakertim2) is on the samba every night looking for one and i keep on seeing that they are going up.