Originally Posted by Guitarman

I know some of our cars are getting old, mine included, but it's still a Lexus and you've got to consider resale value as well as other things... even if we're only talking about $1000 less of difference in resale rather than $5000 (i.e. if you were to say, Maaco a new car), it's still a fair amount of $$$ you could be out if the paint turns off a potential buyer or trade in offer. There's a saying in the biz that a repaint is a strike against any car, because people will always assume wreck, neglect etc. despite how well you've cared for it. Original paint is usually always better. Now, if you spend $15k on a show paint job...that's another matter.

And yes, longevity with Maaco job can come into play. You may get lucky with decent prep, but I've seen some of their work fail within 3-4 years. I am a former professional detailer myself, and I can tell you stories about my past clients cars...I've seen it up close and personal. Can they do good work? Yes, but it's hit or miss and generally they are "move 'em in, move 'em out" type places. If you're still tempted after all this, at least, go look at the cars they turn out on a few different days and get a good sampling.

I agree with slvrboolet on this though....a good detailer can transform your paint for much less. Take your time and think it through...