I didn't buy my car as an investment. I bought it to drive. I don't care about resale. If I did, I surely wouldn't track it (and publicly post about it) or do my own maintenance.

No matter how you slice it, you're going to pay for something. You can pay for a clear bra at the beginning and bet it will last the life of your ownership, or you can suck it up and expect you'll be respraying something.

California body shop prices can't be compared to the rest of the country. The VOC controls are hugely expensive and add significantly to the cost of getting anything painted in the Golden State. Soooo glad I left!!!!

 

I too have had my front bumper repainted. Its anywhere between $500-800 for them to strip everything and then respray your bumper. Mine cost $800.

 

Just saw Sewell has the front bumper painted for $455 (discount) plus $100 shipping. Sensors and headlamp washers not included.

http://is.sewellparts.com/accessorie...2011/4884.html

 

California body shop labor rates are not that much more than the rest of the country. Yes water based paints are mandated by CARB and do have a premium but the cost is going down as the technology is advancing and becoming more popular. The cost difference to paint a bumper cover in California vs the rest of the country is not that far off. People leave CA for different reasons. People like to blame the added costs to live in this state as an excuse...but sorry to say this...some just can't hang.

 

I have used it and doubt I will ever go back to regular touch up paint. It really works well on road rash areas.

 

Wow. I make more in Georgia than I did in California. I paid the same price for a home 2 1/2 times the size of what that money would buy me in Sacramento. Income tax is lower by 3.6%, sales tax is lower by 2.75% or more depending on exactly where you are in California. 10% to 15% higher fuel costs for crappy gas and a smog test not based on anything real that costs $75 every two years. Mod your car and face a possible stop to check smog compliance including impound and smog referee. All this for good weather? Makes no sense to me. I lived there 24 years and watched it go downhill the whole time. Can't hang? Nope. Don't want to stay in a place so screwed up when I can have a much better life outside CA.

Say what you like, no matter what you do in California, the government is putting additional cost in it, and it's STILL the most polluted place in the US. It's also the state teetering on the brink of financial insolvency. It speaks volumes to the effectiveness of legislators in Sactown.

 

Again...everyone has their reasons why they move out of CA. I've lived here in CA for 31 years. 20 in SoCal and 11 in Norcal...but the regulations haven't scared me off. Sac is definitely a place I would never move to...and I can see why you decided to run away from there. CA is the most diverse and densly populous state in the US. Sure I can have the a house 2.5x larger than what I live in now...but why would I want to live in a place thats ridiculously humid and noisy due to locust filled forests? Just because its cheaper to live somewhere else doesn't mean it would necessarily make me happy or give me some sort of value. Anyways...we can save these excuses for a different discussion as this is going way off into a different tangent. Agree to disagree.