Masking Process

Class-A Repair Masking:
The best way to paint a vehicle is to disassemble everything; take off the bumpers, doors, fenders, lights, chrome, windows, weatherstrips, locks, door handles, etc. Parts that are not immediately adjacent to painted panels can be masked with paper and tape. We take these steps automatically when insurance is paying for repairs or when a customer specifies returning a car to original condition.

Almost Everything recommends this option for:

• Insurance repairs
• Vehicles less than 5 years old
• Leased vehicles  (where you must return vehicle in good condition or pay penalties)
• Vehicles owned by a 3rd party (where you are liable for returning vehicle to original condition)
• Any vehicle where top resale value is a priority
• Any vehicle where quality is a priority

Optional Buget-Minded Masking:
If you have to pay for repairs or paint yourself and cost savings is a higher priority than perfect paint, we give you the option to mask unpainted parts using paper and tape instead of disassembling them. Masking can save a lot on labor. But masking is not perfect. If you choose this option, you must understand it is a compromise. The vehicle will look good from a short distance but upon inspection anyone who is looking for it will be able to see that a repair has been done. There will be paint along the edges of parts and rubber that do not get removed and you will see edges where the masking tape was applied. This is a great choice for an older used car that needs to be freshened up on a budget but Almost Everything does not recommend this option for cars less than 5 years old, leased vehicles or high-value cars. Also think about it this way, some of us notice the little things and some don't. If every day you or your spouse is going to be bothered by little imperfections caused by this budget-minded compromise, it may be money well spent to go ahead and do the Class-A Option.

Almost Everything recommends this option for:

• Older, less-valuable cars
• When cost savings is the priority
• People who won't mind some imperfections on closer examination