Looking for a local paint & body shop (has anyone gone through Long Beach MINI?) to paint the black plastic trim around the wheel arches, bumper and fender (strongly considering Aero side skirts, but that will be determined by the price).

Any and all information would be greatly appreciated about this process. I’ve searched and read older threads, but no one really gives a detailed description (aside from the quote below) of the process and/or the actual cost.

“- consider buying new arches instead of using the ones on your car. When they pull them off, they warp slightly. When you put the old ones back on, there will be gaps in the arches. If you do use the ones off the car, you might need some adhesive between the arches and the body to close the gaps. Another good reason for using other arches is that you can let the paint cure for a few weeks and then get them covered in anti-chip film before you fit them. That is how I'd do it if I were to do it again...

- there is a bit of labor involved in the work. The body shop will have to put several layers of high-fill primer on the arches, with a sanding-back between each layer. They will then put another layer of primer on, then several layers of paint. If they don't use the high-fill primer and just paint over the arches, the finish will be 'rippled' and not match the paintwork.” --Tit

Makes sense and noted. Still in the dark about the price of this process (including labor). I’m hoping that it’s below $1,500.

How much do new wheel arches cost?

On a few sites I’ve seen the Aero side skirts sale for just below $500. Competitive price for them? Oh, and eBay gets no love.