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Lombard Auto Body

Paint & Refinishing · San Francisco

Auto Paint & Refinishing in San Francisco.

Factory paint code matched to your VIN, verified against the adjacent panel, blended invisibly under varied light. Single-panel touch-ups, collision repaints, full-vehicle color changes. Lifetime warranty on the work.

Request a Free Estimate Call (415) 292-2962

Written by Jack Chew, owner of Lombard Auto Body — paint and refinishing work on Lombard Street since 2013. Reviewed June 2026.

What kind of paint work do you need?

Different jobs, different prep, different cost. Quick rundown so you know what you're asking for.

Single-panel touch-up & blend

A door, fender, or bumper that got scraped or hit. We sand the affected area, apply primer + base + clear, then blend into the adjacent panels so the transition is invisible.

Typical: $500–$1,500 · 2–3 business days

Multi-panel collision repaint

Several panels damaged in a collision. New replacement panels get sprayed in the booth; adjacent original panels get blended for color match.

Typical: usually insurance-mediated · 5–10 business days

Full vehicle repaint (same color)

Whole-car refresh keeping the factory color. Most often used to restore older vehicles with widespread clearcoat failure or oxidation.

Typical: $3,500–$8,000+ · 2–3 weeks

Color change

Going from one color to another. Every door jamb, trunk channel, inner fender, and (if you want factory-correct) the engine bay has to be sprayed. Long prep; permanent commitment.

Typical: $5,000–$12,000+ · 3–4 weeks

Clearcoat restoration (cut & polish / paint correction)

Faded, swirl-marked, but intact clear. Machine polishing — also called paint correction — brings it back to depth and gloss without sanding to base. Fraction of repaint cost when it'll work.

Typical: $300–$800 · 1 business day

Clearcoat peel / failure

When clearcoat has milky-white patches or has flaked off — common on older Toyotas, Lexus, and Hondas in California sun. Has to be sanded to base and resprayed; cut-and-polish won't save it.

Typical: per-panel or full-car repaint

How color matching actually works

The factory paint code is only step one. Here's why a "color-coded paint" job at a discount shop usually looks slightly off, and why ours doesn't.

  1. 1 · VIN paint code lookup

    We pull the factory paint code from your vehicle's build plate or VIN. That gives us the manufacturer's recipe — the baseline our computerized color matching starts from.

  2. 2 · Adjacent-panel verification

    Your car has been in sun and weather since it left the factory. The factory color today is not the factory color from new. We match against the real adjacent panel — not just the recipe.

  3. 3 · Test card spray

    For tri-coats and pearls, we spray a test card and hold it against the panel in natural and shop light before committing to the actual panel.

  4. 4 · Blend into adjacent panels

    Rather than masking off and spraying a hard edge (which makes color differences visible), we blend the new paint into the neighboring panels so any imperceptible color shift gets diffused across multiple panels. Under varied light, the transition is invisible.

Common questions about auto paint

How much does it cost to paint a car in San Francisco?

Single-panel repaint and blend: $500–$1,500. Full vehicle repaint: $3,500–$8,000+ depending on color, prep, and whether jambs and engine bay are included. Color-change repaints (when the new color differs from the original) run higher because every door jamb, trunk channel, and inner panel has to be sprayed too. Free written estimate — bring it by.

Will the new paint match my car's existing color exactly?

Yes. We pull the factory paint code off your VIN, then color-match using the actual adjacent panel because sun-fade shifts every car over time — a 2018 Pearl White today is not the same Pearl White as a 2018 Pearl White from the factory. On tri-coat and metallic finishes we spray test cards first, then blend the new paint into adjacent panels so the color transition is invisible under varied light.

How long does paint refinishing take?

Single-panel paint + blend: 2–3 business days. Multi-panel collision repaint: 5–10 business days. Full vehicle repaint: 2–4 weeks. The bigger time-sink isn't the paint itself — it's the cure time between primer, base, and clear: each coat has to flash off (typically 15–30 minutes) before the next goes on, and the clear needs a longer cure — often overnight — before any cut-and-polish. Add the disassembly and reassembly around trim, glass, and weather strips and the days add up.

Can you fix sun-faded clearcoat without a full repaint?

Sometimes. If the clearcoat is oxidized but intact, a cut-and-polish can restore depth and gloss for a fraction of repaint cost. If the clearcoat has peeled or failed (you'll see milky white patches and the color underneath dulling out), the only real fix is sanding back to base and reapplying clear + topcoat. We can tell which one your car needs in a 10-minute walk-around.

Do you use OEM-matched paint or aftermarket?

We use professional-grade automotive refinish systems — the same class of paint used by U.S. dealerships and OEM-certified shops — matched to your vehicle's factory color code. We do not use generic aerosol or "close-enough" automotive paint. Ask us which system we'll spray for your specific color and finish.

Can you paint my car a different color (color change)?

Yes. Color-change paint jobs require sanding every visible panel + door jambs + trunk channel + inner fender liners + engine bay if the customer wants it factory-correct. Expect $5,000–$12,000+ depending on the original color, target color, and whether door jambs are included. We give a written estimate before any sanding starts.

What's the warranty on paint work?

Lifetime warranty on collision repair, auto body work, and paint. Covers paint adhesion, color match, and structural workmanship for as long as you own the vehicle. Doesn't cover damage from a new accident, chemical contamination (tree sap, bird droppings left long-term), or aftermarket modifications applied after delivery. Terms on every invoice — keep it.

Will the repainted panel hold up under San Francisco fog and salt air?

Yes. Modern automotive refinish systems are UV-rated and salt-rated to factory specification. The clear-coat layer protects the base coat from oxidation, UV breakdown, and atmospheric contaminants. With normal washing (every 2–4 weeks) the finish should match factory durability.

Need paint work?

Bring the car in for a free written estimate or call (415) 292-2962. We'll tell you which kind of job yours actually needs.

Request Free Estimate Call (415) 292-2962
Call (415) 292-2962 Free Estimate