We humans love a good story. Sometimes, we’ll even settle for a mediocre story just to see how it ends. I think we generally just want to know more, always in search of connection. In the same way that every person has a story, so does every business. Every story may not be important to everyone, but it’s still important to tell yours! Whether you touch 1,000 people or just 1 person, your story has made a difference in the world. If you keep telling it in a way that feels true to you, someone will hear it and understand, and another connection will be created. After all, the connection is what we seek, it’s what breathes life into our communities and drives us to be the best versions of ourselves. Without further ado, PaintCraft Car Paint Repair has a story for you!
PaintCraft Car Paint Repair Beginnings
If you’ve been in the Orange County area of Southern California for a while, you may know PaintCraft by its original name: Quinn The Eskimo. Owner and master car paint technician, Steve Bode, started perfecting his craft in 2006. However, he didn’t get there easily. Steve graduated from the University of Phoenix with a master’s degree in business in 1996. His thesis was a business plan to start a color separation business. He started that company, called Dot.Com, with $83 to his name. They eventually expanded into printing, graphic design, and advertising. Steve developed his skills for matching colors and working at top efficiency during this time.
When One Door Closes…
Things were going really well until the attacks of September 11th, 2001. Steve had just purchased a brand new, half-million-dollar printing press. Getting new business cards printed was the last thing on the minds of his customers, so the printing press became a huge liability. After a year of struggling, the business closed its doors. Steve was close to $1 million in debt and without a job. He rolled up his sleeves and got to work to pay off his debt. He worked for the company he bought the printing press from during the day, delivered pizza at night, and started what later became PaintCraft on his lunch breaks. After a couple of years of this, he had paid off everything he owed and was ready to start something new.
Steve’s roommate in college just so happens to be the founder of Dr. Colorchip, Bill McLean. He learned how to use the system and brought it to Orange County. Eventually, he became a master at car paint chip repair with the Dr. Colorchip paint system. He has been called the best touch-up guy in the country by The Porsche Club of America, Mequires Wax, and the Vice President of Mazda North America. He’s worked on over 90,000 cars over the last 15 years – everything from some of the most expensive cars in the world to your average daily commuter.
Over the course of the last few years, Steve decided it was time to grow the business. He hired a few employees, brought in more customers than ever, and changed the business name from Quinn The Eskimo to PaintCraft, Inc. Our goal is to be the best car paint touch-up company in Southern California, leaving every customer better than we found them!
The Craft
So, what exactly does PaintCraft do? We provide on-site repair services for minor car paint chips, scratches, and scrapes in Southern California (LA and Orange County, more specifically). We work for many dealerships, collectors, and car clubs, as well as individuals in the community. Our services help our customers save money by avoiding a body shop. A lot of minor paint damage can be skillfully repaired in a fraction of the time for half the cost. Our services generally cost between $125 and $250, and we repair everything we can on your car for that price. It can cost anywhere from $250 to $600 to have one panel resprayed by a body shop. (To read more about your options for different types of paint damage, click here.)
That being said, we can’t fix everything. There are some things that just aren’t going to look better with mobile touch-up. Touch-up doesn’t always look brand new up close, but it does look much better and keep the damaged area from getting worse. It all depends on your needs and preferences. You can send photos of your damage and we’ll tell you the best approach whether you give us your business or not. Even if we drive out to your home and find there’s nothing we can do, we’re not going to charge you. We’ll give you a referral to someone who can help and wish you well. We’re not looking to make a quick buck around every corner. Rather, our goal is to help everyone we come across in the best way we know how. That is how our business thrives.
The Path
PaintCraft is made up of artists who are making the world a better place. We go above and beyond to make sure you’re not only happy with our services but also just happier in general. We’re hardworking, honest, and efficient. Yes, we can fix your car’s paint and make it look pretty again. But we also care about YOU. Everyone is dealing with their own hardships so we’ll do our best to make your load that much lighter.
