Best cheap primer/surfacer in a spray can?

[1987cp]

At risk of looking like a complete idiot, I'm hoping to find out what experience people have with cheap spray-bomb primer/surfacers. The Duplicolor high-build primer I've gone through a couple cans of on the bumper I'm working on seems to be decent, but I go through an awful lot of it at 5 bucks a can. I'm also not 1000% certain it's really supposed to be wet-sanded. Some Rust-Oleum automotive primer I tried recently is specifically labeled as wet-sandable and seems to have done well on a couple of repairs I've done with it already (such as I can tell), but it's slow drying, harder to sand, and isn't specifically labeled as high-build. It's also right about the same price, though it sort of seems like I got more use out of it per can. Meijer has some off brand of cheap sandable primer for more like $3 per can, but I'm hesitant to use it if it'll help make my amateurish effort worse than it's going to be anyway. I'm also feeling a little silly for already having mixed brands of primer (RustOleum and Duplicolor), but that can't really be helped at this point short of stripping the whole thing back down and starting over. Also, how badly am I likely to run into incompatibility issues with topcoats from Duplicolor, Rustoleum, or other sources (don't need the topcoat spiderwebbing the primer).

[P72Ford]

Funny you should ask this. My dad just bought a few cans of PPG "Pitbull" high build epoxy primer in spray bombs, for some touch up. It was less than $5 a can, and was very nice to work with. PPG is a good brand for paints and products, so I trust that it will be decent as far as longevity is concerned as well. It is easy to identify (blue cans), as the cans have ribs in the top portion.

My Dad also likes to use SEM primer. I hate it, and think it is poor quality. Its very thin, and has to be applied in thin coats to get any coverage. Plus, it is very expensive (10-15 for a slightly larger than normal spray bomb), and is fairly hard to come by. It is supposed to be good for rust prevention, but it is very porous in my opinion. I only mention it because I would not recommend it.

I have used Duplicolor products before, and have had good luck with them. The paints have a particularly nice shine one applied. You can get a very nice finish for a spray bomb. I have used their primers, and find that they cover well too. If you are unsure if you can wet sand it, either try it and see (on a seperate area), or try and find a number to call on the can.

[1987cp]

You can get PPG in spraybombs??? Where'd he get that? Cheaper plus better sounds like a winning combination to me!

I've actually been wetsanding the Duplicolor primer already and it looks OK, I'm just not sure whether it absorbs moisture super-readily or does any of the other things that would make it a bad thing to bring a cured primer in contact with water.

[86GmLsCoupe]

When I was working on my car, the body shop store guy I know recommended the U-POL spray primer (High #5) in the blue can and said nearby shops use it quite often. It runs around $10-15 a can.

[1987cp]

Woah... pricey! Don't suppose you get more coverage/buildup per can?

[86GmLsCoupe]

I paid $15 for mine when I was planning to do the bodywork before my repaint but returned it after realizing I'd probably do a horrible job. Also, I have Dupont Epoxy primer on the car and didn't want any 1k under it.

[interceptor1985]

I used Rustolieum primer gray when I spray bombed my old stang...It did OK it was easy to sand BUT you have to paint right away because it does NOT hold off rust it is made to soak in paint and it does the same with water...Don't ask how I know. That stuff is about $3-4 bucks a can.

Just a reminder though..."The best paint jobs begin with the best prep job's"

[P72Ford]

You can get PPG in spraybombs??? Where'd he get that? Cheaper plus better sounds like a winning combination to me!

He bought it at the PPG store, of course...

[1987cp]

Just a reminder though..."The best paint jobs begin with the best prep job's"

I'll definitely keep that in mind! Sounds like I really should try to move the car into the garage whenever I can manage it, though... the smoothing process on the decklid is taking a lot longer than anticipated.

He bought it at the PPG store, of course...

Hm..... guess I'll just have to keep my eyes peeled! I'm sure they've got a supplier in this area somewhere.

[1987cp]

Followup: yep, found online a couple of local PPG distributors:

Finishmaster Inc #002
1434 Diamond Reo Way
Lansing, MI 48910
(517) 482-9099
(800) 554-1302

Painters Supply & Equipment Co - Lansing
717 South Pennsylvania Avenue
Lansing, MI 48912
(517) 374-7419

... so I'll have to see about checking them out Mondayish. Thanks, Nate!

[interceptor1985]

ppg wanted $300 for one gallon of black I was crushed.

[Grand Marquis GT]

I've heard of this primer you can put on with a foam roller that turns out nice, too...

[1987cp]

I've heard of this primer you can put on with a foam roller that turns out nice, too...

Hey, I'm open to ideas! A roll-on product would almost certainly be cheaper per ounce than a comparable spray can. Don't suppose it's a high-build variety that works well for automotive applications?

[P72Ford]

ppg wanted $300 for one gallon of black I was crushed.

Its good stuff; my Dad's car was painted with the single stage. But, we got the paint for very cheap (comparitively), seeing as we know a PPG paint rep as well.

My car is painted with outdated PPG Durethane. The hardener alone was $240 a gallon (you mix it 1:1, no reducer). To bad the paibnt was outdated and is pretty porous.

[1987cp]

Dunno about acquiring it locally, but this brushable catalyzed primer looks pretty cheap: http://www.smartshoppersinc.com/auto...de-primer.html

How much do PPG primers usually go for? Surely a good deal cheaper than the topcoats.