Our advice
- Strip and paint last. Stripping costs money, and no source we have shows how much a fresh color adds to the used car dealer's offer, so we would only pay for it once every repair is done.
- Polish before you buy. A rusty or worn part comes back to 100% in the cleaner and polisher, so a new part from the parts store is only worth it when the old one is scrapped.
Mechanic Legends Paint and Polish Guide, step by step
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Step 1: at the paint shop, strip the paint first to remove the rust. Stripping costs money. Illustration by MechanicLegends.org Rust removal by stripping
The GPS line on the road marks the way to the paint shop, so you can drive straight there. Stripping comes first and is what clears the rust, at a price. One creator paid 700 for rust removal on one car, and another saw stripping priced at 600 on a different car, so the cost may depend on the car.
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Step 2: drive into the paint booth and pick any color for the car. Illustration by MechanicLegends.org Your color choice in the booth
With the rust gone, the color is entirely your choice once the car is inside the paint booth. One creator shows the car being painted in front of you after the pick, plus a setting for brightness.
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Step 3: rusty or worn parts go through the ultrasonic cleaner and the part polisher and come back to 100%. Illustration by MechanicLegends.org Rusty parts, cleaner first, polisher second
Rust on parts is a separate job from the body paint. Take rusty or worn parts out in your garage and run them through the ultrasonic cleaner, then the part polisher, to get them back to 100%. One player guide says scrapped parts cannot be saved this way.
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Step 4: paint the car last, then sell it to the used car dealer or keep it and drive it. Illustration by MechanicLegends.org Fresh paint as the final job
Painting comes last, once the repairs are done. From there the used car dealer will name a price for the car, though selling is optional and the car is yours to drive if you keep it.
Where people get stuck
You try to paint before stripping the rust
Player guides strip the paint first and go to the paint booth after. Do the stripping step at the paint shop before you pick a color.
You pay to strip a car you have not repaired yet
Stripping costs money. Finish the repairs in your garage first, so you only strip and paint cars that are ready to sell or keep.
A part will not polish back to 100%
One player guide says a scrapped part cannot be polished back. Order a new one from the parts store instead; our parts guide covers each part.
How do you paint a car in Mechanic Legends?
As of the October 29, 2026 update, painting a car is a two-stage job at the paint shop. Four player channels show the same order:
- Drive to the paint shop; the GPS line on the road shows the way.
- Pay to have the old paint stripped, which clears the rust.
- Roll into the booth and set whatever color you want.
- Decide whether the finished car goes to the used car dealer or stays with you.
On a rusty car, the player guides strip first. The rust comes off with the old paint, and then the car goes into the booth.
How do you remove rust in Mechanic Legends?
There are two kinds of rust work, and they happen in different places.
- Rust on the body. Strip the paint at the paint shop. The rust comes off with it, and then you repaint.
- Rust on parts. Take the part out in your garage and put it through the ultrasonic cleaner and the part polisher. Rusty or worn parts come back to 100% this way.
The two jobs are separate: stripping is for the body, and the cleaner and polisher are for parts. A junkyard car can need both.
What stripping costs
Stripping is the one paint step player videos put a price on. Two creators show different numbers:
- One creator paid 700 for rust removal on one car.
- Another creator saw paint stripping priced at 600 on a different car.
Both are single player reports, and they are for different cars. We think the price depends on the car, but no source we have says what sets it. Check the price at the paint shop before you commit, and expect it to change while the game is in BETA.
Is stripping worth the Cash?
No source we have shows how much a fresh coat of paint adds to the used car dealer’s offer. So we cannot tell you that stripping always pays for itself. What we can say:
- The reported stripping prices are small next to the profits players report from flipping cars. Our guide on how to make money in Mechanic Legends has those examples.
- Stripping is money spent before you know what the car sells for. Doing it last means you only pay for cars you have finished.
- If you plan to keep the car, paint is for looks. Pick the color you want and do not worry about the offer.
Our advice is simple: repair first, strip and paint last.
The paint booth
The booth is the second half of the job: once the car is stripped, any color is on the table. One creator shows that you then watch the car being painted, and that the booth lets you adjust the brightness. That comes from one video, so the controls in the booth may look different on your screen after an update.
Cleaning and polishing parts
Part work happens in your garage, not at the paint shop. Drive the car onto the lift, raise it, open the hood and hold the wrench to see which parts are damaged. Then:
- Take the rusty or worn part out of the car.
- Clean it in the ultrasonic cleaner.
- Polish it on the part polisher. It comes back to 100%.
- Put it back in.
Three player channels show this. It works on the radiator, the exhaust manifold, the intercooler and worn wiring. It does not work on a scrapped part: one player guide says a scrapped part cannot be polished back, and you order a new one from the parts store. Our Mechanic Legends parts guide goes through each part.
Sell or keep
Once the car is repaired and painted, you have two choices. If you want the Cash, the used car dealer, an NPC, will put a price on it. If you would rather drive it yourself, no rule says you have to sell.
Mechanic Legends Paint and Polish Guide: FAQ
How do you paint a car in Mechanic Legends?
To paint a car in Mechanic Legends, take it to the paint shop, pay to strip the old paint so the rust comes off, and then choose any color in the paint booth. The GPS line on the road shows the way there.
How do you remove rust in Mechanic Legends?
You remove rust from a car body by stripping the paint at the paint shop, which costs money. Rusty parts are a separate job: clean them in the ultrasonic cleaner and polish them on the part polisher.
How do you polish parts in Mechanic Legends?
Take the rusty or worn part out of the car, clean it in the ultrasonic cleaner and polish it on the part polisher. It comes back to 100%, so you do not have to replace it.
How much does it cost to strip paint in Mechanic Legends?
Player videos show different prices. One creator paid 700 for rust removal on one car, and another saw stripping priced at 600 on a different car, so the cost may depend on the car.
Can you pick any color in Mechanic Legends?
Yes. Once the paint is stripped, you can pick any color in the paint booth. One creator also shows a brightness setting and watches the car being painted.
Should you paint a car before selling it in Mechanic Legends?
We would paint last, after every repair is done and right before you sell. No source we have shows how much a new color changes the used car dealer's offer, so do not strip a car you are not finished with.
Can you keep a car after painting it in Mechanic Legends?
Yes. Selling is optional in Mechanic Legends, so a freshly painted car can stay with you as your own car to drive.