A perfectly applied and polished paint job can erase years of deterioration and give your ride that fresh-out-of-the-showroom appeal. But finding a qualified professional can often be the hardest part of the process.

Follow these suggestions from highly rated classic car paint pros to get the most from your investment:

Shop local

Often, your best bet for finding the right shop is looking for one within a relatively close driving distance, says Lloyd Lind, owner of highly rated Colors on Parade, a paint, body and restoration shop in Raleigh, N.C. “Choose a local shop,” he says. “A shop is only as good as the work they’re currently doing, so you want somebody you can drop in on from time to time.”

Jon Carson, owner of highly rated Fenders and Fins in Woodinville, Wash., agrees. “It’s much better to do it local – it makes dropping by much easier,” he says. “We love it when our customers come in to see the progress because they see what we’re up against.”

Look for a shop that specializes in or has plenty of experience with classic cars. “Even a good all-around shop can’t do everything good,” Lind says. “If you don’t go somewhere that specializes, you’re going to get everything done mediocre.”

Other details to look for in a shop: training or certifications from paint or equipment manufacturers, and a relatively clean, well-organized work space. “Body shops get dirty, but if it’s cluttered and filthy, that’s a different story,” says Murrill Feldmann, owner of Murrill’s Classic Dreams in Washington, Mo. “Organization is key because the customer wants to know that the parts coming off their car will be going back on it.”

Establish a good rapport

Another key characteristic to finding a good shop: communication. “The biggest things - above all else – are expectations and communication,” Carson says. “The No. 1 complaint I hear about other shops is that there was no communication and a big bill at the end.” He says a shop should always call the customer as soon as possible when needed repairs are discovered.

“You might be opening Pandora’s box when you start taking something apart,” Feldmann says. “That’s why you want someone who’s going to call and notify you about what’s going on with the car. I never just fix the problem and call the customer later with the price.”

All three shop owners say stopping by the shop on a regular basis to check on your vehicle’s progress greatly aids the communication process.

Invest in high-quality work

“If you do a cheap paint job, it’s much more expensive to make it nice later,” Carson says. He adds that educating customers about what to expect in terms of cost is one of his shop’s main objectives. “There’s a certain cost involved, there’s no way around it,” he says. “It just takes time to do the work right.”

Feldmann advises customers to never shop based on price. “Paint is one thing you absolutely don’t want to skimp on — you get what you pay for,” he says. He adds that a quality shop will take the time to disassemble most of the vehicle's components and paint them individually, rather than masking over unpainted areas like door handles or windows.

Keeping a realistic attitude about hidden damage or needed repairs on older vehicles goes a long way, too. Phil Marratta, owner of highly rated Danrr Auto Body in Fox River Grove, Ill., recommends that classic car owners invest in an appraisal from a qualified expert.

“Spend the $400 to $600 to have it assessed – you’ll save money in the long run because the car may not be worth repairing or painting,” he says. He adds that the most common problems in older cars hide in the body’s inner structure or floorboards – areas that are generally not visible until disassembly.

“It’s similar to remodeling a house; most cars hide issues and secrets beneath the paint,” Carson says. “That’s why I always tell people to factor another 20 percent into the expected cost for ‘just in case.’”

Be diligent on documentation

Once you’ve selected the right shop and work is under way, keep tabs on how they spend your money. Pay as you go weekly, monthly or quarterly and never pay the full amount upfront. Lind says customers should expect detailed reports on how labor hours were spent and what parts were purchased with every billing cycle. “You really want them to be able to document the hours they spent and how they spend your money,” he says.

Feldmann and Carson provide their customers step-by-step photo documentation of needed repairs for both regular progress updates and to ultimately improve the vehicle’s resale. “At the end of the project, the customers get a DVD with all the pictures on it,” Feldmann says. “It improves the resale value because it shows a buyer exactly how your guys did the work – the potential buyer will know they’re getting a nicer car.”

As with any high-dollar investment, when seeking out a reputable paint shop, ask for references and check a company's ratings on Angie’s List Classic Cars.