Gel coat or Paint?

[Johno]

Hi all,
My friend Luke has ordered a fibre glass kit frm NTS Engineering but without a finished gel coat finish. I am now having second thoughts about having a gel coat finish as well. Luke wants a metallic finish but the thought of being able to fit your GRP kit without worrying about scratching or damaging them seems appealing.
I know from previous posts from Fabby that gel coats fade with time faster than paint.
Does the cost of a gel coat finish against the cost of spraying the parts once finished justify the price?
Basically what I'm asking is it better to gel or paint.

Any opinions on this matter would be greatfully appreciated....

Johno