moemoe

The clear coat and what looks like some of the paint have come off my side wheel bumpers on my ML 55 and i wanted to get some feedback from people here on how to rectify it.

Does anyone know where i can obtain a bottle of spray paint (or 2) that matches my ML color? I called Mercedes, but they only sell a mall "touch up bottle" The paint on my car is called "744U BRILLIANT SILVER METALLIC" according to the data card, and i assume this is the same color that is used on the side wheel bumpers too.

Question 1 - does anyone know where i could get this spray paint? and maybe a bottle or 2 of clear coat that would work with that paint.

Question 2 - I'm not a paint expert, but did my d-panels in the back of the car with nice results, so thinking to do the same for these, assuming that strategy would work on the wheel bumpers too?

a) remove all 4 wheel bumpers from car
b) dry sand with 200 and 400, then wet and dry with 1000 and 2000 grit sandpaper.
c) wash with alcohol to get any grease off.
d) 3 coats of 744U (if i can find it)
e) maybe 2-3 coats of clear coat (used Duplicolor on my back d-panels with nice results, assuming that might work regardless of what paint manufacturer i find?)

thanks for comments on this in advance.

Yidney

There are numerous online places to buy color matched spray cans of a paint. I forget the name of the place I bought mine, which is the place most often recommended. Do a little googling.

You won't get perfect results on a panel that big with a rattle can, but assuming you go ahead, I have a few comments on your proposed steps. First, unless you have some pretty serious scratches, 200 (probably actually 220) is way too course to start with. Start with as fine as you can. 600 might be plenty. Second, jumping from 400 to 1000 is way too big a jump. Removing 400 scratches with 1000 grit will take forever. Third, 2000 is too fine for a repaint. 2000 grit is usually for removing imperfections in clear coat and then polishing. But it's too smooth for the base for a repaint. Fourth, no reason to dry sand with any of those. The paper will just clog up. Use water.

moemoe

Good advice there, and maybe you are right that 220 as a start would be too course on the trim. Perhaps starting with 400 then to get the old clear coat off, then 600,800,1000 and a tiny 2000 just to polish it.

The company i found online that sells a kit is called https://www.paintscratch.com Was it this one you used? They seems to know what they are doing/selling as they have different kits for what you are painting, like body vs. plastics such as bumpers.

Read online that some ML's came with two-tone, but couldnt find any information on this, so called the dealer who confirmed on my car both plastic and non plastics are 744U.

Yidney

Yes, that is the place. And my point about 2000 was not that polishing it is unnecessary or a waste of time - my point is that it is actually bad. Don't do it. I would not even use 1000. Paint needs a slightly rough surface to adhere to. It's called "tooth." For example, if you were going to paint something that is chrome plated, the first thing you would do is sand it to give the paint something to adhere to.

moemoe

Got you, thanks for the info there! Just went ahead with an order with them, i also asked them to include what they recommend in terms of "prep" work that would work the best with their type of paints