Powder Coat vs Plastidip
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From: New Jersey
2004 C240 4Matic
Powder Coat vs Plastidip
Definitely want to paint my mandrus milleniums black for the winter as I'll probably keep them as my winter wheels and grab some BBS LM Reps for the summer and wanted you guys' opinions on which method would be more efficient and durable in the snowy syracuse winter. Thanks!
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From: Mississauga, Canada
2003 CL203 C320, 2002 W208 CLK320 cabriolet, 2012 A207 E350 cabriolet, 2011 X204 GLK350 4matic
I've had Plasti-Dip on my grille through a Canadian winter where we got a ****load of snow and ice. No tears or rips!
I'd go with Plasti-Dip cause it's like 6 bucks a can in the states and you only need 2-4 cans to spray your rims.
Spray 5-6 coats on your rims, just don't curb them.
I'd go with Plasti-Dip cause it's like 6 bucks a can in the states and you only need 2-4 cans to spray your rims.
Spray 5-6 coats on your rims, just don't curb them.
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From: Westwood, NJ
2004 Civic Si. FWD for the Win!
Since they're your winter rims, you really should powdercoat them. Plasti-dipping is not nearly as durable, and does nothing to protect your rims from salt.
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From: Mississauga, Canada
2003 CL203 C320, 2002 W208 CLK320 cabriolet, 2012 A207 E350 cabriolet, 2011 X204 GLK350 4matic
This is true. You would have to be extremely thorough if you spray them with Plasti-Dip. The good thing is, it's cheap to do.
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2008 C350
Powdercoating will be more expensive but it is way more durable than plastidip. Its actually more durable than auto paint. If you want to do I right the first time powder coat them. If you want to be cheap or do a DIY go with plastidip.
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From: New Joisey
13 Jeep JKU Sahara w/4" lift Kit & the works,2015 Toyota Sienna XLE,2013 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid
for the cost of powder coating you can put in say like $20 more and buy a nice set of aftermarket rims (thats what I did...I was in the same boat as you torn between powder coating the OEM 16"s and make them look nice or just put a little bit extra and buy aftermarket...was looking and finally saw a nice MSW type23 set come up on tire rack for $300 grabbed them and sold the scratched OEMs on craiglist to a VW guy for $325...lol)........ if you want to hold on to the mandrus milleniums then powder coating is the only way to go on expensive OEM wheels......will retain the value of the rims....but plasti dip them and they are worth nothing...... IMHO...
javvy
javvy
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From: New Jersey
2004 C240 4Matic
Okay thanks for all the opinions. I think I'll definitely go with powder coating them since I'll be keeping them for a while and just swapping them out during the summer.
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From: Westwood, NJ
2004 Civic Si. FWD for the Win!
Do you have a powdercoater? There's one I have used many times in Stockholm (Rte. 23, Sussex Co, NJ), he's very good for the limited amount of colors/effects he can do.
Also have used two powdercoaters in Bucks Co., PA - liquidpowdercoats.com in Yardley (Martin did my current spare in the Benz, my rollbar in the CRX, and several other pieces) and boneheadperformance.com in Warminster (my CRX's rims, my Benz's smurfy blue lugnuts, other various little pieces). I'd recommend both, but LPC does really interesting combos and flakes.
I'm actually going to Bonehead on Friday on my way to my vacation - let me know if you need any help.
Also have used two powdercoaters in Bucks Co., PA - liquidpowdercoats.com in Yardley (Martin did my current spare in the Benz, my rollbar in the CRX, and several other pieces) and boneheadperformance.com in Warminster (my CRX's rims, my Benz's smurfy blue lugnuts, other various little pieces). I'd recommend both, but LPC does really interesting combos and flakes.
I'm actually going to Bonehead on Friday on my way to my vacation - let me know if you need any help.
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From: New Jersey
2004 C240 4Matic
Do you have a powdercoater? There's one I have used many times in Stockholm (Rte. 23, Sussex Co, NJ), he's very good for the limited amount of colors/effects he can do.
Also have used two powdercoaters in Bucks Co., PA - liquidpowdercoats.com in Yardley (Martin did my current spare in the Benz, my rollbar in the CRX, and several other pieces) and boneheadperformance.com in Warminster (my CRX's rims, my Benz's smurfy blue lugnuts, other various little pieces). I'd recommend both, but LPC does really interesting combos and flakes.
I'm actually going to Bonehead on Friday on my way to my vacation - let me know if you need any help.
Also have used two powdercoaters in Bucks Co., PA - liquidpowdercoats.com in Yardley (Martin did my current spare in the Benz, my rollbar in the CRX, and several other pieces) and boneheadperformance.com in Warminster (my CRX's rims, my Benz's smurfy blue lugnuts, other various little pieces). I'd recommend both, but LPC does really interesting combos and flakes.
I'm actually going to Bonehead on Friday on my way to my vacation - let me know if you need any help.
Got an estimate for $360 and a 5-6 day turn around? Is this good?
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From: New Joisey
13 Jeep JKU Sahara w/4" lift Kit & the works,2015 Toyota Sienna XLE,2013 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid
:r olf:Just got the hitch on my van powder coated matt black from this guy in east burnswick , river road. His name is Ceasar # 732-421-9822. Did an excelent job. Chcek him out for a quote...
javvy
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From: Pittsburgh
C63 AMG
My best friend is the GM at a local Dodge dealer body shop and they are now offering this service. It is amazing what this stuff can handle when applied properly. They are now offering this in clear as well to compete against paint protection film coverings.
The nice thing about plasti-dip is if you get sick of it, and or want to switch, you just tear it off as it comes off in sheets.
When applied to cars, it is applied no different than painting a car. There are probably somewhere around 6-8 coats applied and it turns out impeccable!
I was very skeptical until the Owner of the Dealership showed up at my house in his new SRT8 with it Matte Black Plasti-Dipped. It looks amazing!
And the protection is incredible!
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From: New Jersey
2004 C240 4Matic
HAHAHA What would you suggest then? What would compliment my pewter paint with carbon fiber everything? I was originally thinking gloss black with the red lips but ehhhh
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From: Westwood, NJ
2004 Civic Si. FWD for the Win!
Well, I would view your car as equivalent to a beige house with beige furniture and off-beige carpeting at the moment. 
Which is why I would think that you'd need something with some visual interest.
One of my favorite colors in Volk wheels which I think would look great on your car is mag blue. It's not too flashy, but would also add something. Or even a deep red or something I'm thinking of for my car, takata green (for those jdm peoples here). Also, if you go to Liquid Powder Coats' website, hit galleries, then color, then the link for their colors page on their old site (the new site does a pretty sh*tty job of presenting everything they offer), and look at their combinations, they have some very interesting combination colors which can be subtle but still not make your car look like everyone else's. I got my spare done in one of their combinations - I think black with blue explosion, if memory serves, which may be a little much for the rims you'd see every day, but there are a couple of black combinations which would work.
I was kidding about slashing all of your tires , btw - if you do get the rims done in gloss or matte black, I'd really only slash one; I wouldn't want to leave you stranded.
Autosport7 - my assumption on the Plasti-Dip was on a DIY application, not one of those professional ones. IMHO, once you go to that level, powdercoating makes sense for another reason - more color choices that I'm guessing would be not that much more costly than a Plasti-Dip professional presentation.
Which is why I would think that you'd need something with some visual interest.One of my favorite colors in Volk wheels which I think would look great on your car is mag blue. It's not too flashy, but would also add something. Or even a deep red or something I'm thinking of for my car, takata green (for those jdm peoples here). Also, if you go to Liquid Powder Coats' website, hit galleries, then color, then the link for their colors page on their old site (the new site does a pretty sh*tty job of presenting everything they offer), and look at their combinations, they have some very interesting combination colors which can be subtle but still not make your car look like everyone else's. I got my spare done in one of their combinations - I think black with blue explosion, if memory serves, which may be a little much for the rims you'd see every day, but there are a couple of black combinations which would work.
I was kidding about slashing all of your tires , btw - if you do get the rims done in gloss or matte black, I'd really only slash one; I wouldn't want to leave you stranded.
Autosport7 - my assumption on the Plasti-Dip was on a DIY application, not one of those professional ones. IMHO, once you go to that level, powdercoating makes sense for another reason - more color choices that I'm guessing would be not that much more costly than a Plasti-Dip professional presentation.
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From: Mississauga, Canada
2003 CL203 C320, 2002 W208 CLK320 cabriolet, 2012 A207 E350 cabriolet, 2011 X204 GLK350 4matic
In my opinion, any colour that isn't black, white, gunmetal, or hyper silver is tacky.
Especially if it's permanent and you're NOT using Plasti-Dip, I would say don't colour your rims. You can't just peel powder coated rims.
Especially if it's permanent and you're NOT using Plasti-Dip, I would say don't colour your rims. You can't just peel powder coated rims.
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From: Westwood, NJ
2004 Civic Si. FWD for the Win!
Al - at 18, you're way too young to be that boring. Powdercoating isn't permanent anyway; if you don't like it, just get it re-powdercoated in another color.
BW looks like a really good color to me.
Painting calipers is always a good thing. Maybe consider upgrading to the C32 calipers? 
BW looks like a really good color to me.
Painting calipers is always a good thing. Maybe consider upgrading to the C32 calipers?
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From: New Jersey
2004 C240 4Matic
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From: Always Sunny & beautiful, Costa Rica
CLS55 AMG, ML63 AMG, Cayenne S
I've been going back and forth with this, I have the money for powder coating, here's my dilemma, my wheels are 20" 360 Forged spec 5, with HUGE outer lips, and they are chrome... in order to powder coat them, I need to remove the chrome, correct?
Given my location, no chrome shop dares to touch my wheels with their chemicals because they all tell me the aluminum below the chrome would be ruined.
This where plasti dip becomes an option (I think...), I want them gloss black, and if I don't like the finish, I can easily remove it, if I like it, it was very cheap.
Any suggestions regarding my chrome problem?
Given my location, no chrome shop dares to touch my wheels with their chemicals because they all tell me the aluminum below the chrome would be ruined.
This where plasti dip becomes an option (I think...), I want them gloss black, and if I don't like the finish, I can easily remove it, if I like it, it was very cheap.
Any suggestions regarding my chrome problem?
