Any thoughts on plasti-dipping the chrome window trim? Has anyone here tried that before?

I'm thinking an extensive painters tape job should keep my windows clean...I'm going to try it this weekend and will report back on how it all works out.

 

I removed all my window trim and had it painted gloss black. the upper trim is one huge piece I could see plasti-dipping being a challenge.

Also the side emblems don't look right all black they turn pretty much unreadable from more than 3 feet away and just look like a black blob. I went back to stock ones after painting them black.

 

How hard is it to remove the window trims? I was thinking of doing mine gloss black

 

Here's my E55 with Plasti-dipped grill. I think that it looks great. (Car is filthy though).

 

the big top piece just pulls right off, start on one side and work your way across. the bottom pieces slide out after you pull the end caps off. not hard at all.

 

What are you planning to use to paint it gloss black?

I'm going crazy because neither Plasti Dip nor Rusto-leum engine enamel (for painting the engine air box) are available in Dubai... and i can't ship any of those by air!

 

Don't go crazy, just get an extra set of badges from your dealer and paint them yourself, no big deal. Primer coat, then a few coats of flat/matte black enamel spray you should be able to find at an auto parts store. The Plasti Dip trick is useful if you want to "paint" the badges black without removing them from the vehicle, but IMO paint is still a better option...it wont peel away.

Too bad hearing about the Plasti dip peeling off under moderate water pressure. That's what I was afraid of.

 

After only a few days.... my plasti-dipped grill has already started to bubble up in a couple places.... Looks like I'm going to have to peel it off and try again. Has anyone peeled this stuff off? How hard is this going to be? (I did 3 coats)

 

This is a PIA...tried it this weekend, although I did rush, and experienced bubbling...I had to peel it all off, which was annoying, particularly around the lettering and between the numbers! I'm going to take some time out this weekend to try it again - hopefully it will be less windy and I'll be able to spray an even coat.

 

Did you guys clean the surface well with alcohol? My grille has been painted for thousands of miles, and not one chip, or bubble. Ive also, done friends cars emblems, and grilles. Ive even done a complete diffuser, and not once has any of them peeled off from washing, or rubbing against.

Be sure to do light even coats, and allow it time to properly dry.

 

When I was a teenager I worked at a body shop. It was drilled into my head that the prep work in 90% of a good paint job. It sound like you guys are not taking your time on the cleaning of the items you want the paint to stick to. The most important parts are the edges were you want the paint to separate from the overspray. If you have dirt or worse wax you are wasting your time.

 

Guilty as charged. I will be setting aside the proper amount of time this weekend to clean, prep and re-apply. The windy conditions and uneven spray from the can didn't help but I will try again this weekend in earnest.

 

Warm the can in the sun or warm water. It will make a finer spray.

 

Does anyone have any tips on how to quickly/easily remove the overspray? The wind blew some spray on areas of my car that were not taped up.

 

Ouch, hope you get that sorted out ASAP. Seems so not worth it to me. Previous owner of my car had all the chrome badges as well as the rear trunk strip and front grille professionally painted and by the time I picked up the car from him (car is an '09), the grill was full of rock chips and all the other painted chrome pcs were peeling and/or chipped. Thankfully, the shop didn't sand them down and I was able to restore them to the factory chrome. Also had the grill vinyl wrapped instead. Worked out pretty good I think although after about 6 months, I did manage to get one rock chip in the vinyl. I think some of u guys who want to do the window trim should consider using vinyl. Should be a bit more durable than paint or plasti-dip.

 

Well I'm not super concerned with the overspray because it's just rubber...I can get it out with elbow grease but was curious to know if there were any easy tricks/solutions to expedite the process.

 

Try a clay car..

 

I figured as much but when I used a clay bar last week, it left a strange, faint pattern circular pattern in the clear coat that I cannot wipe away or wash off...you can only see if from certain angles in the light but I am concerned because I dont know why or where it came from, I just know it wasn't there before I clayed it.

I used Mother's Quick Detailing spray and Clay Bar.

 

Hey Obsidian, did you have to mask off the gloss plastic parts? I'm not sure what type of surface that plastidip will stay on and what type of surface it will just come off.