trim plastics colouring

The trim plastics on my 2000 dse are looking tired, what would people suggest? I've seen some dye kits available or I'm considering spraying them.

If people have done similar, what have you used an what colour for paints.

Peanut butter.

langley said:

The trim plastics on my 2000 dse are looking tired, what would people suggest? I've seen some dye kits available or I'm considering spraying them.

If people have done similar, what have you used an what colour for paints.

Click to expand...

Are we talking interior pillar trims, as there the commom one's

Hi, I know most people would disagree, but I could not stand the wood vaneer look in my p38, so I upgraded it to the flasy carbon silver! Must admit, i didnt do the best of jobs fitting it on, but looks so much better, (in my opinion)

p38owner2 said:

Hi, I know most people would disagree, but I could not stand the wood vaneer look in my p38, so I upgraded it to the flasy carbon silver! Must admit, i didnt do the best of jobs fitting it on, but looks so much better, (in my opinion)

Click to expand...

I'm just about to do the same in mine. Getting rid of wood vaneer look & probably doing brushed aluminum.

Are you posting any pics?

langley said:

The trim plastics on my 2000 dse are looking tired, what would people suggest? I've seen some dye kits available or I'm considering spraying them.

If people have done similar, what have you used an what colour for paints.

Click to expand...

Plastic trim can be sprayed any colour you want provided it has been degreased, flexi undercoat/primer & correct paint. There's load of info on the net.

I read somewhere that you can cover some trim in leather/vinyl or even recolour or repair flexible leather & vinyl with a leather recolour kit. www.furnitureclinic.co.uk Leather Colourant Kit. This is what I'm going to do soon.

Doh. Missed the vital word, bumper trim.

Although the interior stuff is useful as well.

I just use clean engine oil on a rag on my bumpers.

Black liquid shoe polish works really well and lasts well

Diesel Do said:

Black liquid shoe polish works really well and lasts well

Click to expand...

Heat gun :boink:

Freelaner said:

Heat gun :boink:

Click to expand...

Shoe polish

Diesel Do said:

Shoe polish

Click to expand...

Faded black plastic - Heat gun treatment - YouTube

How to restore car / vehicle faded plastic trim using a heat gun fix - YouTube

Using a heat gun to restore the colour to a plastic bumper on a Mk2 Golf GTI - YouTube

Have read that it is not really a long term fix, so looking to dye them or spray them

Would be interested in making it look younger

Try black liquid shoe polish, it's cheap and dyes it black, I've used it on grey plastics and it's turned em black. Also done a pee38 and it came up like new, that was a year ago still looks good!

langley said:

Would be interested in making it look younger

Click to expand...

then color-code them. that and clear indicators upgrade on mine has worked wonders. (oh and a full respray to baltic blue. ahem.)

rasheed said:

then color-code them. that and clear indicators upgrade on mine has worked wonders. (oh and a full respray to baltic blue. ahem.)

Click to expand...

I have to agree with rasheed. My '97 had clear lenses and colour coded front grill. It looked the dogs. On our '99 I used a product called Forever Black on the standard grill and the results were amazing. If you search "Forever Black" you will find a lot of info including before and after photos from forum members.

Also painted the wing mirrors and side trims, debadged fore and aft (just left the oval) and highlighted the grill slats by hand. This picture from my phone doesn't quite do it justice, the blue is all wrong but you get the idea.

Freelaner said:

Heat gun :boink:

Click to expand...

I heard about the heat gun trick tried it on an old bumper didn't work either an April fool or different kind of plastic???

must be the wrong type of plaggy, it really did make mine look as new

Freelaner said:

must be the wrong type of plaggy, it really did make mine look as new

Click to expand...

What car did you do it on and how hot ??