Paint or plastidip?

FracaSHO

New member
So I am planning some exterior work on my front grille, maybe the door and deck lid trim, and maybe the lower bumpers and side skirts (the black plastic pieces around the lower parts of the car).  I have 2 options:

1) Plastidip black with glossifier. 
Pros: easy to apply, removable, can be easily fixed.
Cons: doesn't look as nice, doesn't last forever.

2) Paint with gloss black rustoleum, or dupli color. I know the trim would need to be prepped, what about the plastic pieces?
Pros: Probably look much better, last longer.
Cons: harder to apply, can't remove, not as easy to fix.

I am not a painter but I don't have the money to pay a professional to do it.  If I did paint, should I do a layer or 2 of clear when finished?  What does everyone think?  Thanks.


Brad
2010 SHO with PP
170* T-Stat
NGK LTR7IX plugs, gap at 0.030
BOV VTA
MyCal LMS Stage 4+
Sent from my iPhone
 
FracaSHO said:
So I am planning some exterior work on my front grille, maybe the door and deck lid trim, and maybe the lower bumpers and side skirts (the black plastic pieces around the lower parts of the car).  I have 2 options:

1) Plastidip black with glossifier. 
Pros: easy to apply, removable, can be easily fixed.
Cons: doesn't look as nice, doesn't last forever.

2) Paint with gloss black rustoleum, or dupli color. I know the trim would need to be prepped, what about the plastic pieces?
Pros: Probably look much better, last longer.
Cons: harder to apply, can't remove, not as easy to fix.

I am not a painter but I don't have the money to pay a professional to do it.  If I did paint, should I do a layer or 2 of clear when finished?  What does everyone think?  Thanks.

Brad... Depends on you level of certainty... I personally sweat blood deciding on a mod (looks like you do too, LOL)  I'd plastipdip first to see if I really liked it (the second time I sweat blood over aesthetic mods)... you could even like it but want it a little different that what your first try was.... plastidip is easier to modify.
In this event do plastidip.

If I were going to paint I would use OEM paint and not rattle-can it for the best appearance...and I would definitely remove the parts, paint... and replace. This approach is a bit more costly than plastidip.

Personal opinion... plastidip for now... once you decide you like it convert to paint at your leisure.

Just my 2 cents.
 
PLASTI-DIP!!!  I did mine a year ago and its perfect and i drive fast and hard in very harsh Michigan conditions.  On another car I had a body shop paint a grille and it was trashed in less than a year under the same conditions. 

In fact I am so impressed with the plasti-dip I may do the whole car since Ford's paint is terrible.
 
Just like you wash the rest of the car. Once the plastic-dip is hardened in the sun for a few days it's solid and durable.
 
Go Plasti Dip.  I have had it on so many cars I lost count.  Lasts a really long time..... worst case scenario peel it off and respray.  Here are a couple pictures of plasti dip on my 2011 SHO.  Took an hour to do all 4 wheels and grille.  AND it doesn't ruin the wheels by turning them "forever" black.  When I go to sell the vehicle in the future, I can just peel and take it back to stock to expand my sales market.  Think further into the future, and nothing else makes much sense but plasti dip.  I chose not to use the Glossifier on mine just to see if I liked it as flat black. I like it for now, but either way, I can always change it quickly in the future.  Let me know if you have any questions about applying it.  I have found some good techniques to keep the orange peel out of the Plasti Dip.  I learned a lot of the techniques by watching the guys over at www.dipyourcar.com  They are really good at what they do.
 
bigmoneycloser said:
How do you clean/maintain the plasti dip?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
You should not use wax or bug removers on plastidip. Just water and light soap, preferably ones sold especially for plastidip.

To answer the OP question, definitely plastidip... But I'd still hire a pro to do it. It will look much better if shooted with a paint gun than from the can. Smoother and more homogene finish.

Good luck!
 
elund126 said:
On your picture of the wheels, is that just flat black, or does it have glossifier on top?

That is with flat black Plasti Dip ONLY.  I chose not to use any glossifier on any of it.  Super smooth finish, and people think they were professionally "painted".
 
SHO-TYM said:
elund126 said:
On your picture of the wheels, is that just flat black, or does it have glossifier on top?

That is with flat black Plasti Dip ONLY.  I chose not to use any glossifier on any of it.  Super smooth finish, and people think they were professionally "painted".

I did the chrome trim around my tail lights with the flat black. It turned out good. I have a couple of spots that are peeling off now, so I will have to shoot it again. The picture of your wheels looks alot shinier then the trim on my car. I like it!
 
elund126 said:
SHO-TYM said:
elund126 said:
On your picture of the wheels, is that just flat black, or does it have glossifier on top?

That is with flat black Plasti Dip ONLY.  I chose not to use any glossifier on any of it.  Super smooth finish, and people think they were professionally "painted".

I did the chrome trim around my tail lights with the flat black. It turned out good. I have a couple of spots that are peeling off now, so I will have to shoot it again. The picture of your wheels looks alot shinier then the trim on my car. I like it!

Thanks! I thought they were going to need to glossifier, but I put down a thin 1st coat of flat black, and then I laid 4 heavy coats on top of that, and it turned out AMAZING. The wheels already had a great look from the factory, but then to be able to change the color without ruining the wheels is priceless. Feel free to email me anytime if you have questions. curt7448@gmail.com  that will be the quickest way to get a hold of me.  Good luck!
 
elund126 said:
On your picture of the wheels, is that just flat black, or does it have glossifier on top?
I had my OEM 20" wheels plastidipped on my 2010. You can apply tire shine on it once cleaned and they will shine and look amazing. Plastidip on wheels can be removed, but a lite more difficult because of the heat from the brakes, they cook on the wheels. It took about one hour per wheel.
I kept those wheels for my 2013 and now they are painted in tuxedo black and they look better than ever... But it came more expensive than plastidip (660$ for the 4 mags including sand paper for repair, 3 coats of tuxedo black, 2 clears and baked 2 times). Not to shabby imo.
 
Back
Top