Plastidip, yay or nay?

[Lavis89]

I've been doing a bit of research about this and am wondering if people have had much experience with it?

Story: i need a fair bit of paint work done on my car (Rear bumper got keyed along almost the entire length, i dinged the front passengers side corner which damaged the paint and i want to spray the bottom plastic bit to match the rest of the bumper, bonnet has plenty of stone chips) getting it all sprayed properly will probably end up being pretty pricey, from some of the prices I've been seeing it'd probably cost me around the same kind of price to get the entire car sprayed in plastidip. Most of what i have read so far people seem to only be getting small pieces like grill and window surrounds done in plastidip, i'ld be going for full panels.

Few questions i'ld like to know the answer to: What is the finish like? i've heard mixed reviews, some saying it is possible to get a perfectly smooth finish, others saying it is quite textured.

And does anybody know someone in the southwest that has experience with plastidip?

 

[Lewis583]

There is a fella on here, Scottb5, who has used plastidip on his roof and various other bits.

LINK TO THREAD

If you have any questions I'm sure he would answer them, he's a good bloke

 

[g60leigh]

I'd second that ScottB5 is your man.

Look on his profile he has a link to his page with info and examples.

 

[ScottD3]

Cheers lads :thumbsup:

Where in the southwest are you?

The finish depends on gun setup, mixture and distance sprayed.

You can smooth but it will never be paint smooth. It is rubber

 

[Lavis89]

I'm in Plymouth, just saw the picture of the blue dipped car on your thread, looks pretty awesome! Definitely going to have to look into getting the car dipped instead of having it all properly sprayed.

 

[Mi11ar]

VW performance featured a dipped estate once, looked the tits tbh

 

[ScottD3]

I'm in Plymouth, just saw the picture of the blue dipped car on your thread, looks pretty awesome! Definitely going to have to look into getting the car dipped instead of having it all properly sprayed.

I'm based in Plymouth and I got access to a unit for spraying.

We can meet up one day and have a talk about it If you want.

 

[Lavis89]

that sounds good to me, i'll pm you when im back in the uk (on holiday at the moment and still thinking about my car...) also got my MOT the week i get back in to the UK so all my plans on the car depend on how that goes

 

[boost-addict]

Earlex HV3500

heres were im getting my kit, same one used by a guy who had hes car fetured in vw mag few months back

he did him self in a mates garage.

 

[lloydie1]

If the cost is the same then i'd paint. Mate had his bonnet matt black plastidip'd due to stone chips, but two problems were you will need to fill and rub down all the old stone chips first because despite the relative 'thickness' of plastidip you could still see them. Next (worse) problem was that within 2 months or so the plastidip had collected stone chips and started peeling around them, made very obvious because it was on a silver car. He ended up pulling it all off and painting the bonnet.

 

[ScottD3]

If the cost is the same then i'd paint. Mate had his bonnet matt black plastidip'd due to stone chips, but two problems were you will need to fill and rub down all the old stone chips first because despite the relative 'thickness' of plastidip you could still see them. Next (worse) problem was that within 2 months or so the plastidip had collected stone chips and started peeling around them, made very obvious because it was on a silver car. He ended up pulling it all off and painting the bonnet.

Do do a whole car in dip is about £200-£400.

The stone chips on the front depends on how many layers and how well it was prepped.
I've done over 10k miles with my roof dipped and not had any issues.
It it very thick though.

 

[kwistof]

I would have thought that the thicker the coat the more likely hood of it staying on for longer.

What with it being rubber- there will be more 'padding' with a thicker coat- so any stone chips will bounce of as apposed to rip through the rubber material.

Of course there if the other side - where the thicker the coat will cost more money to apply the layers, but then again you only really want to do it once and be done with it. Bloke I know has just done the whole of his M3 in bright orange for Le Mans, he's going to be driving it hard; so will be interested to see how long his whole car lasts.