My wife bought a 2011 MC Clubman, Sparkling Silver/Black roof. Found out through another post that it has the Hyper Sport/Sport Aero body option. I would like to paint the wheel arches and the black plastic under the rocker, body color. I have found Spay cans of paint at Automotive Touch up along with other supplies i need. I don't want to remove the trim unless necessary. I can mask the body off as needed and feel I am skillful enough to do the painting. Would it be better to remove the pieces and paint separately or leave them on the car. Would it be better to just bite the bullet and take it in to a body shop and have them do it. Any advice or opinions would be appreciated. I hate this black plastic trim that is used on cars now. It also it would make the wheels/tire I will put on later look better. Living where I do in California I don't have to worry about winter driving as we don't get snow so no salt/sand to worry about.

Tom

 

Bite the bullet. It needs to be removed, cleaned, sanded, adhesion promoter applied, primed and the painted. Yes, all those steps are necessary. If you don't, the paint will fail, and peel off.

Better yet, buy new trim and have that done, then install it. By this time, the trim has probably had all sorts of dressings put on, that are all but impossible to completely remove. Paint and silicone don't play well together.

 

Agreed. Bite the bullet and get it done right the first time. Not only will the paint not hold up if it's not prepped right it may not match to well.

 

Thanks for you advice I think i will buy new trim and paint it in my shop this winter and put it on the car next spring. I have a nice heated workshop in the back yard. Done a lot of woodworking and finishing out there even have HVLP finishing system which would work.

 

Then you can sell me your old ones.

Sent from my iPhone using NAMotoring

 

My plan is to buy new ones, paint them my self in my shop and the either have the dealer or body shop install them. I use to do that kind of stuff but my back doesn't like working on the garage floor any more. I have been told I have the Aero Sport Kit on it so I need to find the lower rocker trim piece for the kit. I also can't have the car tied for 3 or 4 days while a shop paints them. It is my wife' car and she has RULES as to what I can do or not do. She will not allow me to remove the pieces while she is using the car or for the time it will it would take me to paint them on the car. Take it to dealer for Service in January and have them do the change over then should take more than an hour for the change.

tom

 

I'd buy a new set & paint those. Do it right or don't bother. You are not going to be happy when your paint starts flaking off.

 

I highly suggest you not do it yourself. It isn't a chest of drawers. Automotive paint is a system, you need to clean, sand, prep, clean again, apply adhesion promoter, prime paint with flex agent, clearcoat, (very hazardous stuff).. If you don't know what you're doing the result will be futile...

 

follow-on


1. The wheel skirt parts are not smooth so you have some surface prep to do assuming you want a smooth glossy finish ....


2. Shooting automotive paint isn't rocket science but few find their first experience to be factory quality either . . and the materials ain't cheap. Practice makes perfect.


3. I found an adult education class on body repair and painting ..... VERY HANDY .... all the equipment, a proper spray booth and an instructor . . cost me $120 a semester. In truth it wasn't a class but supervised access to the local HS VOTEC auto repair lab . . . which brings up part two .... sometimes you can get these students to do the work for you if you just buy the materials.


p.s. watch out for the heated workshop ... spray paint fumes and overspray create an EXPLOSIVE atmosphere . . . you CAN blow the whole place up. It CAN be done but BE CAREFUL


here I'm repainting the fender on a Miata in my garage

 

The shop has an large exhaust fan in one end. It a Gable fan for 2000 sqft attic. It will suck sanding dust out of the shop with no trouble and i mean wood sanding dust and suck fumes out with out a problem I know how to paint car parts I have done it many time on my various race and project at work. You would be surprised how putting a good finish on a piece of wood furniture is a lot like painting a car part. I understand all prep work and all the steps I have good resperator and with the exhaust fan the fumes would be no problem. Some of the finish products used in woodworking are as toxic of any thing use in automobile finishes. The heated shop is just so I can work in there in the winter and the heater is perfectly safe to use, no flame no spark. All it would do is allow the paint to flow and dry better. I have even assembled on Offy midget engine and a 289 mustang engine out there in winter. I took up wood working because working on cars was to hard on my body after 38 years of doing it. I will post pictures of the project when I get going after the holidays have a few wood project to finish first LOML says.

 

IMO bringing it to the dealer for install is overkill. If they are anything like the R53, they basically pull off and snap on. Might need a few new clips, but a trip to the dealer will buy a LOT of clips.

 

Seriously, If it's not an EXPLOSION RATED fan, you're gonna get hurt... Automotive paint solvents are EXTREMELY VOLATILE.


Hope it works out for ya...

 

I will check the fan. It shouldn't be that bad as it's 6 pieces of plastic trim. I am thinking of using a Rattle Can to do it. I know it would be safer than the Garage that has the Gas Hot Water Heater and Furnace are in there. I also have an HVLP finish system that has very low over spray. But I will check thing out before hand. Could just wait for a nice day and open the windows, and big door. It is something to think of. Thanks

 

Eric

I could do it, I did it for many years equipping various California Highway Patrol emergency vehicles. It is at 72 I don't feel like siting on the cold concrete floor of a garage or even on my little stool. My fingers don't work as good as they used to either (carpel tunnel). Cold plastic is easy to break trying to remove or install it. If I was younger I would do a lot of things but just not fun anymore. Luckily my retirement is good enough that I can afford the extra expense of having it done. I still have connection with some of the Body Shops we used to use at work and there is one close to where I live as the dealer is 20 mile away so I will probably use them, they may even let me use their spray booth as they used to sponsor our Race Car. Gotta round up the parts first and prep them.

tom