Hey everyone! I got a 2013 R56 that I'm trying to do a long-overdue cleanup and I'm trying to gather some info on addressing the peeling paint on the interior radio and steering wheel buttons. I was initially thinking about using a sharpie pen to paint over the faded white spots but wanted to see if there is a designated interior touch up pen that anyone here might know of. It seems like this is a pretty common problem for our now older MINIs, how have you been tacking this issue? Thanks in advance!

 

It depends on how good you want the repair to look. Is the paint peeling where you can see an edge, or is it smooth and just worn away. Any any pics of the damaged areas?

A sharpie will cover the white, but probably won’t match too well. The gloss ink spot is usually obvious and it will start turning purple over time. It also isn’t too durable and will rub through with use.

 

Thank you so much for the response! Please see below. Also, would you by chance know the best way to scratch off the remaining matte paint on the bottom steering wheel plastic molding?


Paint peeling on outer steering wheel "ring" buttons; peeling of matte paint on bottom plastic molding

Sorry for the bad, out of focus pic! peeling of paint on the "menu" radio button

 

This repair is tricky and has many similarities to body and paint repair in both techniques and perceived quality of finish, but on a more intricate and detailed level, especially because some of the icons on the button faces are damaged.

For removing the rest of the paint on the lower trim piece you could try rubbing it off with your thumb or old credit card. If not, some fine sandpaper around 600-800 grit should work to smooth the edges or remove the paint.

What level of repair are you looking for, and do You have any craft of model building experience? Do you want it to be close to “undetectable”, or do you just want the white areas to be mostly covered.

 

Thanks for the response! I'm trying to get the white as less noticeable as possible, I have some craft/model experience and certainly am open to learn about how to do the repair. I wish there is a "vinyl paint correction" pen of sorts that I could just touch up and make the white go away, any suggestions you may have is much appreciated.

 

OK, a quick and fairly cheap way would be to get some model spray paint from a hobby shop, some inexpensive fine brushes (a 00 or 0, and a #1 or #2), and something to clean the brushes.

Not sure what the original sheen of the buttons and trim are in a 2nd gen, or if they are rubberized, but I would guess satin or semi-gloss black paint should be close. Tamiya would be my first choice then Testor’s Model Master, or you can try SEM trim black spray from an professional auto body supply like Finishmaster’s or Amazon. With the SEM, you’ll be able to use it on the exterior trim if needed.

Remove the bottom trim piece, remove the remaining paint or smooth the edges of the peeled paint, and spray the piece. Then spray some paint into the cap or a small cup to brush paint the white areas of the buttons. You can clean up the “-“ and “mode” button icons with a pin to scratch away any black paint that covers them.

If you want a better finish on the steering wheel controls, remove them and mask the button faces with some low tack dots from a craft store, or a hole puncher can use it with some blue painters tape. Spray a couple of light coats over them and the bottom trim piece so it all matches. You’ll still need to do some hand touch up on the button faces, but everything else will be more uniform looking.

Check the adhesion of the masking materials to make sure they don't damage the remaining button icons and follow all safety precautions given with the paint and materials.