Drollie Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 My 2005 Swift Suntor has a very badly faded rear bumper, also the grey plastic strips over the wheel arches look very tired. I have tried all the usual proprietory brands of colour restorative but they only last a couple of washes. Does anyone have any experience of having bumpers resprayed? I wondered if they were done professionally whether they were a permanent solution. I have had a couple of quotes both over £600. which seems rather expensive should the paint peel off after a short time. Any advice or other solution would be much appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 Many years ago I sprayed the plastic front bumper of an Auto Sleeper talisman on a Talbot base and as I recall the key was using a rather expensive etching primer that would bind well to the slippery plastic surface and provide a good key for the top coat. As I recall it worked well for us and in several years of keeping the van the paint only cracked when I nudged a boulder and even that was easily touched in by hand with paint left over. Whether your bumper is the same plastic - probably not - and whether the paint is still available - more likely - I don't know but you could visit your local automotive paint supplier and ask. You can buy - or maybe hire - spray painting kit quite reasonable these days from people like Clarks - and with other sundries like wet and dry paper, thinners, masking tape - or better still take the bumper and wheel arch trims off - I can't see it costing anything like £600? The joy of doing a bumper that is off the vehicle is that you can have as many goes as it takes to get it right and any slight colour variation will not notice as it would on say a door or a wing. Go on - have a go! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hazy Baby Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 Hi Drollie, don't know whereabouts you are in the country or if this will help but if you look at page 192 of this month's MMM you will see our recommendation for DMR motorhome body repair specialists at Harworth just outside Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Amongst other bits and pieces repaired after a prang, we had the grey side skirt on our 'van repaired and resprayed by them and they made a superb job of it and it wasn't too pricey - certainly worth it for the amount of damage. They also made the grey bits and pieces that fit around lights etc. The company are quite happy to give you a quote and then wait until or if you get in touch with them. No hassle. Worth a quote? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fjmike Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 In "the trade" they use a paint by Wurth its not cheap but it does a superb job Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teflon2 Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 Hi as far as the grey trims go try son of a gun I know it sounds daft and I don't know how it does it but it seems to renew the finish on exterior and interior plastic and rubber and its not expensive, if you get some you could always try it on your bumper ? no garantees though. 8-) best of luck John. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Elswood Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 I always use 'Auto Glym Bumper Care' on my plastic bumpers and wing mirrors. It does last for quite a while depending on the weather conditions they are exposed to. It is not a permanent solution but apart from a little 'elbow grease' it is not a costly option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teflon2 Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 Son of a gun needs no elbow grease its wipe on wipe off ;-) John. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Elswood Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 teflon2 - 2010-02-15 8:19 PM Son of a gun needs no elbow grease its wipe on wipe off ;-) John. Hey!! That sounds like my kinda stuff!! I will get some and give it a try. Thanks!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hallii Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 If it's a black bumper (or any other plastic for that matter), that has gone grey, try warming it with a hot air gun, you have to be careful though, no need to melt it. It really does work, when the critical temperature is reached it will turn jet black just like the day it was made. You try this at your own risk, of course, I have to say that I actually use a blowlamp without problems! Just keep it moving. Hallii and Hallii ( Solicitors ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Elswood Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 hallii - 2010-02-15 9:41 PM If it's a black bumper (or any other plastic for that matter), that has gone grey, try warming it with a hot air gun, you have to be careful though, no need to melt it. It really does work, when the critical temperature is reached it will turn jet black just like the day it was made. You try this at your own risk, of course, I have to say that I actually use a blowlamp without problems! Just keep it moving. Hallii and Hallii ( Solicitors ) Strewth!! You ain't a 'retained firefighter' who needs a few extra bob or two by any chance? !! ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brambles Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 I had great success on a black plastic bumber using a magic sponge. These are the melamine foam sponges you can get in many shops now and even Aldi sometimes sell at a really sensible price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 I use a hair dryer to dry panels before painting and there is no way I would ever use a heat gun - one slip and you have the Aero effect - lots of bubbles! It may be that dulling is caused by oxidisation of the surface finnish in which case T Cut or similar might bring it back - worth a try as it is cheap and the worst that can happen is you make it worse! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranger Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 As well as using a self etching primer paint it should also be flexible as should the all paints used on plastic body parts. If it is not flexible it will crack and fall off when ever the plastic body part gets bent, not only by collision but over zealous presure by hand when washing etc. Flexible paint is rather expesive but if it is not as flexible as the bumper or other body part that it is on it will not stay on long obviously, it will just crack up and come off in bits. An aquantance of mine, who has not much money to waste, rubbed his black plastic bumpers down with 'wet & dry' then sprayed them with a can of black under seal. They still look very good and it was a couple of years ago he did it. He did the same with the rusty roof of his car, it looks just like a vynal plastic hood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EJB Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 Vaseline B-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drollie Posted February 16, 2010 Author Share Posted February 16, 2010 :-> Thanks to you all for your replies. I hope that today I have found the solution, a body shop quite close who specializes in repairing and respraying motor cycling fairings etc. I have seen some of his work both in progress and some which has had considerable use on an employees motor cycle. I am taking the 'bread van' over tomorrow for him to examine and hopefully get a reasonable quote to have the work carried out. I perhaps should have stated earlier that I have absolutely no practical skills at all so for me attempt anything other clean and polish is way too technical. I have used Autoglym bumper care etc. but just didn't last haven't tried Son of a Gun but as there are presently two shades of grey around the bottom half of the van - not sure why Swift did that two totally different materials and colours have been used, so hope that when it is all colour matched it will look quite smart. Off to the Show next week but can't imagine changing the 'bread van' not whilst juddergate remains unresolved. But again many thanks for your help and advice. Just love this forum. (lol) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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