Help! Scuffed plastic panels!

[TGR96]

First off, I guess this isn't technically a detailing question, or maybe it is, I dunno, but I figured that I would put it in the "Keeping it Clean" section figuring that someone on here knows of a good product that will help hide these scuffs.


Anyway, my new Boss rear diffuser arrived from the vendor pretty scuffed up due to poor packaging. I contacted the vendor and they made it right by giving me a partial refund and letting me keep the part. I was OK with that, but before I install this on the car, I wanted to see if any of you all know of a good product that I can use to help me hide the blemishes.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. TIA.

 

[HitandRunDriver]

You could try something like chemical guys VRP or Ultima Tire and Trim Guard...but it's scuffed, there's not a whole lot these could do but possibly make those marks a little darker.

 

[19COBRA93]

This happens to a lot of our new Ford parts that come in. Unfortunately there's not a lot you can do. You can doctor them up a bit, but they'll always be there. Hit it with some trim detail (like mentioned above) and see how it looks. Sometimes it just disappears. Sometimes not.

 

[TGR96]

You could try something like chemical guys VRP or Ultima Tire and Trim Guard...but it's scuffed, there's not a whole lot these could do but possibly make those marks a little darker.

Yeah, I know that they aren't going away totally, I was just hoping that someone knew of a product that would make them less noticeable. I'm just too anal about my car I guess! Thanks for your suggestions.

This happens to a lot of our new Ford parts that come in. Unfortunately there's not a lot you can do. You can doctor them up a bit, but they'll always be there. Hit it with some trim detail (like mentioned above) and see how it looks. Sometimes it just disappears. Sometimes not.

Yeah, I was very disappointed in the packaging. There was no padding, just a clear piece of plastic loosely wrapped around the part, stuffed into a cardboard box. Not any care at all taken by the shipper. Thing is, I think it came directly from Ford. I also ordered a Roush front splitter that came directly from Roush. It wasn't packaged much better, either. I'm just lucky that it didn't get scuffed up, too.

 

[Grabber5.sl0w]

Yeah, I know that they aren't going away totally, I was just hoping that someone knew of a product that would make them less noticeable. I'm just too anal about my car I guess! Thanks for your suggestions.



Yeah, I was very disappointed in the packaging. There was no padding, just a clear piece of plastic loosely wrapped around the part, stuffed into a cardboard box. Not any care at all taken by the shipper. Thing is, I think it came directly from Ford. I also ordered a Roush front splitter that came directly from Roush. It wasn't packaged much better, either. I'm just lucky that it didn't get scuffed up, too.

That's weird. Giving mines the '11-'12 Boss Diffuser, Mine was wrapped like 6 times in thick foam paper. It was so thick I couldn't even see the bumper. I'm pretty sure it had came directly from Ford too.

 

[Captainstr8edge]

sand and paint?

 

[CaliforniaSpecial]

sand and paint?

I was just gonna say the same. Wouldn't be much work and should turn out pretty well.

 

[TGR96]

sand and paint?

I was just gonna say the same. Wouldn't be much work and should turn out pretty well.

Any recommendations on sanding and painting (type of sandpaper, paint, etc.)? I have never done anything but rattle can painting, and I admit that I am not very good at it, so I usually shy away from stuff like that.

 

[Pardue]

Any recommendations on sanding and painting (type of sandpaper, paint, etc.)? I have never done anything but rattle can painting, and I admit that I am not very good at it, so I usually shy away from stuff like that.

Judging by how you are when it comes to your car, I would just take it to a body shop and have them paint it. I am sure you could find a shop to paint it fairly cheap. It sucks you even have to deal with this on a new part though.

 

[TGR96]

Yeah Chris, it sucks bro. I was all excited Friday evening (first of all, it was Friday, and the start of a three day weekend for me), and I am sitting on the couch when the doorbell rings. I go to the door to see the big brown truck pulling away, and my new parts sitting there waiting on me. Needless to say, I was pretty disappointed when I opened up the box to see this.

Not really sure what I'm gonna do. I guess I am going to try some chemical guys VRP first, since it was pretty cheap, then if that doesn't work, I may try the Ultima Tire and Trim Guard. If neither of these help, I may break out the plasti dip. I will prolly reserve painting as a last resort.

If anyone else has any suggestions, please chime in.

 

[UltraKla$$ic]

If it were me, and since your are not trying to smooth out the textured look then I'd get some Adhesion Promotor and Gloss Black paint and give it a whirl. However, from this point on, the rest of your visual additions would have to match the gloss in order for it to flow IMO.

LMK if there is anything I can do or offer.

 

[asianskater91]

Textured plastic you cant fix, i mean you can use like 320 on a da, primer, 500 then paint...but i mean it would be alot of work since its all textured

I work in autobody repair, when we order parts that are textured pieces and they come in with barely any damage we hav eto send it back..ive seen people take a lighter to the spots (very small) and kinda smooth them out...but thats how they become, smooth and shiny

can you see the spots once installed on the car?
i think it would be more of a hassle to take it to a body shop, i think you should just return for a usable peice, why spend more money on somthing, you could of just found a replica peice if you were gonna paint it lol

 

[TGR96]

I haven't installed it yet. because to install it, you have to cut out a big section from the factory bumper cover

I don't think I will fool around with the whole sanding/painting stuff. Too muck work for what I am going for here, I am not good at stuff like that anyway. I know that I can't make it perfect, I just want to make it less noticeable. My wife says screw it, put it on the car, and that I am the only on who will notice it once it's installed. And in fairness she's probably right. But you all know how we are about our cars (well, most of us at least, and some maybe more than others...Darren! )

The good thing is, there's a guy with a 2013 Boss that is always parked at a building near my office, so I stopped by yesterday to check out the rear diffuser on his car. It had a few scuffs similar to mine, not quite as bad though. And in fairness, they were hard to even notice from 10 feet away.

Why do I have to be so anal about my car????

 

[UltraKla$$ic]

Put it on and roll with it!

 

[TGR96]

I think I am. I MAY plasidip it first, to see if that helps, since palsti dip has the matte black finish. Definitely do not want to go shiney, as my other trim parts are textured matte black. If the plastidip doesn't help, I can always peel it off.

 

[Pardue]

Plastidip is a good idea.