To Plasti-Dip or not to Plasti-Dip

"Just4GP" (Just_4_GP) 01/07/2015 at 17:40 • Filed to: None

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A friend of mine just bought a new Jeep Grand Cherokee. It's the Laredo trim in black with chrome accents. Problem is she hates chrome. She'd rather go with a dark matte finish. She's pretty artsy and good with a rattle can so, she's considering covering the pieces with plasti-dip. Either black or smoke. Below is a stock photo of what it looks like now.

Anyone here have any ideas, suggestions or warnings?

FromCanadaWithLove > Just4GP 01/07/2015 at 17:45

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Black sounds good, but I'd use it sparingly. There's an Audi Q7 in my town that's been completely plasti-dipped black. It looks like trash. I'd suggest leaving the logos chrome, and maybe just a smoke finish for the rims and front deflector bumper bit.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Just4GP 01/07/2015 at 17:47

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Do it. I would

From what I've seen in DIY vids, and read on line, the most important thing to do wehn plasti dipping is to make sure you use enough layers, like 5-7 layers in order to make a tick enough layer that it will be easy to pull off when the time comes.

Rainbow > Just4GP 01/07/2015 at 17:47

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Just don't touch the logos and especially not the wheels. That's taking it too far.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > Just4GP 01/07/2015 at 17:48

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PLASTI-DIP

Justin Hughes > Just4GP 01/07/2015 at 17:53

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I left my car alone but dipped my stock wheels gold.

Now they look like aftermarket rally wheels.

The stuff is easy to work with. Use many thin layers, especially the first, to avoid runs. The stuff peels off easy if/when you want it to. I like the idea of a reversible mod on a car with a warranty.

this is not matt farah's foxbodymiata > Just4GP 01/07/2015 at 17:58

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Nothing but good things to say about plasti-dip. Especially for little accents like that. The only thing to be conscious of is that it will be a bitch (but doable) to peel off of textured surfaces, bare primer, etc. on factory fresh chrome it will work great.

Other tip for doing parts would be to do a rough mask ~0.5-1 inch out from the edge of the part, and then spray a full coat all the way to your masking. this gives you smooth solid edge to grab onto when you peel the the excess, instead of having to wrestle with a gradient of overspray.

It's great for pretty much everything. At my recommendation my friend's GF dipped her whole car and it looks fantastic (orange peely and matte, but it looks more interesting that way imo).

Yes, she drives a brown, manual NA Miata. It's lowered and on a set of sweet of bbs rs's. She has no idea how jalop it is.

If you decide to do it spend some time on dipyourcar.com , they have soooo many videos and resources.

Milky > Just4GP 01/07/2015 at 18:07

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Girl

Jeep

Artsy

Twinpowermeansoneturbo > Just4GP 01/07/2015 at 18:12

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if she's going to do it, have her remove the trim from the car, then spray.

Just4GP > Milky 01/07/2015 at 18:21

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So the fact that it's got a good layer of dirt and mud on it since she can't pass a mud puddle without doing a doughnut in it is just icing on the cake?

Just4GP > FromCanadaWithLove 01/07/2015 at 18:24

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I like to look of smoke on chrome. That's the route I'd take if it were mine.

Just4GP > Rainbow 01/07/2015 at 18:25

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I doubt she will touch the wheels. It's the grill and trim around the windows that's annoying her.

Roadster Man > Just4GP 01/07/2015 at 18:26

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I plasti-dipped my Miata "Nebula Blue Pearl." You can do a Jeep no problem. Granted it's a bigger area to cover, but it's the same idea. The roof might be tricky, maybe split it into a 2-day project and do the roof on the second day. DEFINITELY buy a spray gun. Google dipyourcar and have at it. That's where I got all of my dipping stuff. In my opinion, rattle-can plastidip looks like shit no matter how well you spray or how many coats you use.

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Textured Soy Protein > Just4GP 01/07/2015 at 18:28

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Does it have a chrome accent package or something? Usually the Laredo just has that thin strip of chrome around the windows, nothing on the grille or mirrors. Like such:

FromCanadaWithLove > Justin Hughes 01/07/2015 at 18:28

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That makes those rims 23479345x better. If I had a BRZ, that would be the first thing I'd do. Good work.

FromCanadaWithLove > Roadster Man 01/07/2015 at 18:29

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Looks great.

Just4GP > Twinpowermeansoneturbo 01/07/2015 at 18:29

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She doesn't half ass anything. I'll probably get bribed into pulling the trim for her when she's ready to get started. Hard to say no to a hot girl asking for a favor while offering a beer.

Milky > Just4GP 01/07/2015 at 18:40

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Just4GP > Textured Soy Protein 01/07/2015 at 18:42

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I don't think so. In fact, she asked if what chrome is on there, could be replaced with something else. Of course they said no. The mirrors are body color but the grill, fog light trim and window trim are all chrome. Wheels are grey/silver.

Stapleface-Now Hyphenated! > Just4GP 01/07/2015 at 18:51

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Dip is fun to work with.

I say it's her car, why not. As mentioned, I'd probably leave the wheels alone. But I'd sau go for it with the grill and foglight surrounds.

I dipped my Crosstrek over a year ago and the grill still looks okay from ten feet. It was my first time working with dip. Taking the parts off is absolutely the way to go.

Osiris - I can haz Euro spec? > Just4GP 01/07/2015 at 19:09

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I dipped my trucks, grill (chrome), bumpers (chrome) and fender flares (body color). I also hate chrome. Came out great. I would have done the nerf bars too if it wasn't for the fact that they get stepped all over.

Osiris - I can haz Euro spec? > Roadster Man 01/07/2015 at 19:12

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Damn. I've never seen a full body dip before. I used the rattle can on my truck (grill, bumpers, fender flares) and it came out great. Maybe because I did a much smaller amount that you but I don't know what you mean by it looking like crap.

AM3R shamefully returns > Just4GP 01/07/2015 at 19:24

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you should have her vinyl wrap them instead of plasti dip. It'll look way better. You can get it in many different colors too. Gloss black would look great. Pretty easy too, I could write out a DIY later if need be.

Roadster Man > Osiris - I can haz Euro spec? 01/07/2015 at 19:39

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Oops! I wasn't clear, I was referring to a full-car dip. Every full-car dip job I've seen that was done with a rattle can looked rough. It's nearly impossible to keep it from looking streaky. Things like emblems, grilles, bumpers, etc. turn out great with a rattle can. I even did a decent job on my Miata's hardtop using rattle cans. It took about 10 though...

Just4GP > Stapleface-Now Hyphenated! 01/07/2015 at 19:43

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After looking at all of the positive replies, I'm thinking I may dip my wheels. She's decided that the Jeep trim is getting the Plasti-Dip treatment.

Just4GP > Osiris - I can haz Euro spec? 01/07/2015 at 19:46

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I just spoke to her. After all the replies here, she said "so, trim, grill, fog lights, logos, roof racks to start..."

Osiris - I can haz Euro spec? > Roadster Man 01/07/2015 at 19:47

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Yea. I can imagine. It took me 4 and a half cans just to do the little I did. I can't imagine doing an entire car (even one as small as a Miata) with just cans. Yours looks nice though, I like it!

Just4GP > AM3R shamefully returns 01/07/2015 at 19:48

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Not a bad idea. She was reading this thread earlier. I'll bring this up if she hasn't seen it already. Where would she get the material?

EDIT: Just found it on Amazon. Thanks for the tip.

AM3R shamefully returns > Just4GP 01/07/2015 at 22:19

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I have some extra carbon fiber laying around my house, I'd be happy to send it for free but I don't think it would be enough. It's a great alternative to dip. I wrapped my wood trim in carbon fiber, then changed my mind and went back to wood. Just like dip, it's easily reversible.

eBay/Amazon are a good place. 3m makes top notch vinyl too so lookout for any of their products.

Just4GP > AM3R shamefully returns 01/09/2015 at 12:04

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That would be awesome. Thanks. Let me see if she's interested. I'd take it myself but I don't have an immediate need for it which means it will just be another "I'll get to that next week" item in my garage.

AdverseMartyr > Just4GP 02/10/2015 at 20:10

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If there is free beer involved, why would you even consider saying no?