Epoxy or glue question / ranting...

"RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars" (rallydarkstrike)
05/10/2016 at 08:19 • Filed to: epoxy, glue, broken clips, hyundai, accent, hyundai accent, license plate, bulbs

Morning fellow Opponauts! Had to rant somewhere, although this happened a week ago now.

As some of you may have noticed, !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

I got the bulbs changed with much effort, and DIDN’T manage to get the plate screws/screw mounts done because I just didn’t have the tools for the job. I recently had a safety inspection done on my car at a local garage where I had them repair the screw mounts at the same time. This was an easy fix. Carefully take a Dremel/cutting disk, cut small notches at right angles to the existing notches in the head of the security screws, back security screws out with screwdriver...

Annoyingly enough, they repaired the screw mounts alright, and replaced the screws, but they must’ve used WAY too big a cutting disk or SOMETHING because they scratched and dremelled right into my paint...all around the plates, not to mention the plate itself (I care less about the plate though...). I am VERY pissed. That being said, I learned my lesson. They never charged me for fixing the plate mounts, and when I left the garage, I only glanced to see if they had changed the screws as it’s an easy job and because it’s easy to tell shiny new screws at a distance to older, larger, slightly rusty screws (I had never reinstalled the rear interior trunk trim, so they didn’t even have to take that off to get to anything).

When I got home, I looked more closely and saw all the scratches in my paint, 3 of which were down to bare metal and one or two in the clear coat. Problem is, I have no proof they did the work as I never paid for it and it’s not on my invoice, just my verbal, non-recorded consent...so there’s nothing I can do.GGGRRRRRRR. I put a bunch of touch-up paint on them for now as my car came with a touch-up paint pen, but, although it’s less noticeable now, I am not sure how well this “patch” will hold to keep rust at bay....we’ll see I guess...

Pics for reference (pardon the dirty car, my house is on a gravel road up a gravel driveway)- you can even see in the first pic where the dremel went right through the plate into the bodywork as the scratch continues from one to another....argh. These were taken this morning after I touched the paint up last week with the pen.

Now, rant over I guess.......as mentioned in my previous post, I had broken clips on two of the interior trim pieces. Anybody have any suggestions for an epoxy or glue that would make them good as new? I’ve trued regular old superglue and it won’t make a good enough bond on such a small amount of surface area...

Thanks in advance! :)

DISCUSSION (12)

Berang > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
05/10/2016 at 08:40

Why does your tag expire in 2011?

Also did they seem drunk when you brought the car in?

Mattbob > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
05/10/2016 at 08:49

I used a 2 part epoxy specifically for bonding plastic when I fixed some plastic panels underneath my GFs car, and it seemed to work great. It cured into a slightly flexible plastic so it didnt just crack off of the existing plastic. I got it at the local autozone. It was black, so I don’t know if it will fit your application aesthetically, but functionally it is great.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Berang
05/10/2016 at 09:03

They didn’t seem drunk, no, heh...I work with the girlfriend of one of the guys that works there (he’s a good guy), he’s pretty sure he knows who did it as they’ve had complaints about the other guy before, but there’s not much I can do, really...

Also, my tag DOESN’T expire in 2011! :D Up until a few years ago, Nova Scotia license plates alternated the side of the plate your current registration tag was placed on. Since then, they are only on the right side for the foreseeable future. So, my current until-2017 tag is on the top-right plate corner and that 2011 one is the last one I was issued that was meant or the top-left corner, and it will be staying there for the foreseeable future as well. :P

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Mattbob
05/10/2016 at 09:06

Well, considering it won’t be visible, I’d not be worrying about the aesthetics...I’ll have to take a look and see what I can find. We don’t have Autozone around where I live, but we might have the product - remember what it was called?

Mattbob > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
05/10/2016 at 09:10

I think it was similar if not the same as this http://www.homedepot.com/p/Loctite-0-85…

I will check when I get home.

crowmolly > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
05/10/2016 at 09:12

FWIW, that wasn’t “Dremeled”.

Based on the disc thickness it was an angle grinder or air tool.

Not that that’s the wrong tool for the job, but they sure weren’t precise or careful with it.

Best you can do at this point is use touch up paint.

brianbrannon > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
05/10/2016 at 09:26

Most plastic epoxy will only work with types of plastic not commonly used. Read the fine print on the back. There’s a two oart activator and super glue made just for plastic that actually works. Or just get out the soldering iron and plastic weld it

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > crowmolly
05/10/2016 at 19:49

Oh, don’t I know it! :/

I wasn’t thinking it was an actual Dremel either, as the gashes are way too wide...I’m just used to using that term I guess. I was thinking Angle Grinder myself, but yes, they definitely were not precise at all....

There are one or two little spots behind the plate that looked down to the metal as well, should take the plate off tomorrow and touch those up too! I just hope rust doesn’t move in in a hurry, don’t want to have to get a new hatch down the road just because of the idiots at that garage :/

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Mattbob
05/10/2016 at 19:49

Thanks mate!

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > brianbrannon
05/10/2016 at 19:50

I do have a soldering iron, but can’t find the solder tip that I don’t care about to get covered in plastic...maybe I’ll take a closer look and try that...

Mattbob > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
05/10/2016 at 20:15

haha, you just reminded me. This is the exact product I used http://www.amazon.com/Permatex-84145…

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Mattbob
05/12/2016 at 18:17

Thanks! :)