Restoring plastic under trays

The place to pick up tips on bringing that showroom shine back to your E30.

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rix313
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Fri Feb 11, 2022 8:30 pm

Looking for any advice on cleaning up the plastic under trays at the front? New ones aren’t massively expensive but just wondering if anyone has had luck cleaning them up and getting them back to like new?
onthames
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Fri Feb 11, 2022 9:03 pm

I scuffed mine up and then epoxy primed + coated with a satin black polyurethane top coat. The new ones aren't massively expensive but they are pretty expensive mind... About £300 isnt it for the main one? The one I've painted looks new. In fact, I think it looks better than the new one. It isn't a rattle can job though I don't think. You'd probably get an orange peel effect. You definitely want to use a very hard wearing paint if you do. I used two coats of black epoxy primer and a black satin top coat. I did try cleaning it up and using trim restorer on it but it was so scuffed/scratched that it really didnt help all that much. , plus it wouldn't last very long. I did actually toy with getting it vapour blasted, with a low pressure, to remove a very fine layer and thus remove scratches, then hitting it with a heat gun all over to see if I could get back a smooth finish, but I felt painting it was more simple.
onthames
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Fri Feb 11, 2022 9:06 pm

Another option I considered was plasticoating it (rattle can). A satin rubberised finish should bounce off any road debris. Again I haven't done this so can't comment. Was just an idea. I don't see much point in getting a new one because I think they get beat up pretty fast.
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Tzantushka
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Fri Feb 11, 2022 11:25 pm

For me, because it’s an undercut part and not readily visible, I ended up giving it a through clean, scuff with a scotchbrite pad, wipe down with was & grease remover and paining it with a left over can of black bumper & trim paint.

Bumper trim paint has a satin sheen, looks OEM and covers up superficial wear & tear
DanThe
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Sat Feb 12, 2022 1:57 pm

Id only ever paint plastic trim if it was otherwise going in the bin, I think it ruins it. Heat gun/oil/waxoil works wonders
twenty
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Sat Feb 12, 2022 5:43 pm

I painted mine with chip protection paint (because I had an unused can at home) and then generously sprayed with lanolin for added protection.
rix313
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Thu Feb 17, 2022 3:46 pm

DanThe wrote:
Sat Feb 12, 2022 1:57 pm
Id only ever paint plastic trim if it was otherwise going in the bin, I think it ruins it. Heat gun/oil/waxoil works wonders
I've always been of the same thoughts to be honest. Especially when it starts to flake off. New ones are £145 so I'm tempted just to do that. The other thing I wondered about was dry ice blasting???
DanThe
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Thu Feb 17, 2022 5:41 pm

Bit ott :)
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martauto
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Thu Feb 17, 2022 6:30 pm

There must be something "very commercial Vehical" on the market ??

Mart.
Only the E46 cab left now.
Just got too old.
Cloggy Saint
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Thu Feb 17, 2022 9:09 pm

It's an under tray, why bother? :)
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rix313
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Tue Feb 22, 2022 1:35 pm

Cloggy Saint wrote:
Thu Feb 17, 2022 9:09 pm
It's an under tray, why bother? :)
Because it's the next item on the list of 'well I've done all this, I might aswell sort that' :D
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