[saad2605]

Has anyone done this and not used the knife in the indent. I just can't bring myself to bring a knife to the paint. I know that it might not be visible but I just can't bring myself to do this.

[ezaircon4jc]

Originally Posted by saad2605

Has anyone done this and not used the knife in the indent. I just can't bring myself to bring a knife to the paint. I know that it might not be visible but I just can't bring myself to do this.

Why not just tape it off???

[eaglecomm]

Originally Posted by ezaircon4jc

Why not just tape it off???

This..

However, I don't think PlastiDip separates like paint. Which means if you pull up the tape, the PD comes up too. So I think you still need to find a way to 'cut' the separation from what you want and what you don't want. Maybe if the tape allows you to pull it up far enough to cut through (and not cut in to your clearcoat) and the plastidip will still adhere once you push it back down, then maybe that would do it?

[ezaircon4jc]

Originally Posted by eaglecomm

This..

However, I don't think PlastiDip separates like paint. Which means if you pull up the tape, the PD comes up too. So I think you still need to find a way to 'cut' the separation from what you want and what you don't want. Maybe if the tape allows you to pull it up far enough to cut through (and not cut in to your clearcoat) and the plastidip will still adhere once you push it back down, then maybe that would do it?

I Plasti-dipped my side repeaters and just taped them off. Removing the tape didn't mess up the dip.

[eaglecomm]

Originally Posted by ezaircon4jc

I Plasti-dipped my side repeaters and just taped them off. Removing the tape didn't mess up the dip.

[saad2605]

Originally Posted by ezaircon4jc

I Plasti-dipped my side repeaters and just taped them off. Removing the tape didn't mess up the dip.

Okay. Yeah from what i've been reading if you take off the tape while the plasti dip is still wet it comes off clean. Wanted to check if anyone knew anything else otherwise.

[ReeferCheefer]

Originally Posted by PMW_F10

BigDeep1, I used regular black PlastiDip spray and I got mine at Home Depot for only about $6. Sorry, I don't have a pic but you can find a pic or order the spray at dipyourcar.com.


As for the process... it turned out to be a bit more complicated than I thought and that's because the bottom section of the 528i rear bumper (the part I plasti dipped) isn't actually a separate piece. From a distance it looks like it's a diffuser that you can take off of the car but you actually can't and the line we all see is really just an indented crack.

Here's a pic of that section to illustrate what I mean:


NOW, if you haven't plasti dipped anything, I know what you're thinking, "umm so, just tape it off to that line"... Well, you can't, because when you pull the tape off, the edge of your plasti dipped line will start peeling up as well, it's impossible to prevent.

IF you've gone the extra step and watched a bunch of plasti dip videos on youtube (like I did) you're probably saying "So, just tape it off further up and the plasti dip will cut the perfect line when you peel the excess off"....
HOWEVER, since the "line" we're referring to is really just an indented crack, the plasti dip will NOT make it's own perfect line (like on moldings and rims).

I didn't find all of this out the hard way, I did a test run on a small portion of the bumper before moving on with the whole thing... and since you can just peel it off, it wasn't too big of a deal.

SO, my solution to the problem was pretty simple... here's what I did:

1. I taped off the section about an inch and a half above the line with blue painters tape and painters paper. also covering the exhaust tips and undercarriage as best as I could.


2. Then covered the rest of my car's butt with a sheet.

3. Then put about 7-8 coats of plasti dip on the section. Letting it dry for 10-20 minutes between each coat. (make your coasts light, don't rush it... it's a luxury car, give her time to accept the make-up)

4. Once the last coast was dry (here's the solution to the problem above) I used a razor blade to lightly score a line in the middle of the "crack".

5. Then, when peeling away the excess plasti dip from above, it pulled away perfectly and the line was flawless.


I know you're thinking that I just put a huge scratch in my bumper, and I probably did, but that line is supposed to look like a crack anyway, so I don't really care. Just make sure you don't slip with the razor blade and do any collateral damage to other sections of the bumper or your hands. haha

UPDATE: Mine is holding up great so far and it's been washed twice since I first plasti dipped it. I didn't use the glossifier that you can get from dipyourcar.com simply because I was too impatient to wait to order it and home depot didn't have it. But I like the matte/satin look that it has because it looks like it's supposed to be that way... like factory black plastic trim.
Here's the most recent pic of the whip (yes, I added a performance spoiler since my last post)

they sell the glossifier at menards. looks way better imo

[corys530]

Originally Posted by saad2605

Has anyone done this and not used the knife in the indent. I just can't bring myself to bring a knife to the paint. I know that it might not be visible but I just can't bring myself to do this.

I used Auto-Dip, spray vinyl reather than plastic, they said it holds up better

Originally did the 535 gloss black but didnt like the shiney, so email them and they said to just put a couple more coats of the Matte black over the top and it looks pretty cool........as far as the edge i just taped up to the front edge of the channel, did all my coats and on the final coat when wet removed the tape

There was on spot where it took a little bit out of the channel, spray a little of it in the top of the can and use a small instrument or brush and flood the channel above where the flaw is, it will run down and fill the spot. The channel contained the dip making its own finish line. This stuff is easily repairable

Then did my wifes car, swapped out all our emblems to black/white (did that after the pics)
Was a nice easy mod!
Its been a couple months i think, 4 or 5 car washes, no chips or nicks....i prepped by claying to remove wax and thats it!

[saad2605]

Originally Posted by corys530

I used Auto-Dip, spray vinyl reather than plastic, they said it holds up better

Originally did the 535 gloss black but didnt like the shiney, so email them and they said to just put a couple more coats of the Matte black over the top and it looks pretty cool........as far as the edge i just taped up to the front edge of the channel, did all my coats and on the final coat when wet removed the tape

There was on spot where it took a little bit out of the channel, spray a little of it in the top of the can and use a small instrument or brush and flood the channel above where the flaw is, it will run down and fill the spot. The channel contained the dip making its own finish line. This stuff is easily repairable

Then did my wifes car, swapped out all our emblems to black/white (did that after the pics)
Was a nice easy mod!
Its been a couple months i think, 4 or 5 car washes, no chips or nicks....i prepped by claying to remove wax and thats it!

Those cars look gorgeous. Yeah I ended up just doing the wet pull method as well. It's just one of those processes where prep is probably the longest part to make sure that you have the tape lined up with the curves. Lot of small pieces especially at the corner turns. Will post a pic soon from when I first did it. It's been a while and it's held up perfectly.