Nissan 370Z Forum - View Single Post

RonZwanson · 08-16-2013, 04:29 PM

Hey there.

This post may only be useful for a select few people, but it's something that has driven me nuts for months. DIRTY PLASTIDIP. UGH.

Anyway, a few months ago, I plastidipped my sport rims black, and hit them with several coats (at least five, maybe six) of glossifier. I did this because the factory silver coating on my rims was flaking off pretty badly on one of my rear wheels, and figured plastidipping would save some dough over professional repair.

I was pretty happy with it at first, but within a week, I needed to wash my car. (And as anyone else with black car knows, you have to wash your car every hour to keep it nice.) As I live in an apartment, I don't have many opportunities to hand-wash my car, unless I'm visiting my parents and leeching off their resources. So, I do a "hand wash" at the car wash with the pressure washer. No auto washes for me. (Okay, once in a while in the winter...)

After a few washes, I noticed my "gloss" rims were looking pretty flat. I was perplexed, and pissed, because it looked like crap. I investigated further and found that the plastidip was clinging to dirt like it had abandonment issues. I blasted it point-blank with the high pressure sprayer, I scrubbed it by hand repeatedly, all to minimal results. I got it cleaner, but never to the point it originally was.

All the while, I've been using Meguiar's Tire Gel to shine the tires. (Purple stuff) I was very careful in applying it, because I read that certain types of tire shine can eat the plastidip. I was going through the same rigamarole today, and my hand slipped and I smeared some of it on my plastdipped rim. (SH*T!)

Only, wait...it didn't damage it. In fact, it cleaned it, and made it look really good. After months of frustration, an accident brings the solution.

So, as I said, this may only be helpful to a few people, but if anyone has been frustrated as I have, try this out. I can't speak for other types of tire shine, obviously. But I figured I'd share this. The more info the better, right?

Results are attached.