Anyone ever found a product to strip paint off the plastic wheel covers ?
Mine need repainting, but the paint on them is flaked from a few previous attempts (not by me!) - really they want the old paint removing, I dont fancy doing this by hand. -
Is there any form of paint remover that works on plastic without ending up with something from Quatermass and the pit ?..

I've never been lucky stripping plastic, I've melted enough bits and bobs over the years trying.
You're stuck with elbow grease!

New wheel trims ain't that expense.

I'd definitely take the lazy approach and replace rather than try to refurbish. You can pick new ones up relatively cheaply.

Wee Smurf said:

I'd definitely take the lazy approach and replace rather than try to refurbish. You can pick new ones up relatively cheaply.

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not in the correct style for our "classic" '04 Active,

Charlie

thanks for the feedback,
I havent seen any trims here, the real ones are 30 Euro EACH !! yikes, however, the paint shop at the dealer is very low priced and has all the latest kit / ovens etc (not that I think baking these would be good lol)... he charges around 34 euro an hour...
I do have a random orbit Bosch pro unit, that would probably work... hmmm... then plastic primer and top coat and laquer..
even that is going to be expensive. some of the aftermarket ones are hideous... trouble is also, I really like the standard ones...
bu88er !!
Might have to pay the man that does.. I will ask him for a quote.... he even gives me a 20% discount on parts now lol - I keep ordering bits and pieces for the ferret.. - he might give me a discount on paint works as well...

varesecrazy said:

not in the correct style for our "classic" '04 Active,

Charlie

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ABSOLUTELY !!! same for my 'classic' dynamic silver ferret..

hmmm...

http://www.shop4parts.co.uk/?name=store&op=Results&category=7&secondary=84&opts=1175

hmm again, above not original, could be total pants.. trouble is, I cant see them before I buy, and, it would cost more, I think, to buy them including postage to here, then it would to refurb mine by the main dealer..... will have to get a quote...
But, of course, if anyone has ever bought any from this place ??? - maybe you can let me know the quality ?

If your after stripping the paint how about trying to find someone with a sand blasting kit with the pressure reduced or holding the gun further away you should be able to remove the paint without damaging the plastic

Andy Monty said:

If your after stripping the paint how about trying to find someone with a sand blasting kit with the pressure reduced or holding the gun further away you should be able to remove the paint without damaging the plastic

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that's what I actually plan for mine..,

It's the paint application I'm going to struggle with

Charlie

varesecrazy said:

that's what I actually plan for mine..,

It's the paint application I'm going to struggle with

Charlie

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do you have the same problem as me?

application method Spray, spray and spray some more... oh **** too much its run :devil:


or is it dry yet? Oh **** finger print right in the middle :bang:

captainslarty said:

hmmm...

http://www.shop4parts.co.uk/?name=store&op=Results&category=7&secondary=84&opts=1175

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I'll order myself 4 of those for next winter. With mine having been on and off so much, they've got marked. They had been in relatively good nick for almost 9 years old until this year's trouble. It didn't help either when one of them blew away across the road on it's face when the AA man removed it the day the brakes failed.

I've ordered new winter tyres but I think that I might just get them fitted and change over to the summer wheels. Luckily we haven't really had a winter this year.

Good idea re blasting, but I tihnk the paint would cost more than the trims - plastic primer, metalic silver, laquer, then a complete new batch to repair the mess one makes of diy painting lol

The UK parts place was a joke when it came to shipping to Portugal, they wanted 63 Euros !!! the postage was more than the bloody trims. !

Going to risk it and get 4 of these, they may well be the same as the uk ones (but look FAR better in the images - (the uk images look crap - but they almost certainly will be the same)
Also, total price delivered including everything 51 Euro.. so thats the plan...
http://www.wheeltrims.eu/wheel-trims-for-fiat/4-wheel-trims-for-fiat-panda-4.html

It would appear, by the comments, that some of you have as 'good' a time painting as I do

Also, they will match the new indicator side fittings in brightening up the Ferret (7 euro each - including bulbs (Fiat) ) as one fell off...
Also need new front and rear blue badges - I prefer blue to red, the red looks 'older' and Ferrets like Blue (he has got a red badge on his airbag though....

Just need some plastic nut covers now...

Ok, just ordered, painless..
Price (IN EURO !) - about 40 quid
4 Wheel trims for FIAT PANDA 13" € 39.95
Subtotal € 39.95
Shipping & Handling (Standard - Standard) € 11.00
Grand Total € 50.95

Paypal accepted, no worries, also direct transfer or card.

Wee Smurf said:

I'll order myself 4 of those for next winter. With mine having been on and off so much, they've got marked. They had been in relatively good nick for almost 9 years old until this year's trouble. It didn't help either when one of them blew away across the road on it's face when the AA man removed it the day the brakes failed.

I've ordered new winter tyres but I think that I might just get them fitted and change over to the summer wheels. Luckily we haven't really had a winter this year.

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Hey Smurf ! Hope Dez is ok now ?
How are the trims held on ? I thought it was by the wheel nuts ? (I have never removed the wheel or trims yet - Mr fiat does that lol..

pretty sure they are "bolted on",
like most FIATS of the last 30 years+

varesecrazy said:

pretty sure they are "bolted on",
like most FIATS of the last 30 years+

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Oh thats ok then, they are very secure !.
The Ferret is going in for 120,000 Km service in a few weeks, 1000 to go....
Its a full major, super duper custom mega everything service - wheels off, hubs off, callipers and cyclinders off and new seals fitting, tappets, fluids, the works... well, it is 10 now lol - I have instructed them to rebuild it if needed haha..
They can fit the wheel covers at the same time. all ready got a list of parts for them to fit on order....
just need to find an Estofador Automoveis (car upholsterer) for some bespoke seat covers to replace the original blue cloth and some foam that has gone soft. should be set for another 10 years then

captainslarty said:

Hey Smurf ! Hope Dez is ok now ?
How are the trims held on ? I thought it was by the wheel nuts ? (I have never removed the wheel or trims yet - Mr fiat does that lol..

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Yes Dez is feeling fine at the minute. He's giving me around 62mpg for the last three tankfuls since I got everything fixed, that's despite me having winter tyres on (Continental WinterContacts which will hopefully be getting replaced by new ones this week if my tyre dealer gets them delivered for me). And most importantly, he stops when I step on the brake pedal - a rather attractive feature, much nicer than a grinding sound and no braking effort!

And the wheel bolts hold the wheel trims in place, so they're quite secure. No need for those silly tie things...

captainslarty said:

Ok, just ordered, painless..
Price (IN EURO !) - about 40 quid
4 Wheel trims for FIAT PANDA 13" € 39.95
Subtotal € 39.95
Shipping & Handling (Standard - Standard) € 11.00
Grand Total € 50.95

Paypal accepted, no worries, also direct transfer or card.

Click to expand...

I had been going to order 4 from Ricambi at basically £50 delivered from Italy, but I ordered from Shop4Parts for £33.54 delivered Usually postage to Northern Ireland is twice what they charged, lol.

I'll store them till I'm putting the winter wheels on again in November. I'm cleaning Dez up little by little. Unfortunately he's got a bad enough bonnet scuff from parking outside a carpet warehouse , but that will have to stay for another while. I was thinking sticker to cover it, but can't decide what I would put on there...

Wee Smurf said:

I had been going to order 4 from Ricambi at basically £50 delivered from Italy, but I ordered from Shop4Parts for £33.54 delivered Usually postage to Northern Ireland is twice what they charged, lol.

I'll store them till I'm putting the winter wheels on again in November. I'm cleaning Dez up little by little. Unfortunately he's got a bad enough bonnet scuff from parking outside a carpet warehouse , but that will have to stay for another while. I was thinking sticker to cover it, but can't decide what I would put on there...

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HI Smurfette, yes, S4P were cheaper for the trims, but a total rip on the postage.. they are missing a big market in europe. I had a Varta HD Battety sent from Tayna UK to here and postage / shipping was only 13 quid. - and that was a BIG HEAVY box, Tayna have got or are getting a lot of Portuguese business as we cannot get decent batteries in the north without paying a fortune.. even the Fiat dealer is considering them
When I looked closely at my trims, it is really only one, but it is a case of having to replace 4 as the new one would look glaringly obvious after 10 years - It's the Ferret's birthday anyway. 10 this month.. so he's getting a full make over and lots and lots of replacement items whether he wants them or not.. We sat with local Mr Fiat and customised a service from hell..

captainslarty said:

Anyone ever found a product to strip paint off the plastic wheel covers ?

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Sodium hydroxide (Caustic soda) might just do the trick but you'll need to leave it soaking at least overnight. It's safe to use on most plastics (it's the working ingredient in the paint stripper for plastic model kits), but use at your own risk.

Don't use it on anything containing aluminium.

Once you've set up a soaking bath, you can gain brownie points with SWMBO by putting in the oven shelves overnight - they'll come up like new.