14 replies to this topic

[pj_sibley]

The silver / grey bits of my 2000 NA's interior are looking rather battle scarred. Lots of scratches, scuffs and marks!! As it's mostly used as a weekend / track car, I'm not interested in expensive re-trimming or CF bits but would like to refresh the dash panels / door cards / centre console etc. in black paint. I've done a seach but not found anything specific....any recommendations on preparing the plastic for painting and which paint to use? I was going to prep with some fine sand paper or wet & dry, then lightly spray with black (matt or gloss, not decided yet) paint, layer by layer. If anyone's done it and has a photo showing the result, that would be even better

[tavx220]

I've been researching this too and it would appear that as long as you take the parts right back to the plastic before painting (this is because the new paint can react with the exisiting paint and coating causing bubbling/peeling) the results can look good.

More info HERE with images

[mcarrick69]

More info HERE with images

That looks really smart that moonstone colour.
Might get round to it one day.

[pj_sibley]

I've been researching this too and it would appear that as long as you take the parts right back to the plastic before painting (this is because the new paint can react with the exisiting paint and coating causing bubbling/peeling) the results can look good.

Great, thanks for that link! Nice to see some pics of what it can look like. I think I'll plan to get the whole interior out and spray up all of the nasty grey scratched pieces of trim in the next month or so

[Dazzer]

I want to refresh mine but like the totally stock look. Anyone know the matt silver paint code or the best way of replicating it? Cheers

[dexter]

i enquired about doing this at my local paint shop, they said because it is plastic it's best to sand it back with some fine wet and dry and then use some plastic etching primer, which so im told you can get at halfords.

[severnless]

I want to refresh mine but like the totally stock look. Anyone know the matt silver paint code or the best way of replicating it?

Cheers

Just take a piece of the car to a reputable paint supplier (Rigby taylor, Newtone) and they can mix the paint to match

They would be only to willing to help you.

[Retset]

I tried Plastikote primer and silver on one door panel. This is simply not up to the task (marks easily) so not recommended. I have seen inside AliM's car and ridden in Maxr's ex track car. Both had panels done in car paint to match the exterior and looked good (bright as well as they have red and orange cars!). So, I have bought a can of my exterior colour, Star Silver, and a can of satin black. I intend to do all the panels, dash strips and gear surround in the silver but no laquer .. should be a tough and not too shiney finish. I'll door the door handles in satin black (like VXR) and the rest of the can on the 'Vee' which I did badly in vinyl. I will do just one door first as a test but simply intend to do Plastikote primer first and then the car paint. If it works, I'll do the rest.

[Dazzer]

For future reference for anyone refreshing the silver trim in their VX I have a great match with Halfords "Aluminium" spray paint and as long as you use plenty of plastic primer it does not react.

By the way, Vauxhall eventually sent me a helpful email:

Thank you for your email dated 25 March 2009 regarding the interior paint code for the plastic interior silver console of your VX220 with registration number Y******. Please accept my apologies for the delay in my response.

In response to your enquiry our Product Department advised that the the ABS material is acrylic capped and not painted so there is no 'ral' code that one would normally relate to a paint colour. Also there is a metallic element to the acrylic capping that further complicates the matching process in terms of light reflection etc. The material in question is not a gloss finish but more satin. Our Product department confirmed that the colour reference for the above vehicle is: Grey 8615 / Silver metallic 1516.

Thank you for contacting Vauxhall Motors and allowing me the opportunity to assist.

Can't knock their customer service there!

[Yellow_or_black?]

Good God, that was all a bit helpful

[Mike (Cliffie)]

Just finished mine and very pleased with the results. Went back to black plastic then used Plasti-cote which you can get from B&Q in loads of colours, I used Silk Black...

[snowwhite]

For future reference for anyone refreshing the silver trim in their VX I have a great match with Halfords "Aluminium" spray paint and as long as you use plenty of plastic primer it does not react.

By the way, Vauxhall eventually sent me a helpful email:

Thank you for your email dated 25 March 2009 regarding the interior paint code for the plastic interior silver console of your VX220 with registration number Y******. Please accept my apologies for the delay in my response.

In response to your enquiry our Product Department advised that the the ABS material is acrylic capped and not painted so there is no 'ral' code that one would normally relate to a paint colour. Also there is a metallic element to the acrylic capping that further complicates the matching process in terms of light reflection etc. The material in question is not a gloss finish but more satin. Our Product department confirmed that the colour reference for the above vehicle is: Grey 8615 / Silver metallic 1516.

Thank you for contacting Vauxhall Motors and allowing me the opportunity to assist.

Can't knock their customer service there!

A Vauxhall email response that is detailed and helpful..... I nearly fell off my chair!

I would like to see AliM's or MAXR's interior as I have always wanted to paint my door cars and dash strips blue, but thought it would be too much and too bright for inside the car, so very curious to see if it works! Alcantara and Black are a bit boring

[pj_sibley]

I ended up painting my dash strips, door card inserts and centre console pieces satin black (from Halfords). Looks much better than the original silver effort and has lifted the interior considerably

Edited by pj_sibley, 01 April 2009 - 06:33 PM.

[syep2001]

mine are colour coded, think it looks great!

[vocky]

I tried colour coded door panels but changed them to satin black which really looks good