chrisexv6

Ive actually done something like this before on the fender flares of my pickup truck.

SEM makes all of the materials necessary. They have an adhesion promoter and a high filler primer thats capable of "filling" the texture. It might require a couple coats with sanding in between, but it will help fill them in (you could smooth it out a little before using any of the paint to help the process)

PaintScratch.com mixes the paint custom to match your vehicle. You can get regular "auto paint" and use a spray gun connected to a compressor (which I have), or you can get spray cans that supposedly atomize the paint finer than normal cans. The problem is you are looking at about 80 bux in materials....if its really 200 to have a body shop paint it, its well worth the extra money spent. I imagine you might be able to get the price a little lower if you can remove the black portion and bring just that to a shop.

user420

@SW15LS you are absolutely correct!! I'd never attempt to do myself. I feel the body shop I have dealt with for years would do a good job. Really don't want any overspray is the reason I'd consider buying the piece to be painted and then placed on the vehicle. I'm fairly new to this forum but I have to say you guys are great with your thoughts, opinions, and suggestions.

SW17LS

Was your pickup truck a brand new $50,000 Lexus?

Trying to do something like this with rattle cans and filler on a car like this IMHO is completely "ghetto". I don't typically use terminology like that, but really I can't think of how else to describe it. This is an expensive, classy, high quality car. If you're going to modify it, do it in a classy, high quality way. That includes leaving any paintwork to professionals with computerized paint matching, proper tools, paint booths, and know how....and leaving the spray paint cans at the store.

FYI, good painters never use "more filler" or "more paint" to cover up a surface problem. The thicker the paint the more likely it is to crack and fail down the line, especially on a flexible piece. To be done right the part itself has to be made paint ready, and that involves sanding it smooth.

No decent body shop would paint a part like that on the car, it would always be removed for prep and painting. Bumper covers, trim, etc are always removed first.

2merc3lex

I had to leave the car overnight to allow for proper curing of paint. Chriseve6 is absolutely right about painting over this type of material. The adhesion promoter and primer is of paramount importance. Paint shop covered entire car and taped and covered underneath. I was amazed how absolutely no overspray can be detected. No sanding was required due to the location of this piece. In other words, you would have to get down and look very hard to determine that it was not factory painted.

user420

So, after more than 8 months, how is the paint job holding up. Went by my local body shop, my owner friend was out of town, and the shop manager didn't think the paint job would hold up. Even though I showed him the pics of your vehicle he stil recommended against it unless I wanted to repaint every 6 months. Think I'll go back when the owner returns. I seriously would like to have this modification done. Your ES is proof positive, IMO, that it makes the vehicle look so much better.

2merc3lex

Looks as good as the day it was painted. I had concerns also, but my guy (he used to work in a dealership paint shop) convinced me when he said "it's all in the process" in order to have durability. Don't know if you noticed the mud guards on front wheels, but he also painted those. He said the paint and the process is such that even somewhat flexible parts will hold tough and that has so far proven true.

2merc3lex

Let me speak to SW15LS's statement regarding removing the part first. I didn't personally check, but painter said it is part of the whole molded bumper (all one piece) and cannot be removed. If I am wrong, then naturally it would be easer to go that route. However, with this particular part (1) where it is located and (2) the crease where new paint starts, makes it even more unnoticeable. One other thing, make sure it is quality paint matching VIN code and final clear coated.

Dave Mac

I have not had good luck - long term at least - with painting body trim parts on the car. On two cars the paint looked great and was a perfect match for about a year then the clear coat started to peel at the seam or crease where body panels were joined and the part, bumper skin, had to be removed and painted and clear coated off the car and it then lasted for as long as I had the car.

Dave Mac

SW17LS

It being all one piece doesn't make any sense. Two different types of plastic, theres the challenge of painting the painted portion at the factory and having to mask, I would be absolutely shocked if they are one piece.

chrisexv6

I checked on my wifes car for a bit....I dont see any quick way of separating them.

Where the black meets the body colored portion there doesnt seem to be any appreciable "seam", even if you try to bend the black plastic portion to see if it separates even a little from the painted portion.

I do agree I cant see the factory going through all the pain to try and paint the whole bumper minus that one black portion, so Im guessing maybe there may be a mechanical AND chemical bond in place somewhere. I surely couldnt feel any fasteners or anything, but I was only using my hands under the bumper to feel around. When I get a chance Ill crawl under the car and try to look around more.

user420

^^^ I've not found any clamps or clips binding the two pieces together either. I'd like to have this mod performed on my vehicle under the right circumstances. I'll probably have to raise the car and take a closer look. Appreciate any other info that you guys care to share.

SW17LS

Maybe they are seamed together somehow? Strange...

chrisexv6

On top of it not looking like 2 pieces, I cant find any parts diagrams that show it as a replaceable piece.

There is something in the diagrams (part #20 here:http://www.mylparts.com/parts/2015/L...iagram=8922650 ) that isnt listed for ordering, but Im not sure thats it...diagram pic makes that part look too small to be the black portion of the rear bumper.