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I Plasti Dipped the Whole Front End of my Ultra White IS350 F Sport!
What's up guys! I'm heading up to my hometown for the long weekend (5 hour drive), so I wanted to provide some protection for the front end this time around. Last time I did this drive, I got at least two rock chips in my otherwise perfect paint job. Bummed me out, for sure.
Since this is my first brand new car, I'd like to do my best to keep it as new-looking as possible, so I decided to give Plasti Dip a try. I've used it before, on the rims, grill, badges, and window trim of my old E90 335i, so it wasn't my first time using the product. It was, however, the first time I've used it at this scale.
All in all, I used:
-Masking tape
-3 cans of white Plasti Dip
-One 9'x12' sheet of plastic, torn as needed.
I applied the 'Dip much more crudely than I would have if I were going for appearance, with the knowledge that it wasn't going to look perfect, so I wasn't worried about the small stuff. These are the steps that I took:
-(Not necessary, but recommended) I began by waxing the car. I've read this should make it easier to remove the 'Dip once you're ready to take it off.
-Open the hood and put masking tape on the rubber gasket that goes around the hood
-I didn't do this at this point (I did it later), but this would be the perfect time to stick some plastic wrap over the grill, for later taping. Make sure you have enough to cover the widest portion of the grill at the bottom. I used way too much, but too much is better than not enough!
-Close the hood, but don't latch it, then select the area that you'd like to cover in the Plasti Dip, then, using masking tape and plastic sheeting, mask the rear section of the hood that won't be covered in the Plasti Dip. I used a sheet that was big enough to cover much of the windshield, as well as part of the rims. I also ran the sheeting down the fender.
-Cover the two outermost air ducts in tape, and with the inner ducts, I lined the inside of the duct with tape, then stuffed the holes with an old microfiber cloth, making sure that none of the black plastic was exposed.
-Tear off a section to cover the wheels/rims. I would probably spend more time covering this section next time. I got some overspray on my tire and one of my rims. Of course, it's easy to clean off, but still.
-I decided that since our headlights are so small, the easiest solution is to just cover them in masking tape. I started by running tape around the edges, sticking the edge of the tape inside the gap around the headlight, and then sticking the tape down. Once I had all the edges covered, I just covered the remaining portion of the headlight in tape. I opted not to cover the DRL, and to just peel off the dip when I was done.
-Last, I taped the plastic that I draped over the grill, to the edges of the grill, and laid some plastic on the ground to protect from the majority of overspray.
These are what it looked like, right before I applied the first coat of Plasti Dip:
I began by applying 4-7 coats of 'dip depending on the area. I wasn't really concerned about having the perfect finish; thickness was my ultimate concern.
For the first layer, I started with the left half of the hood, worked down the front fender, to the bumper, and sprayed the left half of the bumper. I then sprayed the right half of the bumper, making sure to overlap slightly with what I had already sprayed, and worked my way down the fender, and towards the middle of the bumper again.
I applied fewer coats to the upper portion of the hood, and more coats to the sections that are more vertical such as the front of the bumper, and the lower edge of the hood, as the rocks will cause more damage to these sections. It's important to let each layer dry between coats. I sprayed the last coat to the hood at the end, and while the top layer of the 'dip was still wet, removed the upper section that covered the hood, in hopes that the line would be as clean as possible.
I then waited until the rest of it dried to remove the remaining masking. I'm actually pretty satisfied with how the white tone matches my ultra white paint. It looks great for what it is, in my opinion! I leave tomorrow for the first leg of the trip. I'll check back in if anything terrible happens on the way. Otherwise, I'll most likely be leaving it on for the next few weeks, and see how it holds up!
This is what the final product looks like (more pictures can be taken depending on interest):
That was actually the product that inspired me to do this! However, beginning a few months ago, the 3M stuff was pulled from all of the shelves of retailers and is no longer available except from third parties, which tells me that it wasn't as good as 3M products usually are. I remember reading somewhere that 3M stated themselves that this product was basically a "public beta test."
In fact, upon further investigation, it seems as though people have an experience that is less than ideal, with the finish of the product degrading rapidly, and having a difficult time removing the product. As well, Plasti Dip allows for a thicker coating, which should better protect against any damage that should occur.
Most of my enthusiasm about the 3M product was based on the initial application, which seems awesome, and looks great. However, after looking more deeply into the actual reviews and experience post-install, it's not as good as it seems, in my opinion. Plus it's significantly more expensive if you can get your hands on it.
Originally Posted by Vivid101
nice work. beats putting painters tape all over the front. and looks better...
I've applied the 3M Defender on the IS and NX, twice each already. Also have experience with Plastidip.
If your primary objective is durability, Plastidip is better.
As you stated, the 3M looks nicer when new but will start to look weathered and will show spots with water. See my build thread as to how nice and glossy the 3M looks when applied, but it doesn't look like that today a year later.
Great job and great idea with the dip, looks mostly hidden with the OEM paint. I'm definitely interested to see how well the dip holds up on your road trip and congrats on your brand new car
I've applied the 3M Defender on the IS and NX, twice each already. Also have experience with Plastidip.
If your primary objective is durability, Plastidip is better.
As you stated, the 3M looks nicer when new but will start to look weathered and will show spots with water. See my build thread as to how nice and glossy the 3M looks when applied, but it doesn't look like that today a year later.
Yeah, I'm not sure what direction I'll head in. Depending on how it holds up, I might add a layer or two, but take my time a little more, and then add some glosifier and maybe keep it on longer term. It was a lot of fun hearing my neighbors cough and complain because of the spraypaint smell.
If I didn't have a white car, I probably would have looked harder to see if I could find the 3M stuff. As stated earlier, though, it seems like it's pretty hard to get ahold of these days.
Originally Posted by AyeBird
Great job and great idea with the dip, looks mostly hidden with the OEM paint. I'm definitely interested to see how well the dip holds up on your road trip and congrats on your brand new car
Thanks and thanks!
I wasn't really sure what to expect, but even after driving the car today and seeing it in the sun, it's not even obvious unless you're looking directly at it. My guess is that 99% of people I drive past don't even notice! I almost feel like the front end looks cooler in matte white!
Here are a couple more pictures I took. The finish is pretty smooth, except for the hood. It's a little uneven in texture on the hood.
wow, honestly it looks great! From pictures, yeah i can see the color differences but honestly, if it protects your hood from all the rocks on your trip, you do you! ive heard they now have gloss/metallic plastidip?
I kind of wish you did your entire car in matte white now.
Actually I think matte white would be a pretty hot look for the IS F-sport. Its already a pretty loud design, might as well make it look that much more unique. The matte white plays real well of the factory graphite/dark grey wheels as well.
can anyone tell me the difference between clear bra and opticoat? is clear bra just a vinyl?
Yes, clear bra is a clear vinyl film that goes over the front painted areas of your car. Opticoat is a paint sealant which allows dirt, grime, bugs, etc... to normally just wash of the paint with the spray of a hose. Does a great job of keeping the paint looking like it was just polished too.
05-26-16, 11:34 AM
I Plasti Dipped the Whole Front End of my Ultra White IS350 F Sport!
