Scrapes & scratches on plastic bumper cover

[Pajamarama]

Hello --

These are scrapes we've had for a while on our 09 Fit. Not sure exactly how they happened (wife did it). They are pretty deep and you can feel some texture when you move your hand over them.

Would appreciate any advice on the best method to fill, sand down and repaint over so they are less noticable. Thanks.

 

[Pajamarama]

If this is in the wrong forum, please feel free to move it elsewhere.

 

[Rolla07]

I would try some megs ultimate compound by hand first and see. I think the compound alone will take care of that. Hard to tell by a pic alone though.

 

[Rolla07]

If not, u can try sanding with 2000-3000 grit sandpaper and use touchup paint and than sand it, than compound than polish and wax.

 

[Pajamarama]

Pretty sure I'm going to need something to fill these scrapes/gouges. Those aren't going to just buff out.

 

[Trav]

For this to look really right it will need blending. Not really difficult or long to do but you do need a spray gun preferably a gravity feed with a 1.3 tip.

Do you have any experience with a spray gun?

 

[Pajamarama]

Originally Posted By: Trav
For this to look really right it will need blending. Not really difficult or long to do but you do need a spray gun preferably a gravity feed with a 1.3 tip.

Do you have any experience with a spray gun?


I do not. That information about the spray gun is good to know, though.

For the purposes of this car, the finish doesn't need to be perfect. I don't plan on selling it. I would just like the black scrapes to not stand out like a sore thumb.

I was guessing I would need to sand/scrape the area, fill the gouges with some compound, sand again and then paint. I know the paint won't be a perfect match.

 

[earlyre]

sounds like a prime candidate for bondo and a rattle can!

 

[GMBoy]

Originally Posted By: earlyre
sounds like a prime candidate for bondo and a rattle can!


Absolutely based on the poster's no need for perfection. They also make plastic bumper repair kits too. Sand spots, fill the in, resand and primer. Scuff the whole bumper and spray and clear.

 

[Pajamarama]

Originally Posted By: GMBoy
Originally Posted By: earlyre
sounds like a prime candidate for bondo and a rattle can!


Absolutely based on the poster's no need for perfection. They also make plastic bumper repair kits too. Sand spots, fill the in, resand and primer. Scuff the whole bumper and spray and clear.


Took a quick trip to AutoZone on my way back from picking up Chinese food. There were a couple of these bumper repair kits, which included a 2 part epoxy, putty knife and some mesh. One was Bondo brand. Is this what I am looking for, or something larger/more inclusive?

 

[earlyre]

one of those kits, some white spray paint, and a can of clear coat spray, you should be good to go.

now... if you wanted to be a little more adventurous...and you had some just laying about the house, I suppose you could sand it down, and try Spackle instead of the bondo...dunno how well it would bond to plastic/ hold up to the elements, but it could be a "fun experiment" or there's the cheap man's Spackle, toothpaste...(I've seen folks fill small holes in walls with it before painting.)

or the $5 body shop on a roll...Colored Duck Tape... used to have a white car, had a roll of white duck tape in the trunk, covered a couple gouges in the bumpers well enough until it made it to the actual body shop. it was a close enough match that the casual observer wouldn't notice it in passing.
heck, it still had a couple pieces covering the holes in the bumper where the fog light blanks should have been when i sold it. (the right blank disappeared one winter, so i just covered 'em both with white tape.) (yes the buyer noticed, but wasn't put off by my explanation.)