Plastic interior scratches...

[Pepper_Marsh]

Hi Peoples!

So we've picked up the Golf that we bought on the weekend and I'm doing a bit of a detail to make it mine...

So my question is, You know how the plastics in the VWs are that odd sort of plastic that scratches easily and feels a little sticky - around the ingnition, door handles and ashtray in the centre console.

Well, how do you clean/repair it? Can the scratches be buffed out, cleaned out or should I get it fixed at a plactics repair place?

Any advice would be appreciated!

[gpk_gti]

ahhh,,forgot all about your measurements-sorry!!!:(

I had to fix mine aroung the window switches and ashtray.I removed the pieces then I rubbed it back with sand paper,untill all that "sticky" top layer paint was removed.Got myslef a can of matt black paint and proceeded to spray paint.after the first couple of layers,I gave it a light paper again,then gave it a final coat.
No marks! and looks original.You can remove the parts yourself and give it to your local spray painter,or got to ebay and get the r32 brushed aluminium set and ditch your stock painted part!!!

[Pepper_Marsh]

You did too forget my measurements! And I was really hanging out for them too!

And I had to go and pick up the drawers with no measurements, and then they wouldn't fit, and then I had to take them apart on the side of the road to get them to fit into the car and a police officer stopped beside me and booked me for littering and being a public nuisance and then I started crying and I was crying so hard that I couldn't drive properly and I backed into a light pole and then that grid lost power because of me and a little girl came out of her house crying because I ruined the cake she was making by disrupting the power and it was a surprise for her parents anniversary and they were so sad that their dinner was ruined that the dad barged out to confront me and tripped over the dog and broke his elbow and I couldn't drive him to the hospital because I got the engine wet. Because of the hydrant I ran over. Somewhere in there.


But I'm over it!. So this R32 kit. What does it have in it and is it just called a 'R32 kit'?

[gpk_gti]

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha ha


good one! you should have pm'd me!!! haha

ill get you the link! are you on msn?? if you are add me....:D

[gpk_gti]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/VW-Golf-MK4-4-Euro-R32-GTI-VR6-Brushed-Door-Handles_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33696QQihZ019QQ itemZ290144101377QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

email them and ask for right hand drive 4 door.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/VW-GOLF-IV-brushed-alu-door-handles-4-door-Jetta-IV_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33705QQihZ018QQitemZ 280115137305

again ask for rhd.

you get the idea from these links.when shopping on ebay fro vw items,always look first at germany and america.

contact me if you need any help!

apologies again!!!:)

[fuzion]

ahhh,,forgot all about your measurements-sorry!!!:(

I had to fix mine aroung the window switches and ashtray.I removed the pieces then I rubbed it back with sand paper,untill all that "sticky" top layer paint was removed.Got myslef a can of matt black paint and proceeded to spray paint.after the first couple of layers,I gave it a light paper again,then gave it a final coat.
No marks! and looks original.You can remove the parts yourself and give it to your local spray painter,or got to ebay and get the r32 brushed aluminium set and ditch your stock painted part!!!

as well as that you can also use just a kitchen scrubber as well and it also wont leave any scratches and remove the rubber too and it just will leave a smooth plastic finish without having to spray it up again if you didnt want to!

[dre211]

hi pepper_marsh, did you try any of the methods the other guys recommended? if so which worked the best? i have the same problem with by bora

[Pepper_Marsh]

Okay Dokay Dinkey Di!

Thanks everyone for all the advice! I really appreciated it!

Now, as per popular request, here is what I ended up doing.

I originally thought I'd go with gpk_gti's idea to 'sand-paint and sand' the pieces, but I found I was really just too lazy to do that.

So, I went with Fuzions idea to scrub the top sticky stuff off and leave it at the plastic. But I had 2 problems with that.

1. After using the wrong kitchen scrubber to take the top layer off, I was left with faint scratches in the plastic. I'm reckoning that I was meant to use the green kitchen scourer and not the silver stainless steel. Lesson learnt. The green scourer took longer and used more elbow grease but had an obviously better finish when dry. (Shut up anyone laughing right now...)

2. Once the parts were cleaned and dry, they were suseptable to pick up the oil in the hands too easily, leaving marks and finger prints on the pieces. Here's where painting them would have sorted it out, but again, the laziness...

So.

On the advice/eye rolling of Spousal Unit, I went to AutoBarn and picked up a bottle of 'Mothers plastic polish' 236ml. for $19.95 (and to be honest, I was a little pissy to be spending that on a polish that I didn't know anything about, but you know... the laziness...)

I then polished it on as per directions and the pieces turned out AWESOME!!!! it leaves a protective layer over the plastic that doesn't allow oil from the hands to stick, ( covers scratches from that steel wool practice piece ) and leaves the pieces looking like new. (Some pieces need more polishing than others, it doesn't seem to be the same plastic-type throughout my car.)

So there you go. That's what I done!

[mikinoz]

Love to see a pic!

[dre211]

did you do the whole center console?

[Pepper_Marsh]

Hi Dre211,

No, I haven't done the console, I haven't been game.

I've only done a few test pieces, so if I stuffed them up, they wouldn't be seen ( the little piece near the console ashtray, and the back pieces in the ashtray type area in the back seat area.)

If I did stuff them up, there's a plastics place in town that would do them up for me, I'm thinking it might be worth just paying them to do it!

Mikinoz, I tried taking photo's, but they just turn out looking like there's no differance, I think I need a camera with better Macro to pick up the detail...

[MK4Golf]

I can't seem to find those r32 door trim kits on eBay. There is one on ECS tuning but it's $750!

[craig_the_german]

When I had my MK4, I used one of those "non scratch" kitchen scrubbers and just a bit of water. Pulled the sticky bits off (door pull handles, around the radio, on the console) and was very careful and gentle to remove just the sticky surface. It left the original colour underneath. Looked quite good/clean without the need to repaint/repair them.

[VDUB-BUD]

4x Original VW R32 OEM Alu Door Handles SET VW Golf Jetta 4 IV MK4 Bora | eBay (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/4x-Original-VW-R32-OEM-Alu-Door-Handles-SET-VW-Golf-Jetta-4-IV-MK4-Bora-/200751044125?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2ebdb1d61d) ask for RHD

[gringo_54_oval]

hahahahahahahahahashahahahaha!
Made me choke on my dinner

And I had to go and pick up the drawers with no measurements, and then they wouldn't fit, and then I had to take them apart on the side of the road to get them to fit into the car and a police officer stopped beside me and booked me for littering and being a public nuisance and then I started crying and I was crying so hard that I couldn't drive properly and I backed into a light pole and then that grid lost power because of me and a little girl came out of her house crying because I ruined the cake she was making by disrupting the power and it was a surprise for her parents anniversary and they were so sad that their dinner was ruined that the dad barged out to confront me and tripped over the dog and broke his elbow and I couldn't drive him to the hospital because I got the engine wet. Because of the hydrant I ran over. Somewhere in there.


But I'm over it!. So this R32 kit. What does it have in it and is it just called a 'R32 kit'?[/QUOTE]

[mikk]

if you do go the sanding and painting route, use some 400grit to start with, then work down to 1500 grit. wet sanding is better. it will have a nice finish ready for plastic polish by then.

if you would like to paint it, clean it off with wax and grease remover or thinners and then let it dry for an hour or so.

Then paint with this stuff:
B&Q - Plasti-kote Super Spray Satin Black 400ml customer reviews - product reviews - read top consumer ratings (http://reviews.diy.com/2191-en_gb/9254007/reviews.htm)

It's Plasti-kote Satin Super (Black). I tried the normal one and the Matte one, but Satin is very close in appearance to the original finish. I couldn't find any other paint that is closer. Make sure to avoid the plasti-kote plastic paint, it bubbles from being in the hot sun. These paints can be bought it Bunnings, but I think they aren't restocking them, which is quite annoying as they are an excellent paint. They do cost more than the other brands though and usually the ones on the shelf look a little old and dusty.

The Dulux paint used to be good but they seem to have changed the formula years ago to something that you can't get so high off... since then it doesn't cure as well as it used to and will always get sticky and rub off if you handle it. Probably cheaper for them to make too.

[MK4Golf]

4x Original VW R32 OEM Alu Door Handles SET VW Golf Jetta 4 IV MK4 Bora | eBay (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/4x-Original-VW-R32-OEM-Alu-Door-Handles-SET-VW-Golf-Jetta-4-IV-MK4-Bora-/200751044125?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2ebdb1d61d) ask for RHD

Perfect thanks!!

[jwelect]

I had the same problem with my Mk 4 dash panels with sticky stuff on them.
Tried various solvents and by chance I had a small bottle of "Dettol Healthy Touch Instant Hand Sanitizer" in the car and gave it a try - it worked and so far no ill effects (did most of the panels almost a year ago)
I used a small hand towel - apply some sanitizer to a small part and rub and rub - it does take a bit of effort - as the sticky stuff comes off on the towel use some more sanitizer on a clean part of the towel until you have removed all the sticky stuff.
As usual do at your own risk - if in doubt try the sanitizer on a small area to confirm no ill effects.

[Fzs1000n]

the old plastic kitchen scourer warm water with dishwashing liquid worked a treat for me - no scratching and looking factory finish. For ease and thoroughness I removed centre console and went to work on the kitchen sink for a spanking result. As the head light switch panel has some signs of the rubbery crap wearing away it's next ----- suckery to that rubbery finish!!
It does feel lovelllly on on the tips of fingertips that rubbery finish until it wears away,,,, bit by bit, back to my Sparkling Ale