Smart Car Polishing

[SpoiledMan]

Has anyone ever polished one of those plastic cars? What did you use and how did it come out?

[FUNX650]

Has anyone ever polished one of those plastic cars? What did you use and how did it come out?

My "plastic" vehicles have a BC/CC paint system applied to the substrate and I use the same tools, products, and processes on them, as I also do for the vehicles that have ferrous substrates with a BC/CC paint system applied.

Not sure about a "plastic" Smart Car's paint system...But it more than likely has a similar paint system and your normal detailing processes should be of avail, IMO.

Too bad I don't live closer to you...I could come over, or, you could just throw it in the trunk of your car and bring it over for me to take a look at it. :D

:)

Bob

[alko]

Man...I was JUST thinking about this yesterday as I drove past a smart car sitting in a parking lot. Thats crazy!

[Porsche Pilot]

They also fit in a regular clothes washer.

[BobbyG]

One question; are they truly painted or is the color in the plastic?

[Setec Astronomy]

One question; are they truly painted or is the color in the plastic?

I think it is in the plastic, hence the question.

[Grimm]

I just googled it and found the following on the smart car forum, don't know how accurate it is. Blue, green, silver, gray and 2008 red were painted plastic. For the other colors, including 2009+ red, the plastic was molded with the color.

[FUNX650]

From smart USA (with my underlining/hightlighting/bolding):

The smart steel body is fully zinc plated. As a further provision against corrosion, there is a coat of cataphoretic paint under the main powder-coat paint, and all body cavities are preserved by a special agent. Finally, the body panels and complete underbody are made of polypropylene, which are not prone to rust even if scratched. The entire vehicle bodywork of smart is powder coated rather than painted which uses 40% less energy than conventional painting methods with zero solvent emissions and no water consumption. Powder "overspray" is collected and is 98% reusable which is a great example of eco-friendly solutions that also provide excellent finish quality. Only water-soluble paints are used in the smart cars production and the interchangeable body panels are fully recyclable. From development and production of the smart to its operational period and eventual recycling, the smart car is 95% recyclable

Then, if the above is true, and according to Akzo Nobel a manufacturer of powder coatings:

"The best method of cleaning is by regular washing of the coating using a solution of warm water and non-abrasive, pH neutral detergent solution. Surfaces should be thoroughly rinsed after cleaning to remove all residues. All surfaces should be cleaned using a soft cloth or sponge or a soft natural bristle brush.


WARNING. Do not under any circumstances use strong solvents such as thinners or solutions containing chlorinated hydrocarbons, esters or ketones. Abrasive cleaners or cutting compounds should not be used.

Use nothing stronger than white spirits to assist with stubborn stains. Cleaning with white spirits should be carried out in shade and during cooler temperatures using a soft cloth and gentle wiping only. It is also recommended that a small non-visible area be tested initially to ensure that no color change or damage will occur."

Note:
Another thing to keep in mind...There are, and have been: Paint/graphic-overlays options available for a smarts owners' personalization since their inception.


I can only suppose, then, my "plastic vehicles" paint systems are quite different than smart vehicles.

Hope this helps.

:)

Bob

[SpoiledMan]

Well I have one tomorrow. I guess I'll learn and pass back what I do. I'm pretty sure it's black and yellow but it might be black and red. At any rate, the info seems to be all over the place and I've never heard of powder coated polycarbonate. I'm sure to learn *something* on this one. :)

[FUNX650]

Well I have one tomorrow. I guess I'll learn and pass back what I do. I'm pretty sure it's black and yellow but it might be black and red. At any rate, the info seems to be all over the place and I've never heard of powder coated polycarbonate. I'm sure to learn *something* on this one. :)

smart USA says their: "body panels and complete underbody are made of polypropylene", not polycarbonate...Knowing that it's this type of "plastic" (polypropylene) might make a difference in your approach to detailing this smart vehicle, and then again, might not.

Good Luck in whatever process you use!


:)

Bob

[Mike Phillips]

I remember when the first Smart Cars were imported over to the USA a couple of my friends in SoCal had them brought them to my classes...

Here's a class from 2005, just over 7 years ago.

Bimmerforums.com at Meguiar's! (http://www.meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?6614-Bimmerforums-com-at-Meguiar-s)!

http://archive.meguiarsonline.com/gallery/data/500/2SmartCar1.jpg



I read through the above thread and we were using light diminishing abrasive polishes on the paint with good luck.

I also sent an e-mail to my friend Mark Cummins to see if he could chime in...


:)

[Mark Cummins]

I used several products on my smarts coupe,cab,cross blade and roadster as the shell was metal and the body panels are plastic.Most all products work great as long the pad stays cool ...I also made carbon fiber rear fenders for the smart and tried several different types of polish and waxes using meguiars 80 then blackfire ...Great results

[Mike Phillips]

Hi Mark,

Thanks for chiming in...

Long time no see!


:dblthumb2:

[SpoiledMan]

Thanks much! I'll take this info into battle. :D

[Mark Cummins]

One question; are they truly painted or is the color in the plastic?

It's in the plastic..I have scratched a few panels on my smarts