Can this bumper be saved?

[avrpsyd]

Any suggestions on improving the looks of the bumper on this 1997 Toyota Tacoma? I would really appreciate any thoughts/ideas.
Thanks

[Charleston]

May be worth it to try and PLASTI -DIP it.

If it doesnt look perfect, it is easy to remove.

[VWGLI]

Easily. Have a body shop repaint it.

[cartman57]

Plastidip is easy as suggested, there's a clear glossifier that can be sprayed on top for more protection.
Looks like a lot of failure going on, clearcoat and paint.

[HellaBroke]

PLASTI DIP!!! for sure :) $8 bucks and saves your pads and product!
Different colored plasti dip on amazon or home depot/lowes carries it!

[rmagnus]

Of course it can be saved. What shape is the rest of the truck in? I'd go with a respray but as others have said you can first try plasti dip. A respray ca be a DIY project or let a body shop do it. If you do most of the prep it will save you 30-40%.

[Kaban]

How tough is plasti-dip? Won't it just end up looking like crap after even the most minor rock chips?

[AeroCleanse]

How tough is plasti-dip? Won't it just end up looking like crap after even the most minor rock chips?

Apply 4-5 coats, should be pretty tough. You can always peel it off and do it again. Its a flexible rubber coating.

[Mike Phillips]

Any suggestions on improving the looks of the bumper on this 1997 Toyota Tacoma? I would really appreciate any thoughts/ideas.
Thanks

Just to note, your pictures shows extreme clear coat failure.

There is nothing you can pour out of a bottle or scoop out of a can that will undo the damage. The only honest fix it to repaint the affected area or the entire car.

Clearcoat failure happens to a lot of cars that are older and it doesn't make good practical or financial sense to repaint them as the paint job outweighs the value of the car in total.

Most people end up just driving around these cars as their transportation car with what looks like a rash. This all circles back to car manufactures putting too thin of paint on the car.



The Clearcoat Failure Photo Gallery Archive (http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/rough-draft/19985-clearcoat-failure-photo-gallery-archive.html)

Clearcoat paints were introduced to production cars in the U.S.A. starting in the early 1980's and since that time the technology has continually improved to create automotive paint systems that will last a long time as well as provide a beautiful finish with great gloss, clarity and shine.

We now have entire generations of people that have only owned cars with what's called a basecoat/clearcoat paint system; they have never owned, nor worked on a car that has a single stage paint system.

From time to time a new member will join our forum and ask for help removing oxidation from their car's finish not knowing that the problem with their car's paint, (basecoat/clearcoat), is not oxidation, but is in fact clearcoat failure.

Clear coat paints, when exposed to too much sun over time and without out proper care, like the paint on a brand new Mustang will deteriorate throughout the entire matrix or thickness of the clear layer of paint. You can't fix it by abrading the surface because the problem isn't just on the surface, it's throughout the entire layer of paint.


The primary problem most people experience with the clearcoat finish on their car is swirls. Swirls are actually scratches in the paint and they block your view of the color coat under the clear coat.

Swirls can be removed because they are topical, that is like oxidation the swirls are in the upper surface of the layer of clear paint and all you have to do is use a compound or a paint cleaner and remove a little paint from off the surface, which will act to level or flatten out the surface again.

Single stage paints like the type of paint that came on a 1965 Mustang will oxidize and the problem can be fixed because the problem is isolated to just the upper surface of the paint. The way you fix oxidation is to abrade or remove just a little bit of paint off the surface to expose a fresh layer of paint or what we call a fresh base.

Top: 1965 Mustang with single stage finish. Bottom: 2009 Mustang with a basecoat/clearcoat finish.
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/719/medium/RedMustangs.JPG


Classic cars with oxidized single stage paints are easy to fix, (in my opinion), as well as fun to work on.


The thing to understand is that there's a huge difference between these two types of paint systems; the good news is you can usually fix true oxidation but the bad news is in most cases once a clearcoat finish deteriorates to what we call clearcoat failure there's really nothing you can do to permanently fix the problem and restore a nice looking finish that will hold up over time. Usually you have to repaint the affected sections or repaint the entire car, or learn to live with the problem.

Examples of clearcoat failure.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/724/ClearcoatFailure001.jpg

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/724/ClearCoatFailure005.jpg


The basecoat layer of paint under the clearcoat layer is generally dull or flat, even when brand new; it gets it's gloss and clarity from the clear layer of paint on top of it. Once the clear layer flakes or peels off you cannot polish it to make it look good again as it has a flat or matte appearance.
http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/724/ClearCoatFailure006.jpg

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/724/ClearCoatFailure007.jpg

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/724/ClearCoatFailure008.jpg

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/724/clearcoatfailurebeginning.jpg



How to avoid clearcoat failure
1. Park your car out of the sun as much as you can.
2. Park your car out of inclement weather as much as you can.
3. Wash your car's finish with a non-detergent car wash
4. Put your car on a regular maintenance program that includes,

Washing
Surface evaluation
Using detailing clay to remove above surface bonded contaminants
Use a quality wax or paint sealant to protect the paint from the environment


:)

[Mike Phillips]

Besides Plasti-Dip, some people take the Rustoleum route. Yep, that's right. roll-on a couple of coats of a Rustoleum Enamel paint. Allow it to harden and fully dry, then wetsand, cut and buff for a smooth finish.

If you can't match your car's factory color just do it in gloss black.


There's even a website for rolling on a Rustoleum Paint Job.


Cost a lot less than a normal paint job and you can do it with basic tools and skills in your own garage.


I did the Rustoleum option to a portion of the black stripe on my Drag Boat years ago and after letting the paint fully dry and harden, I sanded and buffed it smooth and it looked great when I was finished.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/715/1970SangerDragBoat003.jpg


I've never used Rustoleum to paint an entire car but Rustoleum is good enamel paint and all you have to do is get the paint on thick enough, (easy to do), and then learn how to wetsand, cut and buff and you can remove any brush or roller marks for a smooth, high gloss finish.

Then just take care of the enamel paint using quality car washes, polishes and waxes. Heck, enamel paint has been around a lot longer than basecoat/clearcoat paints.



:)

[Andr3wilson]

How tough is plasti-dip? Won't it just end up looking like crap after even the most minor rock chips?

Plasti-dip is extremely tough. After application like it bake in the sun for a good 24 hours and you're good. Stone chips are rare, I have never seen them on a dipped car. In fact on a cured surface you can scratch and gouge it with your thumb and it doesnt break the surface. Soft surfaces are hard to chip, its like a spray on vinyl wrap. Vinyl wraps never chip. Think of a 3M clear bra.

Make sure if you have to do a large area, use an air sprayer. Spray cans can look very uneven and cheap. Avoid this [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgha_fKlJIw]Plastidipped Car Fail - YouTube[/video]

Sand the surface with a 800 grit, then 1000 grit, clean and spray on the dip. Sanding is not needed normally, but will remove failing clear and oxidation. Help create a stronger bond.

[AeroCleanse]

Plasti-dip is extremely tough. After application like it bake in the sun for a good 24 hours and you're good. Stone chips are rare, I have never seen them on a dipped car. In fact on a cured surface you can scratch and gouge it with your thumb and it doesnt break the surface. Soft surfaces are hard to chip, its like a spray on vinyl wrap. Vinyl wraps never chip. Think of a 3M clear bra.

Make sure if you have to do a large area, use an air sprayer. Spray cans can look very uneven and cheap. Avoid this Plastidipped Car Fail - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgha_fKlJIw)

Sand the surface with a 800 grit, then 1000 grit, clean and spray on the dip. Sanding is not needed normally, but will remove failing clear and oxidation. Help create a stronger bond.

The problem with that video is they only did one coat. You need 4-5 to get even full coverage.

[Andr3wilson]

The problem with that video is they only did one coat. You need 4-5 to get even full coverage.

Very true, its hard to do large areas with cans is what its demonstrating

[Andr3wilson]

I would like to make an edit*
I read on a Corvette Forum (http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-general/3031522-plasti-dip-clear-as-a-clear-bra.html) today, plastidip does not protect against stone chips. Chips can occur if the stone is large enough and has enough force.

[avrpsyd]

Thanks everyone for the help. I appreciate it. This truck will be a first car for my 15 year-old step son when he turns 16 in a few months. The rest of the paint is in decent condition and my goal is to just make it look a little better. I'm new to this, but find it has become a great hobby that I really enjoy.

In the future I will be posting more pics with questions, so thanks in advance for your wisdom. I've learned a lot lurking about!