How shoud I paint my lip?

[turtl631]

I've waited too long to paint the lip on my s14 zenki. My paint is pearl white glow, WK0. THe lip was black, i want it white. Should I just buy a can and spray it or should I take it to a body shop or something? How much will it cost? Its just a lip so it doesnt have to be the best finish...

[krazy skwerel]

If it's just the stock lip I would paint it with a rattle can. If you can find a color close enough. Though a body shop shouldn't charge too much to paint it since it is suych a small piece.

[Thrwnsprkz]

if its just a stock lip... and you want it to match the white, Id get a small amout of paint from the dealer ($20-30) and an airbrush and paint it, (after primeing) its bound to get scratched up afterall...you might be able to find a pearl white paint (if your lucky) at say pepboys, but it wont match perfectly

and a shop'll charge ALOT to paint it right... at least $100, but if their good thei'll paint it with a flexing agent so it wont crack

[MaineExport]

The lip SHOULD be painted with a flex-additive. It is being applied to a surface that reacts much more dramatically to temperature change, and as a result it needs the ability to expand/contract without chipping/cracking/bubbling. Also, being so low to the ground, the surface is subject to scraping. In order to ensure a good durable coat of paint, the surface needs to be prepped differently. Not only should it be primered, but glass-beading will give the paint a better surface to bond with. No spray-can can do that.

You can go the spray can route... but I am 100% sure that you will be looking at a cracked and/or peeling paint job within a year. If you want it to last, spend the extra cash to get it done right. If you are not worried about an exact color match, you can bring it to a good body shop and have them paint it while it's OFF the car. This will save a bunch of labor charge for masking and paint matching. The finish will be durable, even, and very close to the stock color. I can't imagine any shop charging more than $100 for something that easy and small. If you live anywhere near VT I'd do it for free... just pay for the paint, additive, glass bead, and primer.

[turtl631]

yes, the lip is off already. I'm not superanal about hwo my car looks, but I want it to look decent. I bought white nissan paint this summer at pepboy's but it was the wrong shade totally. That pearl is very different from regular white. So the spray can of nissan paint you can buy online or at a dealer wouldn't be sufficient and woud probably peel off soon?

[MaineExport]

yes, the lip is off already. I'm not superanal about hwo my car looks, but I want it to look decent. I bought white nissan paint this summer at pepboy's but it was the wrong shade totally. That pearl is very different from regular white. So the spray can of nissan paint you can buy online or at a dealer wouldn't be sufficient and woud probably peel off soon?

The spray can paint that they gave you is alright for sheet metal body panels. It is basic automotive paint, propelled with aerosol instead of compressed air... and it comes out of a crappy plastic tip. A good paint gun will cover more evenly... and the guy using it generally has years of experience applying paint.

Can you get a "decent" paint job from a can... yeah... I guess. Can a can give you a durable paint job that looks as good as a professional job... not likely.

On a plastic or fiberglass lip, you NEED a flex-additive in the paint. These materials expand, contract, and distort in different temperatures. The flex-additive allows the paint to expand and contract WITH the material. Typical automotive paint is designed for metal applications that do not "flex" much at all.

It is entirely up to you... if you do the spray can thing... just don't be surprised if you are doing it again this time next year. I personally think you should spend a half hour on the phone with all the local body shops asking how much they'd charge you to do it OFF of the car. Most likely someone will paint it for $60 to $100 and they'll be done with it the next day.

[Mr1der]

I vote a gloss black.

perhaps get some sideskirts and do the same to them?

[turtl631]

It was black originally and totally jsut blended in with the shadows...I want to be able to actually see it. Ditto for the kouki sides...if I'm gonna do body stuff, its got to be visible. I like how white zenkis look with the OEM lip and the kouki sideskirts...its all real curvy, just like the rest of the car. I'm currently tracking down some kouki side skirts, so maybe soon I'll get the lip painted and put it on. I tried to sand down where it had scraped before, I need to get it much smoother first though.