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Fix for Shifter trim paint peeling

R

rnicholson

☃
Location
DC Area
Car(s)
MKV GTI
So, today I got sick of looking at my craptastic looking shifter trim. The paint was peeling in a few spots.

I rubbed (no joke) the paint off with my thumb and thumbnail (yes it was that bad). Then lightly sanded the plastic with 220 sandpaper and a magic eraser. Wiped it down with a clean towel for prep. I then sprayed a few light coats of Rustoleum Camouflage Black on it. I choose it because its was just "flat smoke black" enough that I thought it would match...

After an hour and half it seemed dry enough to install. I was shocked how well it matched the rest of the interior. There is a slight texture difference, if you go "CSI forensic investigator" on it.

I wish I would have taken a before picture, but I didn't think about it until after all was said and done.

Here is an after picture
 

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Kirsche_Kreuzer

Kirsche_Kreuzer

Passed Driver's Ed
Location
MD
Car(s)
2006 VW GTI
haha i'm planning on painting mine this weekend. That matches really well, Good Job! :wink: I worried about trying a flat black thinking it wouldn't look right & would clash with the other piece, but that turned out good on yours.
 
Y

YAYO

Ready to race!
Location
McAllen
Car(s)
2007 Fahrenheit
I have mine all sanded and failed many times at getting the right paint effect... local vinyl shop said it would be like 10$ to wrap it so ima do that and I wont have to worry about it scratching off ever again!

Greg,
 
ChattMkv

ChattMkv

Level 80 Procrasturbator
Location
Chattanooga, TN
Car(s)
2007 VW GTI
I'm thinking of doing this to fix some scratches on mine but am wondering how easily the base piece detaches from the shift boot...hrm.
 
R

rnicholson

☃
Location
DC Area
Car(s)
MKV GTI
ChattMkv said:
I'm thinking of doing this to fix some scratches on mine but am wondering how easily the base piece detaches from the shift boot...hrm.
Click to expand...

I just pinched the boot together on the sides and pulled it up and over the shifter (not off the shifter tho; you don't need to remove the boot). Then popped the the whole trim piece up and out starting with the end facing me. There is a cable connecting to the PRNDS lights. Just unplug that. Sorry wish I had pics (and I couldn't find any via search; perhaps search-fu is weak).

You do need to be careful pulling the chrome painted trim and PRNDS piece out. I was worried a few times that I was going to crack/break something, but throttle the amount of force you use to pry it out and you'll be fine.
 
ChattMkv

ChattMkv

Level 80 Procrasturbator
Location
Chattanooga, TN
Car(s)
2007 VW GTI
rnicholson said:
I just pinched the boot together on the sides and pulled it up and over the shifter (not off the shifter tho; you don't need to remove the boot). Then popped the the whole trim piece up and out starting with the end facing me. There is a cable connecting to the PRNDS lights. Just unplug that. Sorry wish I had pics (and I couldn't find any via search; perhaps search-fu is weak).

You do need to be careful pulling the chrome painted trim and PRNDS piece out. I was worried a few times that I was going to crack/break something, but throttle the amount of force you use to pry it out and you'll be fine.
Click to expand...

Yeah I managed to get the PRNDS piece out but was worried I was going to crack the little circuit board so I liberally taped it off and the whole piece itself and gave it 4 coats of Plasti Dip as well as did the Coolant Lid and Washer Fluid lid as well to get rid of any trace of blue under my hood. :biggrin:

Pics below are after scraping all the original crap off (excuse the sharpie marks when I "quick fixed" it a week ago) and after two coats. I'll upload an "After" pic tomorrow with how it looks with four coats. Probably gonna look a lot like OP's but I'll try to get a high-res shot for those on the fence about doing this.

FYI: I did sand with 300 grit sandpaper before using any Plasti Dip.

 
ChattMkv

ChattMkv

Level 80 Procrasturbator
Location
Chattanooga, TN
Car(s)
2007 VW GTI
Turned out just as good as I'd hoped. Pic on the left is after applying the fifth coat of Plasti Dip and putting the silver trim back on and the second pic is after installing back in the car. If your shifter trim is looking sketchy and peeling this is a no-brainer $5 fix. :thumbsup:

 
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Renagade

Renagade

I am the Evil Bastard!!
Location
The Woodlands, TX
Mine did this about 4 months ago, dealer replaced under warranty. Now my map light button are doing it, I'm hoping the dealer will cover that too! Only have 5000 miles left on warranty.
The paint job looks great!
 
P

panek-atak

Duct Tape King
Location
Riverside, California
Car(s)
'07 MKV GTI
Hmmmmmmm.........

as a newcomer to this site I'm diggin this plasti-dip. Mine is also peeling around the shifter and its driving me crazy.

I know I'm almost to my 4yr/50k's 4 yr mark, if I can't get it replaced I'll plasti-dip it.

If anyone else does this first would you mind posting pics? I'm semi-retarded and great at accidentally breaking things :drool:
 
K

karimo40

New member
Location
United States
Just found this thread and I'm thankful for it...couldn't believe yesterday when I tried to scrape a white mark from this plate on my 2007 GTI Fahrenheit that it just made another white mark...suddenly realized I was removing paint, and it hardly took any pressure to do it. Plasti-dip it is.
 
F

FMX_DBC

Dirt Bike Craig
Location
Phoenix, AZ
Car(s)
'06 Tornado Red GTI
I spent some time with a heat gun and some Autozone carbon fiber look vinyl wrap. I'm very happy with it. It's very durable and doesnt have that plasti dip feel.

https://flic.kr/p/nQP1rS by FMX_DBC, on Flickr
 
zrickety

zrickety

The Fixer
Location
Unknown
Car(s)
VW GTI
I painted mine.

 
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