Painting gold trim on 2008 Eddie Bauer

[alex_2008]

Hey guys,

I bought an '08 Eddie Bauer a couple weeks ago and I want to paint the gold trim to match the rest of the truck.

Has anyone done this or something similar? Would it be best to take them off or tape them off and paint them on the truck? Or have them professionally painted?

Here is a picture of my new Explorer

[Explorer_PL]

All I can tell you is that I had a 99 Tahoe few years ago, and added aftermarket fender flares, and painted them before they went on the truck. I also unbolted the running boards and painted them as well. The truck was blue, the flares and the boards, and the bumpers were Pewter Metalic. I did it on my driveway, I took my time, used the Plasticote special flex-sticky primer for "plastic" parts. Overall it looked nice, but you will never get that quality of the body shop with spray cans. I would spend that few hundred bucks and have it done by the shop. After few seasons, snow, ice on those parts, the paint did not look that good. Also, your Expl looks realy clean and nice, and if you want the Limited look, get it done right.

[kam327]

Why would you want to paint the gold? Looks great. You should've just bought a Limited!

I agree with the other poster, it'll look like crap if you try to do it in your garage with spray paint. I attempted a bumper repair last year, spent all weekend, really took my time, several coats, yada yada yada. Still looked awful. Good enough that your eye wasn't drawn to the area if you're standing 15 feet away which was the minimum I was hoping for, but it still really bothered me. Ended up trading the car in...

[alex_2008]

I would have loved to get a Limited. I just couldn't find one that was close enough to me and that was a good price and low miles. Everyone I found was either high mile and low price, of low miles and high price.

I finally found this EB which had low miles and a low price. And I went 300 miles away to get it. I had to compromise on something and it was the EB two tone paint. I love my new Ex and the gold trim is starting to grow on me. I just think I would like the way it looks better if it was all white.

Any idea how much it would cost to have it professionally painted if I do go that route?

[kam327]

I got a price of almost $600 to un-dent and repaint my Taurus's bumper. I think most of that was for the prep and paint after filling in the dent. I wouldn't be surprised if you spend well over $1,000 at a good body shop to repaint all the gold.

Good luck with it.

[alex_2008]

Well it seems it's going to stay two tone. Maybe I'll save up and put a lift and some bigger tires on it this summer.

[Explorer_PL]

I think it would be well below $1000, but I may be mistaken.

[kam327]

Originally Posted by Explorer_PL

I think it would be well below $1000, but I may be mistaken.

It depends on the shop of course, but just remember, you get what you pay for. The price I got was from a seemingly top notch body shop attached to a Ford dealer. I would have expected it to look perfect.

I had a Mazda Tribute and someone grazed 1 wheel arch on the fender, putting some deep scratches in the paint but no deflection / denting. Total surface area to be repaired was probably about 1 square foot. The Mazda dealer wanted almost $500 for that job. That was 3 years ago.

You must be talking, what, at least 10 square feet for the Explorer trim?