Grill...to paint or to plasti-dip...that is the question

[Fordgrl99]

Just wondering...which is better? Quality of each, cost, pros v cons?

Been passing the time while waiting on production/delivery of my XLT by reading through the forum, learning about the truck and checking out mods. I love the look of the black grill, but cost of buying a Sport grill...let's just say I can use that money on other mods.

I hadn't heard of the plastic dip until I saw mention on here so I don't know much about it. Is it a spray on application?

 

[billyg900]

spray paint on grills doesn't hold up to well in my experience, plasti dip is kinda new but looks promising,
I think the advantage of plasti dip is that if it starts to tear you just peal it off and the original finish is underneath in perfect shape, with paint once you have committed you cant go back ...

 

[Fordgrl99]

spray paint on grills doesn't hold up to well in my experience, plasti dip is kinda new but looks promising,
I think the advantage of plasti dip is that if it starts to tear you just peal it off and the original finish is underneath in perfect shape, with paint once you have committed you cant go back ...

Interesting. I remember a post that said it was easy to go back to original chrome. Will do more research. Thanks!

 

[JanChristian]

Plasti-Dip is great. Paint is much more expensive, permanent (you'll have to sand your grill, ruining the existing paint/chrome), and is prone to rock chips. PD is cheap, completely reversible, and since it's rubber it holds up better to flying rocks and whatnot.

 

[U.A.V Explorer]

I've thought about both options as well. Since I was unsure and still wanted to see how the grille would look in black, I ended up going the Plasti-dip route.

 

[U.A.V Explorer]

spray paint on grills doesn't hold up to well in my experience, plasti dip is kinda new but looks promising,
I think the advantage of plasti dip is that if it starts to tear you just peal it off and the original finish is underneath in perfect shape, with paint once you have committed you cant go back ...

Good points. I've had my front grille plasti-dipped for about 4 months now and it's holding up pretty good. It's already been through multiple car washes as well and still good.

I've had my wheels dipped even longer. Come next month, my wheels will be covered in plastidip for an entire year. And the plastidip on my wheels are still going strong too!

Plasti-Dip is great. Paint is much more expensive, permanent (you'll have to sand your grill, ruining the existing paint/chrome), and is prone to rock chips. PD is cheap, completely reversible, and since it's rubber it holds up better to flying rocks and whatnot.

Agreed, it is a great product, especially if you are one who changes their mind later on and wants to go back to stock original. 100% completely reversible, non-permanent.

 

[ieee_raider]

For people using Plasti-Dip, are you getting a tub and dipping the part or are you spraying it on with the spray version?
What is the "art" to getting it on?

 

[Medic531]

I had my grille painted black to finish off the blackout process on my civilian model explorer. I chose this guy to do the work because I have seen his past work in person and he did a great job. Apparently he didn't do mine right or something went wrong and needs to be redone. He is good at what he does but over schedules jobs and takes forever. All I want is a black grille. I know I can order the police edition grille but since this grille comes apart in so many pieces I don't know which pieces to order.
Anyone have any ideas? Maybe cheaper to take the grille to a body shop and have them redo it???
#frustrationstation