# front grille painting/plastidiping opinions



## 2006_A3_2.0T (Jan 11, 2013)

*front grille painting/plastidiping*

Hey guys I wanna black out my s-line front grille. 

Gonna leave the s-line badge and the rings non painted.

But I dunno if plastidip will look good. Maybe painting it with krylon brillant black is a better way?

Any thoughts on it, I found a pic that shows the results I would like, dunno if its paint or plastidip


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## BeeAlk (Jun 3, 2013)

I've both painted and plasti dipped my old grille. Paint didn't hold up, plasti dip held up perfectly.

As far as look goes it's up to you, matte or gloss. Both look good in my opinion.


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## 2006_A3_2.0T (Jan 11, 2013)

BeeAlk said:


> I've both painted and plasti dipped my old grille. Paint didn't hold up, plasti dip held up perfectly.
> 
> As far as look goes it's up to you, matte or gloss. Both look good in my opinion.


Thanks man i will plastidip it.

Should I mask the rings and s-line badge or just peel it off?


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## TBomb (Sep 23, 2009)

You should really pull the bumper off the car before you spray the grille, otherwise you will end up painting your air conditioner condenser which is not ideal. With the bumper off you can easily remove the rings by accessing the back of the grille before you spray it. I did this but added the gloss black surround rather than painting the surround, so it's matte black plastidip on the grille with the gloss black surround :thumbup:


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## 2006_A3_2.0T (Jan 11, 2013)

TBomb said:


> You should really pull the bumper off the car before you spray the grille, otherwise you will end up painting your air conditioner condenser which is not ideal. With the bumper off you can easily remove the rings by accessing the back of the grille before you spray it. I did this but added the gloss black surround rather than painting the surround, so it's matte black plastidip on the grille with the gloss black surround :thumbup:


man that sounds good. Well I dont have the surround, maybe that one should be krylon painted gloss.


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## krazyboi (May 19, 2004)

just make sure to add the blow up doll


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## AUDI EH3 (Jul 1, 2009)

Ok , since I think plastic dip is the sin of all evil, I figured I would chime in. 

1st. The longer it is on, the harder it is to peel. I'd suggest only 6 months max
2nd. Use triple the amount you would want to use. Other wise it will be a b*itch to peel and rocks will chip it.
3rd. You don't have to pull the bumper, I was able to slide a piece of cardboard behind my grille to protect the condenser.
4th. Just do yourself a favor and just go buy a black grille. It will save you many headaches later on.


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## npace (Sep 3, 2012)

This is with the grill trim plasti-dipped. I didn't remove anything; just blocked off the surrounding area and the grill itself. Nothing on the condenser, and I think it looks pretty good. During after a car wash, still a little soapy. It's been on the car for over a year, no issues.


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## 2006_A3_2.0T (Jan 11, 2013)

krazyboi said:


> just make sure to add the blow up doll


I have it ! thats part of the project for sure ... but In real flesh hahaha the only fail is I dont have open sky  well I dont want to neither 



AUDI EH3 said:


> Ok , since I think plastic dip is the sin of all evil, I figured I would chime in.
> 
> 1st. The longer it is on, the harder it is to peel. I'd suggest only 6 months max
> 2nd. Use triple the amount you would want to use. Other wise it will be a b*itch to peel and rocks will chip it.
> ...


yeah I figured it out, but Iam kinda far away in southamerica and shipping is the thing that kinda put me down, the grille is big size volume.
The one on my car right now I had to buy it and getting shipped from the states, from a trusted ebayer after my second wreck. It total cost me 600 dollars at my door. 



npace said:


> This is with the grill trim plasti-dipped. I didn't remove anything; just blocked off the surrounding area and the grill itself. Nothing on the condenser, and I think it looks pretty good. During after a car wash, still a little soapy. It's been on the car for over a year, no issues.


yeah this is the motivation I needed, I will put a cardboard behind the grill and call it a day. the only thing Iam figuring out is if peeling the emblems is easy and will end up fine. :thumbup:


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## npace (Sep 3, 2012)

2006_A3_2.0T said:


> I have it ! thats part of the project for sure ... but In real flesh hahaha the only fail is I dont have open sky  well I dont want to neither
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Just put a strip of masking tape over the emblems... Is your grill black? The only part I dipped was the surround, everything else is the way it was from the factory. But really, if you cover the parts you don't want dipped it will be fine. I would recommend at least 5 coats; I went overboard and used 7 to make sure I had even coverage and could remove it if I didn't like it.


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## BeeAlk (Jun 3, 2013)

npace said:


> Just put a strip of masking tape over the emblems... Is your grill black? The only part I dipped was the surround, everything else is the way it was from the factory. But really, if you cover the parts you don't want dipped it will be fine. I would recommend at least 5 coats; I went overboard and used 7 to make sure I had even coverage and could remove it if I didn't like it.


+1 on seriously use lots of coats. And if you are masking off as suggested by others, make sure you peel the masking tape off before your final coat dries. If you peel after it's all dried you can easily tear the plasti dip where you don't want it to tear.


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## 2006_A3_2.0T (Jan 11, 2013)

Mine is grey not black. Iam gonna dip the whole grille. Thx!




npace said:


> Just put a strip of masking tape over the emblems... Is your grill black? The only part I dipped was the surround, everything else is the way it was from the factory. But really, if you cover the parts you don't want dipped it will be fine. I would recommend at least 5 coats; I went overboard and used 7 to make sure I had even coverage and could remove it if I didn't like it.


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## 2006_A3_2.0T (Jan 11, 2013)

BeeAlk said:


> +1 on seriously use lots of coats. And if you are masking off as suggested by others, make sure you peel the masking tape off before your final coat dries. If you peel after it's all dried you can easily tear the plasti dip where you don't want it to tear.


Ok gonna do that. Thx again!


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## Ponto (Jan 11, 2012)

2006_A3_2.0T said:


> Any thoughts on it, I found a pic that shows the results I would like, dunno if its paint or plastidip


That's a factory titanium grill and center.

Like mine! lol 










Or similar, the bars look a little different... So maybe a Euro one? not sure.


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## TBomb (Sep 23, 2009)

Ponto said:


> That's a factory titanium grill and center.
> 
> Like mine! lol
> 
> ...


Yours is S-line and the one in the OP's pic is a premium. The grills are actually slightly different :thumbup:


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## Beast757 (Sep 19, 2014)

I was actually going to plasti dip mine tonight. You dont have to remove the bumper at all....just easy prep around the area masking with newspaper. Im going to leave the sLine badge alone and paint the whole grille black including the rings. I will post pics tonight once im done.


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## TBomb (Sep 23, 2009)

Beast757 said:


> I was actually going to plasti dip mine tonight. You dont have to remove the bumper at all....just easy prep around the area masking with newspaper. Im going to leave the sLine badge alone and paint the whole grille black including the rings. I will post pics tonight once im done.


Make sure you do like someone recommended above and put some cardboard or something behind the grille to protect the condenser from any possible overspray :thumbup:


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## Ponto (Jan 11, 2012)

TBomb said:


> Yours is S-line and the one in the OP's pic is a premium. The grills are actually slightly different :thumbup:


Thought they looked different but wasnt sure if it was just the lighting. 

I kinda like the premium one.


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## BeeAlk (Jun 3, 2013)

Ponto said:


> Thought they looked different but wasnt sure if it was just the lighting.
> 
> I kinda like the premium one.


I never noticed there was a difference between them until a local guy with an s-line grille started begging me for mine :laugh:


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## 2006_A3_2.0T (Jan 11, 2013)

Beast757 said:


> I was actually going to plasti dip mine tonight. You dont have to remove the bumper at all....just easy prep around the area masking with newspaper. Im going to leave the sLine badge alone and paint the whole grille black including the rings. I will post pics tonight once im done.


pics would be great! :thumbup:



BeeAlk said:


> I never noticed there was a difference between them until a local guy with an s-line grille started begging me for mine :laugh:


yours a premium? nice

I also didnt know there was a difference


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## mypixeladdiction (Dec 1, 2011)

I wasn't originally going to post when I saw this thread since it seemed as though the decision had been made already, but since it is still going...

Here's mine, fully done in pastidip; Entire body done in matte gun metal grey, and then any and all accents that were chrome (grille, tops of door handles, badges, and running bars on the top) done in matte black.

hotlinked:








http://www.thedipgarage.com/uploads/3/2/0/6/3206061/6768556_orig.jpg

It has now been on there for 4~ months, two issues so far. The passenger door handle bubbled right in the crease - so anytime someone opens it, it makes it worse. And after my car got towed on Tuesday, the straps they used over the wheels scuffed off a little (but that is an easy fix I can remedy myself).


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## Beast757 (Sep 19, 2014)

Before









After


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## 2006_A3_2.0T (Jan 11, 2013)

Beast757 said:


> Before
> 
> 
> 
> ...


like it. How many cans?


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## Ponto (Jan 11, 2012)

Beast757 said:


> Before
> 
> 
> 
> ...


what's up with that plate filler?


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## npace (Sep 3, 2012)

Ponto said:


> what's up with that plate filler?


It's plasti-dipped....:screwy:


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## Ponto (Jan 11, 2012)

npace said:


> It's plasti-dipped....:screwy:


No no... its not a stock center piece


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## Beast757 (Sep 19, 2014)

Ponto said:


> No no... its not a stock center piece


What you mean??....


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## 2006_A3_2.0T (Jan 11, 2013)

Beast757 said:


> What you mean??....


Lol he means its different from the regular plate filler. Looks like an euro liscense holder / filler to me?


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## TBomb (Sep 23, 2009)

2006_A3_2.0T said:


> Lol he means its different from the regular plate filler. Looks like an euro liscense holder / filler to me?


It doesn't look like an OEM plate filler at all.

OEM plate holder:









OEM plate filler:


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## 2006_A3_2.0T (Jan 11, 2013)

TBomb said:


> It doesn't look like an OEM plate filler at all.
> 
> OEM plate holder:
> 
> ...


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## DLV (Dec 10, 2012)

mypixeladdiction said:


> I wasn't originally going to post when I saw this thread since it seemed as though the decision had been made already, but since it is still going...
> 
> Here's mine, fully done in pastidip; Entire body done in matte gun metal grey, and then any and all accents that were chrome (grille, tops of door handles, badges, and running bars on the top) done in matte black.
> 
> ...


Hey how much did it cost to have your whole car dipped? I might do this, but wait a few more years and accumulate a few more scratches and body damage.


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## mypixeladdiction (Dec 1, 2011)

DLV said:


> Hey how much did it cost to have your whole car dipped? I might do this, but wait a few more years and accumulate a few more scratches and body damage.


$600


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## 2006_A3_2.0T (Jan 11, 2013)

I finally ordered the plastidip for this project. is on its way










maybe is a stupid question but I still dont figure this out. How to slide a cardboard behind the grill? from below the bumper right


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## TBomb (Sep 23, 2009)

2006_A3_2.0T said:


>


And what's your point?


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## 2006_A3_2.0T (Jan 11, 2013)

TBomb said:


> And what's your point?


Already knew that.. i pointed out it wasnt the oem plate filler.


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## TBomb (Sep 23, 2009)

2006_A3_2.0T said:


> Already knew that.. i pointed out it wasnt the oem plate filler.


Yeah...I wasn't trying to contradict you, just point out that it doesn't look like an OEM piece at all...be that US plate, Euro plate, or no plate. :thumbup:


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## 2006_A3_2.0T (Jan 11, 2013)

TBomb said:


> Yeah...I wasn't trying to contradict you, just point out that it doesn't look like an OEM piece at all...be that US plate, Euro plate, or no plate. :thumbup:


Sure thing, in the end what aftermarket liscense holder was that  nobody knows ?? lol


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## TBomb (Sep 23, 2009)

2006_A3_2.0T said:


> Sure thing, in the end what aftermarket liscense holder was that  nobody knows ?? lol


Yea, exactly, who knows  It looks kind of like it was held on at the top with screws...


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## 2006_A3_2.0T (Jan 11, 2013)

ok finally the plasti dip cans arrived


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## hentotheree (Dec 3, 2014)

oh wow that came out very nice!


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## 2006_A3_2.0T (Jan 11, 2013)

hentotheree said:


> oh wow that came out very nice!


thanks 

In the end peeled the rings: 

(sorry the liscense plate, it shouldnt be there. I was cruising the desert and lots of highway pigs)


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## mypixeladdiction (Dec 1, 2011)

2006_A3_2.0T said:


> In the end peeled the rings:


Peeling the rings, and edge of the grill was absolutely the worst for me. The badges were bad too, but not quite as bad. Not sure what it is about that "chrome" like plastic on the grill and rings, but damn if it wasn't a complete pain in the ass to remove plastidip from.


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## lausch (Mar 29, 2002)

mypixeladdiction said:


> Peeling the rings, and edge of the grill was absolutely the worst for me. The badges were bad too, but not quite as bad. Not sure what it is about that "chrome" like plastic on the grill and rings, but damn if it wasn't a complete pain in the ass to remove plastidip from.


How many coats did you apply? The more coats and therefore the thicker the Plasti Dip, the cleaner the cut line and the easier it is to remove. I sprayed seven coats on my grille and on the center caps of my wheels—the dip came of the four rings on both no problem.


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## lausch (Mar 29, 2002)

Seven coats.


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## hentotheree (Dec 3, 2014)

was it a pain removing the front end?


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## BeeAlk (Jun 3, 2013)

hentotheree said:


> was it a pain removing the front end?


It's really quite easy..


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## lausch (Mar 29, 2002)

BeeAlk said:


> It's really quite easy.


What he said. The first time, I followed these instructions ...

http://forums.fourtitude.com/showthread.php?3631873

Now, I just have at it.


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## hentotheree (Dec 3, 2014)

awesome! I'll post pics of the destruction lol


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## lausch (Mar 29, 2002)

And it's not just for grilles [or wheels]. Tired of cleaning my exhaust tips just to have them turn black minutes later, I Plasti Dipped them. I'm happy to say that it's holding up really well, even after 15 hours of driving to CT and back. The key to any Dip job is preparation and plenty of coats. In this case. I lowered the muffler and applied 8 or 9 coats. Also, Dip Coat is your friend.


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## lausch (Mar 29, 2002)

DSLR.


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## 2006_A3_2.0T (Jan 11, 2013)

lausch said:


> DSLR.


nice camera, I notice bookeh in the image  

gj


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## mypixeladdiction (Dec 1, 2011)

lausch said:


> How many coats did you apply? The more coats and therefore the thicker the Plasti Dip, the cleaner the cut line and the easier it is to remove. I sprayed seven coats on my grille and on the center caps of my wheels—the dip came of the four rings on both no problem.


Mine was 5, plenty enough. Perhaps yours hadn't been on for a long time before you peeled it off? Or perhaps my judgement is skewed since I'm comparing the rings & grille ("chrome" plastic bits) to de-dipping the rest of the car.


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