# VHT Vinyl Dye or SEM Colorcoat for Dash?



## jtdunc (Dec 7, 2003)

I'm repairing some wiring harnesses behind my fuse block.

Thus the dash has to be pulled out of the car.

Beaver colored vinyl.

Want it to be black now.

I have SEM black Colorcoat 










But instead of coating the vinyl, I'd like ot know if any of you have dyed your vinyl with VHT vinyl dye.










Funny but it's a Duplicolor/Sherwin-Williams product and O'Reilley's does not carry.

I'm thinking the dye would be a better long term solutions to change from tan to black.

Anyone?


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## bboy_jon (Jan 19, 2010)

opcorn:


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## jtdunc (Dec 7, 2003)

SEM or VHT?


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## empirerider (Jul 23, 2007)

go with vht it works great. i used it my self on my mk5 dash.


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## jtdunc (Dec 7, 2003)

Anyone use it on their leather seats?


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## bboy_jon (Jan 19, 2010)

empirerider said:


> go with vht it works great. i used it my self on my mk5 dash.


Pics?


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## JohnStamos (Feb 3, 2010)

bboy_jon said:


> Pics?



MK3 black dashs are on sale at the dealer for like $45 brand new. No reason to dye.


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## bboy_jon (Jan 19, 2010)

i was thinking other colors


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## Rheinland Technik (Apr 2, 2010)

I used SEM on my daily driver for the door pulls and with a year and a half use, they still look like they did when I first installed them. They were originally black with brushed aluminum inserts, so I primed them with SEM and sprayed them with a tan color to match the stock interior.


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## empirerider (Jul 23, 2007)

bboy_jon said:


> Pics?


Sorry it's an iphone pic, i'll have better ones soon.


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## bboy_jon (Jan 19, 2010)

man that looks great


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## empirerider (Jul 23, 2007)

bboy_jon said:


> man that looks great


 Thanks buddy! Hear are some more shots, i hope you like it.


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## bboy_jon (Jan 19, 2010)

Thats awesome. MKV right? The leather wasnt dyed was it?


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## empirerider (Jul 23, 2007)

bboy_jon said:


> Thats awesome. MKV right? The leather wasnt dyed was it?


 Ya man it's a mk5. The seat are reupholstered, i was'nt gonna go that far with the dying them. 
the roof is black suede.


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## euro2nur (Apr 24, 2006)

BUMP this up, empirerider that looks great :thumbup:


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## spitfire481 (Mar 21, 2007)

neither. the only thing i have used that is holding up with no issues is a ton of prep (that involves a bunch of processes), bulldog adhesion promoter, PPG (or other automotive refinishing brand) interior base coat, then i finish it off with PPG soft touch clear. my dash and door panels have been done for over a year and I have not had any issues. I have done an upper mk3 glove box from brown to black without the soft touch clear and its still holding up well, and i have the base coat mix down pretty well and its a perfect match to the mk3 dash.


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## empirerider (Jul 23, 2007)

euro2nur said:


> BUMP this up, empirerider that looks great :thumbup:


thanks.


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## euro2nur (Apr 24, 2006)

spitfire481 said:


> neither. the only thing i have used that is holding up with no issues is a ton of prep (that involves a bunch of processes), bulldog adhesion promoter, PPG (or other automotive refinishing brand) interior base coat, then i finish it off with PPG soft touch clear. my dash and door panels have been done for over a year and I have not had any issues. I have done an upper mk3 glove box from brown to black without the soft touch clear and its still holding up well, and i have the base coat mix down pretty well and its a perfect match to the mk3 dash.


Any pics ?:laugh:


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## spitfire481 (Mar 21, 2007)

sure


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## euro2nur (Apr 24, 2006)

very clean :thumbup:


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## empirerider (Jul 23, 2007)

spitfire481 said:


> sure


 Looks good!:thumbup:


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## jtdunc (Dec 7, 2003)

I've been to a few junkyards who wanted $65 for MK3 dashes that have been rained on, cracked, or even scratched with folks ripping out headlight switches and other dash items. 

Local dealers are listing new dashes as obsolete. Must have been lucky with a few in the warehouse for the guy saying buy new. 

None on Craigslist for about a year. 

Well, after some serious prepping to get rid of the Armor All spray for years with a mixture of 5 parts warm water, 1 part ammonia, and 1 part Dawn dish liquid per VHT to remove the silicone products and some light surface scuffing with 600 grit sandpaper and four cans of the VHT satin black, I'm happy. Cost me $35 for all of the cans of dye through NAPA. 

With the dye, you have to spray it lighlly and check for even absorption - wait three days, and re-spray until you get a full even color across the entire dash. 

Looks brand new: 










Now I just have to finish my wiring project to re-install my black dash.:laugh:


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## JohnStamos (Feb 3, 2010)

jtdunc said:


> I've been to a few junkyards who wanted $65 for MK3 dashes that have been rained on, cracked, or even scratched with folks ripping out headlight switches and other dash items.
> 
> Local dealers are listing new dashes as obsolete. Must have been lucky with a few in the warehouse for the guy saying buy new.
> 
> ...


 You need a better parts guy. I just picked up a MK3 dash shell brand new in black just for the purpose of dying. $45


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## jtdunc (Dec 7, 2003)

JohnStamos said:


> You need a better parts guy. I just picked up a MK3 dash shell brand new in black just for the purpose of dying. $45


Glad you got a good deal BUT in a large metropolitan area like Seattle with hundreds of MK3s on the road, dashes have been gone from dealerships for years.

I thought about just buying a nice used one but then again, I'd spend two hours taking it out of a junkyard to get get one is less than premium condition compared to mine. Then another two hours to pull the beaver one out. And then I have less room in my garage with a extra dash - that I could not dispose of on Craigslist.

Just seems more *green *to modify the one I have.

I'm really happy with the VHT dye and my outcome.


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## JohnStamos (Feb 3, 2010)

jtdunc said:


> Glad you got a good deal BUT in a large metropolitan area like Seattle with hundreds of MK3s on the road, dashes have been gone from dealerships for years.
> 
> I thought about just buying a nice used one but then again, I'd spend two hours taking it out of a junkyard to get get one is less than premium condition compared to mine. Then another two hours to pull the beaver one out. And then I have less room in my garage with a extra dash - that I could not dispose of on Craigslist.
> 
> ...



You don't seem to understand how dealerships work... they can search other dealerships/outlying warehouses for whatever you are looking for. 

http://www.vwparts.com/parts-outlet-center/?pg=2

293 Black and 260 Beaver dashes still available. MSRP $1150 VW closeout price $49


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## jtdunc (Dec 7, 2003)

JohnStamos said:


> You don't seem to understand how dealerships work... they can search other dealerships/outlying warehouses for whatever you are looking for.
> 
> http://www.vwparts.com/parts-outlet-center/?pg=2
> 
> 293 Black and 260 Beaver dashes still available. MSRP $1150 VW closeout price $49


Oh - okay. Do you have to pay for shipping too?

PM offline so I can get hip to that. I've had my Jetta for 8 years now and have been pulling parts at the slavage yards ever since. Dealerhsips just wanted too much $$$$ for 15 year old parts. Please PM me how that works.

Thanks.


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