Question about paint on plastic parts vs. metal parts

[schlegelbagel]

So. i'm driving along and this lady in her minivan desides to hit me in the front corner panel. Not a huge deal, since she totally admited it's her fault, and everything will be covered by her insurance.

Since it will be in the shop for some work, I thought that I may do one of 2 things or perhaps both. 1. Get my dash and center console painted silver to match the outside. 2. Get a new hoodscoop and get it painted.

I figured that since it will be in the shop for paint already, than it would be rather cheap to get those parts painted. This brings up a question me and my Bf are arguing about. He is convinced there is a separate type of paint for the plastic and the metal parts, and since the part that is smashed up is metal, it will cost no less than if I brought the parts in (since the hoodscoop and dash are plastid) to get painted on their own. Personally, I think he is crazy since I just had bodywork done where the blended two separate areas, one plastic and one metal.

What's your call on this?

[Blue Lucifer]

I don't think it matters. Depending on what he means my plastic paints. There are paints specifically for only plastic applications, but generally speaking, paints like in a spray can inform what type of materials it can be painted on. One thing that is most important is what type of primer is being used. Primer is like a chalky like substance that is sprayed on the meterial that is to be painted, and the paint is applied above it. It is like a coat that is to make the paint appear smoother, and to create an adhering surface for the paint. I have had some experience painting plastics and metals as I have painted my computer case. As long as the primer can be used on both plastic and metal, or of its respective material for application, the paint on top of this primer really doesn't matter. So if they use a primer for plastic, and primer for the metal, and the same paint to paint the two, it wouldn't matter. The same would be if the primer were a general primer meant to go on both plastic and metal. So to sum it up, as long as the correct primer is used for whatever application, the car paint that is applied to the primer will adhere, and will be fine. If your friend is talking about vinyl dye paints, then that's a different story. Those can paint plastics very nicely, but won't stick on worth crap on metal. But if you're talking about paints that go on metal, as long as the primer is correct, it's fine. --sorry about the long post.

[DookieGraphics]

Thanks Lucifer...that helped me too (:

[Blue Lucifer]

Glad it helped. :)