Here's the scoop, I'm replacing the bumper on my beater Grand Am because it is all smashed up. I got an aftermarket bumper cover, unpainted. I need to get it painted. It doesn't have to be perfect, but I want it to look decent and hold up in case I decide to sell the car, which may be sometime soon. Anyway, I know someone who will paint it for me. He does a lot of painting, and does a decent job. He has all the supplies, thinners, etc. and can get the paint for me from Napa for around $30. The only problem is he doesn't have any flex additive. Napa's smallest container is just over $100 and it is waaay more than what I need. Does anyone know where I can source some flex additive in smaller quantities for cheaper? Or is there any kind of alternative? The guys at Napa said there is a flex primer that you can use if you want to go the cheap route, but he said the top coat usually tends to peel after some time. I'm looking for some advice! Keep in mind, I'm trying to get away as cheap as I can..it's just my beater car, but I want it to hold up halfway decent too.
2010 Subaru Impreza WRX Limited
1999 Cavalier Z24 Supercharged
1999 Grand AM SE (Beater Car)
1997 GMC Sierra
2007 Honda CBR 600RR
2005 Honda TRX450R
hit up a paint suppy shop(where they mix auto paint) or body shop, I bet they would do add some for you for a few bucks, likely enough to cover cost and still make a few bucks, have to screw you a bit right.
I would imagine that would work
Well Napa mixes the paint and everything. They have an in-house paint mixing thing...anyway I asked them but they only sell a full unit of the flex additive.
2010 Subaru Impreza WRX Limited
1999 Cavalier Z24 Supercharged
1999 Grand AM SE (Beater Car)
1997 GMC Sierra
2007 Honda CBR 600RR
2005 Honda TRX450R
Your going to have to get the flex separate. No other way around it. Unless you can find someone that already has it around town and would be willing to sell some from it. Post something up on craigslist.
I know a lot of paint stores will not add anything to the paint unless it is to help match the color.
http://nwgme.org
if this "paiinter" is asking for flex additive then he FAILS at painting, bottom line every tech knows that flex additive is just for install of a flexable part, is it needed?? hell no!!!!!
flex additive evaporates after 6 months, if this bumper is a aftermarket part, or a remanufactured bumper they always come in a black primer, scuff it down with a red pad, or 320 fix any little imperfections,
blow it off, wipe it down, seal it, base it, clear it......................BOOM DONE!!
flex primer is not needed, its garbage any way, i use ppgs ncp 271 primer all the time, on plastic, i just use a adheshion promoter for that extra bite, but thats a repaired bumper not a bumper that comes to you already primed
sealer is flexable, base coat is flexable, so is clear, so dude the painter you have telling you that you NEED flex additive is full of @!#$, iam telling you a 20 yr tech its not needed, bottom line
can i haz bondo
^ its not for that, its for stone chips and road debris......
no its not for that either, in the ppg dbc system i use dx 57 which aids the chip resistant factor, felx additive is nothing more then for instalation of a flexable part
its not needed
can i haz bondo
^ ya, ahhh, which is what i said. it aids in resisting stone chips and road debris. not exactly needed for flexible part installs.
i never use it either while painting, and have heard that by the time the clear actually cures with the flex additive, it becomes normal clear again after half a year or so. so its still prone to stone chips and road debris after that time.
the odd time i do use it tho, but only for front bumpers since they take all the abuse of driving.
to the OP, dont bother with the flex additive, if its for a beater, who cares? your worried about keeping it looking perfect for when you sell it. understandable, but for when you do go to sell it, you will have a newer painted bumper that maybe has some stone chips, which is better then a smashed up bumper.
Well the reason I asked is because two of the top notch body shops in town both use flex additive for bumpers. I know that for a fact. I actually talked to one of them, and he said he never paints any bumpers without it. I just find it hard to believe that these places would use it for no reason. It's not like they don't know what they are doing. They've been around for 30+ years, offer lifetime warranty on their painting. But if you guys are saying I can get away without it and know this from experience, then I guess I'm good with that. I'm just concerned when putting the bumper on. It flexes ALOT.
2010 Subaru Impreza WRX Limited
1999 Cavalier Z24 Supercharged
1999 Grand AM SE (Beater Car)
1997 GMC Sierra
2007 Honda CBR 600RR
2005 Honda TRX450R
no worries bud. i just wanted to let ya know my experiences with it. ive NEVER had one crack because of flexing.
but if you feel like you want it done, go for it bud.
Thanks wayders :-)
2010 Subaru Impreza WRX Limited
1999 Cavalier Z24 Supercharged
1999 Grand AM SE (Beater Car)
1997 GMC Sierra
2007 Honda CBR 600RR
2005 Honda TRX450R
I've personally never used the stuff. but that is partially because our paint manufacturer tells me that all their paints and clears have a flex additive in them already and guarantee they wont crack. I do what my paint manufacturer tells me because they are the ones that have to warranty their paint if something goes wrong.. they do tell me to use plastic adhesion promoter on all raw plastic.. and boy do they mean it. on a Lexus one day i was rushing and forgot it and the same Lexus came back a month later the paint was just flaking off.. 5min with a blower got all of it off, scuffed it and repainted it with plastic adhesion promoter.. wont make that mistake again. but
NORMALLY if you get a bumper in primer, all you need to do is scuff it(I sand with 600-800grit depending on color) and paint it.
Napa paint = Martin Senour = Sherwin williams
Most sherwin williams stuff that I've used doesn't require a flex additive. Ask your painter for the "model" of paint.
-Seth
^^^Ahhh, good to know. I'll check with the local Napa and see. Thanks for the tip :-)
2010 Subaru Impreza WRX Limited
1999 Cavalier Z24 Supercharged
1999 Grand AM SE (Beater Car)
1997 GMC Sierra
2007 Honda CBR 600RR
2005 Honda TRX450R
