Smart Car Polishing

SpoiledMan

SpoiledMan

New member
Joined
Mar 4, 2006
Messages
402
Reaction score
0
Has anyone ever polished one of those plastic cars? What did you use and how did it come out?
 
SpoiledMan said:
Has anyone ever polished one of those plastic cars? What did you use and how did it come out?
Click to expand...

My "plastic" vehicles have a BC/CC paint system applied to the substrate and I use the same tools, products, and processes on them, as I also do for the vehicles that have ferrous substrates with a BC/CC paint system applied.

Not sure about a "plastic" Smart Car's paint system...But it more than likely has a similar paint system and your normal detailing processes should be of avail, IMO.

Too bad I don't live closer to you...I could come over, or, you could just throw it in the trunk of your car and bring it over for me to take a look at it. :D

:)

Bob
 
Man...I was JUST thinking about this yesterday as I drove past a smart car sitting in a parking lot. Thats crazy!
 
One question; are they truly painted or is the color in the plastic?
 
I just googled it and found the following on the smart car forum, don't know how accurate it is. Blue, green, silver, gray and 2008 red were painted plastic. For the other colors, including 2009+ red, the plastic was molded with the color.
 
From smart USA (with my underlining/hightlighting/bolding):

The smart steel body is fully zinc plated. As a further provision against corrosion, there is a coat of cataphoretic paint under the main powder-coat paint, and all body cavities are preserved by a special agent. Finally, the body panels and complete underbody are made of polypropylene, which are not prone to rust even if scratched. The entire vehicle bodywork of smart is powder coated rather than painted which uses 40% less energy than conventional painting methods with zero solvent emissions and no water consumption. Powder "overspray" is collected and is 98% reusable which is a great example of eco-friendly solutions that also provide excellent finish quality. Only water-soluble paints are used in the smart cars production and the interchangeable body panels are fully recyclable. From development and production of the smart to its operational period and eventual recycling, the smart car is 95% recyclable

Then, if the above is true, and according to Akzo Nobel a manufacturer of powder coatings:

"The best method of cleaning is by regular washing of the coating using a solution of warm water and non-abrasive, pH neutral detergent solution. Surfaces should be thoroughly rinsed after cleaning to remove all residues. All surfaces should be cleaned using a soft cloth or sponge or a soft natural bristle brush.


WARNING. Do not under any circumstances use strong solvents such as thinners or solutions containing chlorinated hydrocarbons, esters or ketones. Abrasive cleaners or cutting compounds should not be used.

Use nothing stronger than white spirits to assist with stubborn stains. Cleaning with white spirits should be carried out in shade and during cooler temperatures using a soft cloth and gentle wiping only. It is also recommended that a small non-visible area be tested initially to ensure that no color change or damage will occur."

Note:
Another thing to keep in mind...There are, and have been: Paint/graphic-overlays options available for a smarts owners' personalization since their inception.


I can only suppose, then, my "plastic vehicles" paint systems are quite different than smart vehicles.

Hope this helps.

:)

Bob
 
Last edited:
Well I have one tomorrow. I guess I'll learn and pass back what I do. I'm pretty sure it's black and yellow but it might be black and red. At any rate, the info seems to be all over the place and I've never heard of powder coated polycarbonate. I'm sure to learn *something* on this one. :)
 
SpoiledMan said:
Well I have one tomorrow. I guess I'll learn and pass back what I do. I'm pretty sure it's black and yellow but it might be black and red. At any rate, the info seems to be all over the place and I've never heard of powder coated polycarbonate. I'm sure to learn *something* on this one. :)
Click to expand...

smart USA says their: "body panels and complete underbody are made of polypropylene", not polycarbonate...Knowing that it's this type of "plastic" (polypropylene) might make a difference in your approach to detailing this smart vehicle, and then again, might not.

Good Luck in whatever process you use!


:)

Bob
 
I remember when the first Smart Cars were imported over to the USA a couple of my friends in SoCal had them brought them to my classes...

Here's a class from 2005, just over 7 years ago.

Bimmerforums.com at Meguiar's!!

2SmartCar1.jpg




I read through the above thread and we were using light diminishing abrasive polishes on the paint with good luck.

I also sent an e-mail to my friend Mark Cummins to see if he could chime in...


:)
 
I used several products on my smarts coupe,cab,cross blade and roadster as the shell was metal and the body panels are plastic.Most all products work great as long the pad stays cool ...I also made carbon fiber rear fenders for the smart and tried several different types of polish and waxes using meguiars 80 then blackfire ...Great results
 
Mark Cummins said:
It's in the plastic..I have scratched a few panels on my smarts
Click to expand...

Where does the claim, by smart USA, that the body panels are "painted" by a powder coating process come into play? Would that make a difference in deciding what tools/products/processes needed for "detailing" a smart?

Thanks for any info you may have in regards to the above questions.

:)

Bob
 
If you'd like to test the knowledge of the manufacturer, call Toyota and ask them what the paint process is on their jet black cars from the early 2000's. I PROMISE that they can't answer it reliably. There was no consistency among them. Some were cc, some were as and some tinted clear. What makes Smart any better?
 
I'm doubting the parts are powdercoated. As far as I know you have to have a metal substrate to powder coat. Not only do you have to be able to electrically charge the part to get the powder to adhere, and then the part has to be able to withstand baking at high temps in an oven.
 
Grimm said:
I'm doubting the parts are powdercoated. As far as I know you have to have a metal substrate to powder coat. Not only do you have to be able to electrically charge the part to get the powder to adhere, and then the part has to be able to withstand baking at high temps in an oven.
Click to expand...

Bingo! Having to change the charge and bake them doesn't work with a plastic panel. I think the Smart site copy is erroneous.
 
SpoiledMan said:
Bingo! Having to change the charge and bake them doesn't work with a plastic panel. I think the Smart site copy is erroneous.
Click to expand...

That the smart USA site is erroneous is a possibility.

However...There have been companies, even some in the USA, that have been powder-coating plastics since 1993.

Now, when was the first year that the smart cars were available for consumer purchase?


:)

Bob
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top