Spraying Parking Sensors

[wokfm]

Any suggestions / pointers on spraying new parking sensors?
I managed to get a replacement off Ebay for much less than the £80 Audi wanted, and before I spray it just wondered if I ought to be careful getting spray in the gap between outer ring, and inner element, and if I should mask this in some way - Or whether I can go ahead and apply 3 of 4 light coats of spray to match this to my bumper, and it will be fine without any masking.

Any thoughts?

Rich

[kenney]

Hi These come allready painted from the factory they are ordered by the colour code of the car, it will do any harm to paint them yourself.

[wokfm]

That's strange. When I originally spoke to Audi dealer, they quoted the price, and then additional cost for them to actually paint them. Equally when I previously asked my local Audi specialist, who was doing the service, he indicated that he would buy them, and paint them.

I agree it makes more sense that you would buy them by colour coded, but no far all contacts indicated that they come "un painted", then you paint them. The ones I have a black.

> it will do any harm to paint them yourself.

anyway - do you mean " it will NOT do any harm", or "it WILL do harm".

If necessary I'll paint with a small brush, to avoid the gaps - who's gonna notice

Referring back to an earlier thread (which I didn't get an answer to ;( - Can you get the rear outside ones out without removing the bumper - I can just about get my hand behind it, but cannot quite release the clips, but that may be because I cannot see how they are clipped in. Any help appreciated, since removing the rear bumper seems like a lot of effort,

cheers,

Rich

[kenney]

Hi Sorry if i was wrong, i more or less took it for granted that Audi would be the same as VW.There is a current VW Campaign regarding replacing parking aid sensors and these we order by colour code.Having said that,we have had sensors painted by the paint shop,so it will do NO harm to paint them yourself.You need however a special undercoating for plastic otherwise the paint is going to peel off.Thats right you can get the outside sensors off without removing the bumper but not the center ones.Its not as big a job as it looks to remove the bumper

[wokfm]

Hi
Thanks for the answers..
Looks like yes - you can get the sensor out without bumper removal. Pretty tight, and helped lot to have seen a new sensor off the car, so I could work out where the clip lugs were. Anyway, got the old one off, connected the new one, to check it worked, before painting.
I agree you should use plastic primer, but In the past I've found a wipe over with cellulose thinners, and then a minor rub with sandpaper works OK. Did this, and applied 4 very fine coats, at an angle, to avoid spraying directly in the sensor. Came out wonderfully, and no sign of peeling for now - cross fingers!

Rich