s14 moldning/trim pieces- YUCK..what now??

[gotta240]

I just had my car painted. I removed the molding/windows to pain it.

NOW i am afraid that the old molding/trim will look like crap when i put them on my shiny black car.... I'm afraid that if i paint them they will crack because the stuff is rubbery/plastic...

What do you guys recomend? Can i buy new ones, or will it cost an arm and leg?

[spdfreek0o]

paint them, but don't wait a couple days to put them on. After paint "cures" it is still plyable and will not crack. After a couple days it could crack or chip, depending on how well it was prepped and if its being deformed too much.

[projectRDM]

You didn't list which mouldings, but the door belt moulding and upper weatherstrip retainers are very expensive new, about $450 for all four pieces. You can easily clean them with dentaured alcohol, then after they dry thoroughly apply a coat of Black Magic or other trim protectant, just don't use ArmorAll or gooey shit like that.
If you decide to paint them, which I wouldn't recommend, at least use a quality SEM product like their Trim Black or Urethane Bumper Coater products. Regular laquer/enamel will peel and flake off.

[Dopefish]

Follow the above steps, and if you insist on painting them, use black vinyl dye. It absorbs into the plastic instead of just coating it, so the finish will not crack. While it wont be glassy or smooth like your paint it will look like a new piece of trim which is ideal IMO.