[rjmoose]

Hi everyone,

I just had my fender flares installed at the Acura Dealer the other day and I have a couple of questions:

Question 1: Can the fender flares be painted now that they are already installed on the vehicle? If this is a dumb question, treat me gently!!! I am not sure if I like them on my MDX unpainted. The color of my car is Granite Green.

Question #2: Should the fender flares adhere to the car firmly because mine are a bit wiggly I'm guessing because of improper installation and/or washing of my car immediately after installing the fender flares. Help????

Question #3: Because I installed the fender flares AFTER the intial purchase of the MDX, do I still get a warranty on the installation and actual fender flares as if I purchased the car with the fender flares already installed?


Thanks in advance wise and powerful X'ers!!!!!


rjmoose

 

[Warzau]

Let me try to answer your questions.

1 I think it will be easier to remove them than to paint them on the car because, no danger of overspray. Sure you can keep them on but it will relate to answer 2

2. They should have adhere firmly, but the time between you having installed and washing it "immediately" (less than 24) depends. The adhesive has to "cure" for 24 hrs. If that the case you might want to remove it and use new dbl sided foam tape. IF you do go that route you might as well paint the flares.

3. If you installed it after delivery, no you do not get the same warranty as the car. You get the standard parts warranty which is one year. IF thats the case( whew) take it back to the dealer and tell them you are not happy with the installation. Dont mention about painting it, dont know how your dealer is. He or She might take it as you using it as a excuse to have them painted. ASk after they agree to remount them.


Hope my answers made sense.

 

[PsychoKnight]

To re-adhere the flares, I would use a heat gun and warm up the tape under the flares until they peel off easily. Keep the gun moving back and forth to keep the paint from overheating and becoming too soft. Then immediately re-stick the flare on, but hold the piece away from the body, and work from one end to the other.

I've done this on emblems before, and they incorporate the same 3M double-stick emblem tape as used on the flare moldings.

I recommend you do this at night or early morning when the air is cooler so the material and cool down and start hardening more quickly after you re-attach. Don't wash for a couple of days. If possible, keep in garage during nights to prevent morning dew from wetting the adhesive tape.

Good luck.

PS
If you try to remove the flare to be painted, it is a real pain to remove the old tape and re-apply new tape. The tape is a very thin bead, and difficult to cut to shape. Allow the body shop to do this as they have more experience in taking an exacto knife to form the shape fo the 3M double-stick tape.