How To Remove Plasti Dip Without Ruining Your Car

Your car represents who you are and what you’re about, so picking the right one for you is a difficult decision to grapple with. Then once you have your car, you have to decide what color you want it to be. These are not light-hearted choices.

Although the car purchase should be carefully considered and researched, it might ease your stress to know that car color doesn’t have to feel, or be, so permanent. Thanks to technologies such as vinyl wraps or Plasti Dip, painting a car is not the only way to change its color and aesthetic.

Plasti Dip is a great resource for those people who cannot make up their minds. One month they want their Nissan 300ZX to be orange, the next month they want it to be dark purple, and Plasti Dip’s rubbery stuff allows for that. If that sounds like you, and you’re ready to change colors, The Drive’s indecisive editors are here to help with a guide to removing Plasti Dip. Let’s make sure your car doesn’t look like this.

Plasti Dip is a rubberized coating that sprays out of an aerosol can as a liquid and dries as a flexible solid. Many people use it to customize their cars as an alternative to paint and vinyl wraps.

Not all plastic coatings are applied with the same care or are cared for similarly. If the coating was applied outside the recommendations or guidelines, it might be weakened and tear easily. Likewise, if only one or two coats were applied, it will peel off in tiny little pieces rather than one easy sheet. You can peel off the millions of pieces one at a time, but it’ll take you forever, and you’ll probably still miss some stuff.

Estimated Time Needed: 30 minutes to a few hours

Skill Level: Beginner

Vehicle System: Exterior

Working on your car can be dangerous and messy, so here’s exactly what you’ll need to ensure your head stays on your shoulders, your fingers stay on your hands, and your skin stays on your body.

We’re not psychic, nor are we snooping through your toolbox or garage, so here’s exactly what you’ll need to get the job done. 

Organizing your tools and gear so everything is easily reachable will save precious minutes waiting for your handy-dandy child or four-legged helper to bring you the sandpaper or blowtorch. (You won't need a blowtorch for this job. Please don’t have your kid hand you a blowtorch—Ed.)

You’ll also need a flat workspace, such as a garage floor, driveway, or street parking that’s also well-ventilated. Check your local laws to make sure you’re not violating any codes when using the street because we aren’t getting your ride out of the clink.

Let’s do this! 

If your car was properly Plasti Dipped with multiple coats, you should be able to easily peel it off. If not, you’ll need the help of an additional product.

There’s probably half a dozen things you could be doing instead of caring for your car’s surfaces. CeramicPro meticulously educates and certifies every auto detailer, nanoceramic coating specialist, window tinter, and paint protection film installer in their national network of professionals. With CeramicPro, you’ll get world-class service, expertise, and exclusive products that take your car’s appearance and protection to the next level.

You’ve got questions, The Drive has answers!

A: It’s essentially a matter of cutting corners or doing it right. If you spray over the old one, it will show any texture, and it will not last as long. If you remove the old Plasti Dip first, then reapply multiple coats of the new stuff, you know it will be smooth and last a long time.

A: When applied correctly and properly cared for, Plasti Dip can last approximately three years, or longer.

A: No., you will need to actively remove the Plasti Dip from the car.

A: Plasti Dip Cannot and shout not be reused.

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Jonathon Klein: Twitter (@jonathon.klein), Instagram (@jonathon_klein)

Tony Markovich: Twitter (@T_Marko), Instagram (@t_marko)

Chris Teague: Twitter (@TeagueDrives), Instagram (@TeagueDrives)

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