"soft touch" interior paint / solutions?

cmitchell

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 8, 2002
Location
Central Oregon
TDI
2002 Jetta GLS black / black leather
Why oh why VW chose to use this horrible soft-touch paint stuff in their cars' otherwise high caliber interior is beyond me. Mine is starting to look bad enough to annoy me on the driver's arm rest and in the area around the gear shift. I don't want to spend hundreds of dollars on an OEM interior kit... that involves removing & replacing the radio cage... nor do I want to spend hours on end carefully scraping this stuff off. Has anyone discovered any other solutions??? I've been tempted to try one of those stick-on dash kits, but I'm rather skeptical of how they would look... and if they would last.
 

NB_TDi

Vendor
Joined
Mar 16, 2008
Location
NB, Canada █♣█
TDI
2014 Jetta SE
So you don't want to replace it, but you don't want to remove it.

What other options are there?

Mine looks like s$%# I just deal with it I guess.
 

aja8888

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 25, 2007
Location
Texas..RETIRED 12/31/17
TDI
Out of TDI's
cmitchell said:
Why oh why VW chose to use this horrible soft-touch paint stuff in their cars' otherwise high caliber interior is beyond me. Mine is starting to look bad enough to annoy me on the driver's arm rest and in the area around the gear shift. I don't want to spend hundreds of dollars on an OEM interior kit... that involves removing & replacing the radio cage... nor do I want to spend hours on end carefully scraping this stuff off. Has anyone discovered any other solutions??? I've been tempted to try one of those stick-on dash kits, but I'm rather skeptical of how they would look... and if they would last.
I may be putting one of the stick on wood grain dash kits in my Passat. I have a neighbor who put one on his Honda and it looks good and has not had a problem in a couple of years. I believe the higher quality kits use pretty good adhesives.

Maybe some others will chime in here about the use/reliability of the kits?
 

Nash_TDI

Veteran Member -TDIClub Enthusiast
Joined
Sep 3, 2002
Location
Louisville, ky
TDI
2000 Silver Jetta TDI
There is a how to on vortex about removing it with green scotch pads, and a cleaner called awesome.

I did this to mine and got a little too aggresvie with the scotch pad and ended up painting and clearing everything with krylon fusion paint. Looks good IMHO, and has held up well.
 

keggo

Veteran Member
Joined
May 12, 2007
Location
SF Bay Area
TDI
2015 Golf TDI
^that's what I'll be doing^ If Krylon has a matte black Fusion, then I'll use that, if not, it's the trusty ol' high temp flat black... (which I use for EVERYTHING).
 
Joined
Jun 1, 2008
Location
Chicagoland
TDI
2004 golf
Mine is holding up well at 203k for the most part, much better than say, a C4 vette or early Mk4 VW(wasnt someone saying the earlier ones were worse??).

All i have to add is that once upon a time at the dealer i worked at, we had the mobile paint guys, and the interoir repair guys who would patch leather/vinyl, dye it, etc.

This guy claimed he had a way to re-do the soft touch stuff to look like the original, and it was more durable. Might want to call one of those places and see what they say, just for kicks if they dont have a solution.
 

eGolf

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 27, 2005
Location
Newark, Delaware
TDI
N/A
I have my stuff torn apart to do the green pad and awesome cleaner trick. I was thinking of scouring it a bit and also painting with the krylon fusion, but possibly checking out the textured version. I was thinking of doing the column cover for the steering wheel took. Maybe even the front part of the dash, but that will have to wait until I see how the rest of it comes out.

Something like this in black or graphite... http://www.krylon.com/products/fusion_for_plastic_textured_shimmer/

Anyone have any experience with the textured paint? Will I be setting myself up for future scratch off issues?
 
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keggo

Veteran Member
Joined
May 12, 2007
Location
SF Bay Area
TDI
2015 Golf TDI
Today I pulled the HVAC control surround and just used some Isopropyl Alcohol and an old sock.. Came off wonderfully! Best part is, no physical deformation (i.e. scratches). I'll be doing this to every piece of the interior that has this type of coating.
 

WolfTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 26, 2002
Location
Venice, FL
TDI
2000 Golf
Keggo you are my Hero!!!! I have spent many hours f ing with that soft touch using everything I could think of with results that were close to worthless. I have never read of using isopropyl alcohol, but damn it works well. I don't know why I never thought of it but I will be doing this to the whole car. Thank you!!!
 

thebigarniedog

Master of the Obvious
Joined
Oct 14, 2007
Location
Fail Command (Central Ohio)
TDI
1998 Jetta tdi
Save your money, don't buy the stick on kits. They look like Arse. If it is a paintable piece, the best black paint I have found for the VW interior is Krylon flat black Indoor/outdoor. Sells for $2.50 a can at walmart. I originally painted a gauge vent with Krylon fusion (was too shiny); I resprayed recently with Krylon Indoor/Outdoor Flat Black paint and it has the same VW drab look.

So, remove part; wet sand with 600 grit (cover the white symbols with tape); and spray in passes with Krylon Indoor/outdoor flat black paint FTW.
 

Louis_TDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 28, 2008
Location
Gatineau QC
TDI
2003 Golf Gls
I have noticed that the older mk4's are allot worse then the newer ones well of corse there not as old but i find the paint in my 2003 is stronger then my mom's 2000. I'm trying to be vary gentle with mine.
 

keggo

Veteran Member
Joined
May 12, 2007
Location
SF Bay Area
TDI
2015 Golf TDI
:eek:;) Glad it worked! I'm actually working on the driver's side door pull/window switch surround as we speak. :)

WolfTDI said:
Keggo you are my Hero!!!! I have spent many hours f ing with that soft touch using everything I could think of with results that were close to worthless. I have never read of using isopropyl alcohol, but damn it works well. I don't know why I never thought of it but I will be doing this to the whole car. Thank you!!!
 

keggo

Veteran Member
Joined
May 12, 2007
Location
SF Bay Area
TDI
2015 Golf TDI
My thoughts exactly. Plus, then there's nothing you have to retouch if it rubs off...

NB_TDi said:
I went over some stuff with alcohol and a rag. Worked well. I'm not going to bother with paint, looks fine without it.
 

SilveR316

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 28, 2006
Location
Toronto, Ontario
TDI
2000 VW Golf 1.9L TDI
I rubbed mine off with alcohol as well. I painted it a nice shade of silver and clearcoat over top. It still looks great even after 3 years.


 

cmitchell

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 8, 2002
Location
Central Oregon
TDI
2002 Jetta GLS black / black leather
SilveR316 said:
I rubbed mine off with alcohol as well. I painted it a nice shade of silver and clearcoat over top. It still looks great even after 3 years.


Looks very classy. In fact I like the silver look a lot. It just seems like a lot of work... :(
 

SilveR316

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 28, 2006
Location
Toronto, Ontario
TDI
2000 VW Golf 1.9L TDI
cmitchell said:
Looks very classy. In fact I like the silver look a lot. It just seems like a lot of work... :(
Not really... it took me a few hours over a weekend to do it. The hardest part is probably taking everything apart.
 

cmitchell

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 8, 2002
Location
Central Oregon
TDI
2002 Jetta GLS black / black leather
SilveR316 said:
The hardest part is probably taking everything apart.
That is the part that bothers me the most... I'm afraid I'll break a piece. The only pieces that look bad on mine are on the driver's door and the area around the gear shift. A summer project perhaps...
 

SilveR316

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 28, 2006
Location
Toronto, Ontario
TDI
2000 VW Golf 1.9L TDI
The door handle comes off very easy. Probably takes a total of 30 seconds to take it off.

The center console around the gear shift is the hardest, and it will likely break. But you need to break it apart to paint it anyways. You have to separate the top from the sides. It's held on by glue, so if you heat it it comes apart a little easier. After the painting is done, just use a glue specific for plastics (epoxy or plastic specific super glue). Other glues aren't strong enough.
 

NB_TDi

Vendor
Joined
Mar 16, 2008
Location
NB, Canada █♣█
TDI
2014 Jetta SE
Glue? What? My little slider popped right off, it's on a track. Just push it past where it goes and lift.

Here are some of my results:




Those are scratches, not left overs.





Sorry for the crappy pictures, used my phone. I only used water, alcohol, paper towel and a sponge. I never removed any parts, except for the surround over the HVAC controls.
 

karen_leslie

Member
Joined
Apr 2, 2009
Location
San Diego, CA
TDI
2000 TDI Jetta
Wow, thanks for the pics--that does look great! Does anyone have before and after or process pics with the paint? I'm very interested in making this happen on my Jetta. Whatever you call the not-an-armrest handle on the door--it needs some TLC! Is removing that thing straight-forward? it's the kind that's one unit with the window controls...
 
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SilveR316

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 28, 2006
Location
Toronto, Ontario
TDI
2000 VW Golf 1.9L TDI
Yeah its very easy. There are no screws or anything like that.

There is a little piece of trim holding the rest of the handle on, just pull up on it from inside the door handle, and it should pop right out.

Then just pull up on the rest of the handle, and it will pop out of the door. If you havent removed it before, it may take a bit of force to pop it out.
 

cmitchell

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 8, 2002
Location
Central Oregon
TDI
2002 Jetta GLS black / black leather
NB_TDi said:
Glue? What? My little slider popped right off, it's on a track. Just push it past where it goes and lift.

Here are some of my results:




Those are scratches, not left overs.





Sorry for the crappy pictures, used my phone. I only used water, alcohol, paper towel and a sponge. I never removed any parts, except for the surround over the HVAC controls.
Holy crap! After looking at your "before" pictures I've decided that my car doesn't look too bad. Maybe I'm a bit too picky... I know my family thinks so!
 

NB_TDi

Vendor
Joined
Mar 16, 2008
Location
NB, Canada █♣█
TDI
2014 Jetta SE
Both doors were rough, the center console is alright. I'll live with it for now. Someday when I replace the rear ashtray and cup holder. I'll clean it up. Or just swap from a wreck.
 

Louis_TDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 28, 2008
Location
Gatineau QC
TDI
2003 Golf Gls
karen_leslie said:
Is removing that thing straight-forward? it's the kind that's one unit with the window controls...
Here some pics to help.
DIY from the vwvortex.com

SilveR316 said:
I rubbed mine off with alcohol as well. I painted it a nice shade of silver and clearcoat over top. It still looks great even after 3 years.


That look really nice I like to do the same but with a darker silver I guess you could to this with out taking the harder pieces just involves allot of taping and masking.
 

TDICADDGUY

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 4, 2007
Location
Blaine, MN
TDI
2012 BMW X5 35D
Anyone ever use SEM Vinyl and Plastic Colorcoat? I saw it mentioned over on vortex and apparently it works well for painting interior pieces and it stands up well to abuse.

Someday I'm going to get Katzkin leathers for my car and I'd like to black out the rest of the interior. There are factory black interior pieces available every now and then but they are hard to come by. Question is what black to use. They have a Gloss black (no way), satin black and a Landau black. I'm thinking the satin black is pretty much a flat black which I will probably go with. Might be another option for folks who are looking to refinish interior panels.
 
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Gearhead51

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 11, 2008
Location
Suwanee (Atlanta), GA
TDI
2000 Jetta
SEM is pro grade stuff. We used many of their products in the paint shop. I still keep a can of SEM self etching primer and trim black (exterior) on the shelf because it has always worked better than the normal solutions. I have SEM dye on my A-pillar pod in my truck. 3 years, and still looks great. I recommend you use a plastic prep. SEM also makes high quality vinyl dyes that has a good elastomer and is pretty durable. A scotch brite and dish soap/water (not the lotion kind) are your friends.

I'd recommend that you research proper substrate prep and undercoatings, don't skip any steps, and their coatings should last you a LONG time.
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
You know it is funny, I am in and out of lots of these cars every day...some are REALLY bad and some hardly anything. Strange.

Our 2004 is still perfect, 84k miles and 4.5 years of use. Yet I have another 2004 here in the shop with 96k miles that looks like it was beat up with a hammer. Then a 2002 right next to it with 140k miles that has minimal (but some) wear. Maybe some people are just harder on things than others I guess. :confused:

That silver treatment pictured above looks nice, looks like the newer Audi interiors.
 

Tyler Gee

Veteran Member
Joined
May 27, 2001
Location
SF Bay Area
TDI
98 NB, 00 Jetta
cmitchell said:
Why oh why VW chose to use this horrible soft-touch paint stuff in their cars' otherwise high caliber interior is beyond me. Mine is starting to look bad enough to annoy me on the driver's arm rest and in the area around the gear shift.
Actually both Mercedes Benz and BMW also use that type of paint as well. At least with them the part will be replaced without question under warranty. The biggest killer of the paint seems to be the chemistry content in your perspiration. Those whose fingers are slightly moist all the time will see more breakdown on the painted surfaces than those with dry hands.
At least with VW the plastic under the paint is supposed to be the same color. When I have encountered worn or peeling paint I just remove the rest of it from the part and leave it like that.
 

TDiVeeDub

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 27, 2009
Location
Evansville, IN
TDI
2004 Golf TDi
Go to a trim shop and have them cover it with black or dark grey suede, then change your steering wheel to match. Someone also sells carbon fiber inserts for the interior door pieces. :)
 
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