loopez

hey guys i need a bit of advice.. today i was driving down the highway when suddenly i see a cop on my rearview.. light start flashing and he pulls me over..
the reason he stopped me was that my tailights were too dark..we talked for a bit and he still ended up giving me a ticket.. i have to go to court two weeks from now...that means two weeks to get the paint from my taillights off in order to get away with out paying the ticket..the only thing im worried about is finding a way to take the paint off(they are painted with car paint).. i bought the car like that by the way.. i know there are many methods in doing that but which one is better? Better in which i would save money and in which the taillights and perhaps also headlights wont be damaged in the process. if theres nothing i can do my self i might have to take it to a paint shop..

sorry if its alot to read I would really appreciate y'alls help thanks

rbatakji

Sand it off. Its really easy and won't cost much.
Dry/Wet Sand until all the black paint is gone
Wet Sand
Buff
Polish
Wax/Sealant

Your tail lights will look nearly new.

loopez

how much you think a body shop would charge me?

JCCLARK

Do a search for aftermarket tail lights,
probably cheaper than having a body shop strip them.

Check EBAY
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Nissan-350-Z-Right-side-tail-light-assembly-03-04-05-06-used-nice-/141313357606?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&fits=Model%3A350Z&hash=item20e6eeb726&vxp=mtr

SQuaLZ

First of all I can't believe you get 2 weeks to fix it! Here in NY we have 24 hrs to fix it.

You can do this yourself with some elbow grease and patience.

I have heard that Simple Green works awesome for removing paint from plastic. The main thing is that it is a very safe product to work with, ie it won't ruin the rest of your car. with that being said, I highly recommend buying painters tape and tape around the taillight so you don't ruin any of the body paint (of course removing the taillights would be safer but then you have to remove the rear bumper)

I would just use a rag or paper towel with the simple green and just buff the hell out of the taillight and see if it takes the paint off. You should be able to tell right away by seeing if paint is showing on the rag or towel. Once you get the paint off make sure you polish after. I highly recommend Mothers plastic polish. It makes the taillights nice and shiny as well as leaving a layer of protection.

Simple Green, rag, painters tape, and Mothers plastic polish all together will cost you under $25. I think it is worth a shot before bringing it to a body shop.

Good luck!

KornerCarver

iTrader: (2)

If you choose to try and remove the paint, I would take the taillights off the car before I started working on them. That way, you won't harm you car paint. You might also consider buying new taillights. I don't know what year Z you have, but if you have one with light bulbs (as opposed to LED lights) you can probably get a new set for minimal cash outlay.

travlee

iTrader: (8)

i agree, take them off. when off the car you could use paint thinner or something. my nephew used that spray on stuff and we found that gas takes it off real easy, but with this being auto paint i dont think that would work

JCCLARK

It takes me less than 5 minutes to remove a tail light on my 350z.
It couldn't be easier.

loopez

hey guys thanks for the comments! my z is an 06 roadster.. i might try to use the simple green first and see how it goes.. if not i think this would be a better option.. http://www.ebay.com/itm/350Z-Fairlady-Z-Z33-2003-2009-LED-Tail-Rear-Light-BLACK-FAST-SHIPPING-/291166112762?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item43cada4bfa&vxp=mtr
what you guys think??

KornerCarver

iTrader: (2)

That taillight is hideous. I would not recommend putting that on your car. If you can't get the paint off, buy a set of '06+ taillights.

loopez

ill see how the paint removal works out and post my progress ... thank you KornerCarver

samsniss350z

I totally agree with this, the only addition that I would make would be to wet sand up to 2500/3000 grit and then use a clear marine UV protectant varnish as this will protect your lenses for at least 5 years without having to wax or use sealant on them for protection. I've done this on my headlamp lenses after they started to go milky.

Caidrac

Where do you buy such a product? What is the method of application?

samsniss350z

I bought the marine Varnish from a Chandlers (marine supplies), I would imagine any large DIY store will supply something similar, just make sure its for exterior use though and it has to be UV protectant or it will probably peel off after a few months. I applied mine with a fine haired brush.