S4 Door mirrors

Has anyone had any luck repainting the door mirrors. The paint has fallen off the base of my mirrors. It is spoiling an otherwise pretty tidy vehicle. I know these are available new but £220 per side

The aluminum doesn't hold the paint well, my drivers side mirror has rusted . Can you repaint them? match them up?

I had mine re-sprayed about 3 years ago by a friend in his place of work ( a top quality body repair shop). He has done fibreglass re-sprays for me in the past and has re-sprayed panels on aluminium bodied cars without a problem. I guess its down to the experience and knowledge of the sprayer in surface preparation, keying etc. I would suggest you find a local specialist sprayer and go and have a chat.
PS where did you find them for sale?

While shopping for an S4 here in Germany during the spring and early summer ('07), we happened across an interesting S4 (in British racing green). The car was a rebuild. What its condition was prior to rebuild I don't know. Quite a few things were done to the car, including a new motor. In fact, because he couldn't find original seats, he ended up putting seats from an older Spider into the car. All of this "piecing" together turned us off in the end - but I must admit that I was impressed with this fellows work.
Having looked at quite a few spiders till then one thing I noticed was that almost all of them had corroded mirror brackets (the piece between the mirror and the door). The fellow that rebuilt the spider said, after I asked about the mirror brackets, that he had them treated and then repainted. In short, Alfa used the same paint (and base) for the mirror brackets that they used for the rest of the car. The problem, aluminum reacts differently than steel to the chemicals in paint/base. You have to - at least - use a different base w/ aluminum. I'm not sure but there might even be a way to treat the aluminum and then you don't even need base. But don't quote me on that, though. I'll eventually be doing my brackets because the right-side has started to chip.
T

http://www.classicalfa.com/shop/category12_1.htm
Thanks for the Tip. I will find a local paintshop - You don't tend to get much change from £200 when you put anything through a paintshop though.

Thanks. just wondering what the different base something is :-)

Ask a paint shop first, but... I think alu needs an oil base. I recall there being something about ammonia in other bases/paints (latex?). This causes the eventual reaction and the subsequent bubbling. Good luck.
Thomas

I've decided to have a go myself. I have found a primer that perports to work on aluminium but is brush on. I have put 2 coats on and sanded back with 600 grit wet/dry. I have just had some paint mixed by a couple of very helpful halfords staff. There were 4 AR 130 shades - they mixed mini samples of each settling on the AR 130/88L. They made up an aerosol which I have applied this evening. I have also purchased some laquer but given the finish out of the can is such a good match I am wondering whether to stop while I'm ahead as the instructions prior to the lacquer are to flat using 1200 grade to remove the sheen before applying 2 clear coats. I'm wondering whether this might look too shiny. I can send photo's if anyone is interested.

Good for you! I am not sure about the lacquer, that is to say if you have to apply it over the paint. From what you have said and done so far, I think you will probably be able to achieve a good finish if you apply the lacquer. Do post some pics as I for one would be interested in the end result.

Originally Posted by davey

I can send photo's if anyone is interested.

Yes please post pics of what you have done

Who knows which of us might need this sort of advice next.... thanks

Here are the photos. The photographs show the passenger mirror that I have not done yet plus the finished drivers side.
Technique wise I will take more photo's next time but the mirror is only fixed by two nuts which are easily removed with the door trim removed and the window in the up position.

http://bikerouteuk.wikispaces.com/Spider+Pics

That looks great. I'd better do my driver's side mirror too.

Originally Posted by davey

Here are the photos. The photographs show the passenger mirror that I have not done yet plus the finished drivers side.
Technique wise I will take more photo's next time but the mirror is only fixed by two nuts which are easily removed with the door trim removed and the window in the up position.

http://bikerouteuk.wikispaces.com/Spider+Pics

Very nice, just shows what can be done with patience and care.
Did you use the laquer?

Very nice job

Yes I did use the laquer. I'm happy with the overall effect. The paint isn't an exact match but pretty good...next thing is to get the rear bumper to sit right.
Thanks for the comments.
Dave.

Not bad davey..... The colour nearly matches too . Does the primer you used mention "etch primer" on the tin? 'cos thats what tends to be used "in the trade" for most bare metal surfaces before applying a normal primer then painting on the colour. I'm not sure if etch primer is available as an everyday DIY type product tho' as its nasty stuff that should be used in extracted paint ovens whilst wearing air fed masks n wot not .

You should always use an etch primer on aluminium. The trade will use a two part primer which is nasty stuff but you can get it as a one part paint in an aerosol can. Probably not so good but I've used it many times on Land Rover bodies with good results.

Now they tell me. I guess I will stick with what I have got now and see how it goes. If it lasts a couple of years before it needs doing again I will be happy. Halford do sell an etch primer but I was not sure whether there is a specific one for Aluminium.