Overheard a guy at a parts counter say he never uses primer on plastic bumpers

I was at a NAPA in Cleveland last week picking up a quart of clear coat and this older body man was telling the counter kid he just scuffs plastic bumpers and shoots color right over them. Said he's been doing it for 20 years and never had a failure. I wanted to say something but I just grabbed my order and left. But it stuck with me because I've always used adhesion promoter on every single plastic repair. I've seen paint lift off a bumper that didn't get proper prep just a few months down the road. Has anyone else actually gotten away with skipping primer on plastic or am I right to keep using it?

2 comments

2 Comments

perry.karen1mo ago

Call me crazy but I've seen plenty of factory bumpers that didn't seem to have any primer on them from the factory and they held up fine for years. I'm not saying I'd risk my own job on it, but maybe the old guy just got lucky or lives somewhere with mild weather. Your mileage may vary big time on that approach, especially if you're in a place with salt or harsh sun.

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amy9751mo ago

Wow, no primer at all? That honestly surprises me, I figured they'd at least do a quick flash coat before painting. Guess I've just been lucky with what I've seen, but yeah, weather makes or breaks everything.