Modern Buddy

what can you use to make the plastic on the buddy go back to its origional red color, the front of the scooter, harder plastic and the back is still bright tomato red, but the other plastic on the scooter is dull, does any one know what to use to treat the dull plastic? also what about the rubber mat. I usually use a cover in the sun, but I bought the scooter used and it it does have faded, plastic. HELP!

Sounds like you are talking about the "inner" plastic. Seems that does fade on many of the Buddy scoots over time, especially when in the sun.

Not sure you will get it back to like new... anyone?

You could always change it out to black.

Have you compared your Pamplona to another one? The inner plastics are textured and more of a matte finish compared to the smooth, glossy outer plastics. Maybe it's actually normal?

Yeah, metal you can use rubbing compound on as it just gets oxidation on it, but plastic I'm thinking is a whole 'nuther ball of wax. I think once it fades, you're out of luck.

Rubber (as in tires, etc), I think I have heard others here say you can treat, but plastic...I'm thinking not. May have to just buy some new panels. Luckily they're not too expensive.

One solution I found online. Sounds like the sort of thing that should be tested on something else first!

Get a pint of "boiled linseed oil" and a pint of paint thinner. Get home, mix them 60:40 (thinner:linseed), stir. then while wearing gloves, dap, dip or squirt the mix onto a clean, lint free towel or a wax/foam pad and then just wipe it all over the plastic parts as if it were tire shine. this is my own personal trick from 15+ yrs in the automotive industry and being a paint chemist.

A scarier solution from online:

sometimes a propane torch (like plumbers use) fanned over the dulled plastic will make it look like new. works great at making scratches disappear. obviously, you don't want to get too carried away with the heat. i'm posting this against my better judgement

Here's a video of using a heat gun. Don't know how it'll work on colored, textured plastic.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-dtbBzk ... r_embedded

Black is easy; there are a lot of products to restore black plastic.

If you do get it polished, it will help keep it that way if you clean the scoot often and use some type of plastic protectant and UV shield.

ericalm wrote:One solution I found online. Sounds like the sort of thing that should be tested on something else first!

Get a pint of "boiled linseed oil" and a pint of paint thinner. Get home, mix them 60:40 (thinner:linseed), stir. then while wearing gloves, dap, dip or squirt the mix onto a clean, lint free towel or a wax/foam pad and then just wipe it all over the plastic parts as if it were tire shine. this is my own personal trick from 15+ yrs in the automotive industry and being a paint chemist.

Interesting. If someone tries this and it works, hopefully they will post here. I always thought you couldn't do anything about faded plastic, but who knows, I might be way wrong.

michelle_7728 wrote:

ericalm wrote:One solution I found online. Sounds like the sort of thing that should be tested on something else first!

Get a pint of "boiled linseed oil" and a pint of paint thinner. Get home, mix them 60:40 (thinner:linseed), stir. then while wearing gloves, dap, dip or squirt the mix onto a clean, lint free towel or a wax/foam pad and then just wipe it all over the plastic parts as if it were tire shine. this is my own personal trick from 15+ yrs in the automotive industry and being a paint chemist.

Interesting. If someone tries this and it works, hopefully they will post here. I always thought you couldn't do anything about faded plastic, but who knows, I might be way wrong.

It sounds like putting floor wax on a porcelain tile floor - you may get the results you want, but at the cost of constant re-waxing. If you're ok with that, that's ok, but...

Actually what you are doing is not waxing it, you are attaching a coating over the plastic, you will be able to see how it is going to work just by getting the plastic wet with water. Linseed oil takes a long time to dry out, sometimes even years, so it can be a very durable finish, Has been used on wood for years.

izark47 wrote:Actually what you are doing is not waxing it, you are attaching a coating over the plastic, you will be able to see how it is going to work just by getting the plastic wet with water. Linseed oil takes a long time to dry out, sometimes even years, so it can be a very durable finish, Has been used on wood for years.

Attaching a coating over the plastic is perfectly comparable to what you get when you put floor wax (or maybe to clarify, vinyl floor wax) on porcelain tile. Nevertheless, in either case you are not 'restoring' the surface, you are covering the surface, and that covering will need regular maintenance. If someone is willing to accept the added maintenance, fine.

I would be careful in using using the oil / wax combo. It is going to leave a thin film on your plastics that may prove to be slick in the footwell as it will not soak into the plastic, but rather sit on top. Think of it as a longer lasting Armor-All solution. I don't know about you guys, but I hate that slick, greasy feeling.

The blowtorch method will remove the releasing agent that's on the parts from the factory molds, and you should be able to get the surface really clean. I have used this method as a prep for painting plastic parts in the past. It helps promote paint adhesion.

I bought a used Pamplona and it was heavily faded. I used Mothers Back to Black and the inner plastic pieces look BRAND NEW. My local dealer suggested it - and he couldnt have been more correct. I ended up doing 2 coats as the fade was bad - but not any more. Any auto parts store should have it.

KevinD wrote:I bought a used Pamplona and it was heavily faded. I used Mothers Back to Black and the inner plastic pieces look BRAND NEW. My local dealer suggested it - and he couldnt have been more correct. I ended up doing 2 coats as the fade was bad - but not any more. Any auto parts store should have it.

this.

Mothers Back to Black is a miracle worker, it brought back most of the tomato red back to my faded plastic, it looks like a new scooter, amazing sutff. I also used it on the foot mat on the scooter, it brought back its origional color but it made it a little slippery, so I wouldnt suggest using it on the mat. But the Mothers Back to Black is great stuff, I got mine at Pep Boys for around 7 bucks.

Thanks for the tip

KevinD wrote:I bought a used Pamplona and it was heavily faded. I used Mothers Back to Black and the inner plastic pieces look BRAND NEW. My local dealer suggested it - and he couldnt have been more correct. I ended up doing 2 coats as the fade was bad - but not any more. Any auto parts store should have it.

I just bought something similar to it that Harley guys use called "Pig Spit" on Amazon. I put up some pictures of the results on my website on my Kymco People 250 which the previous owner left out in the sun (we won't get into the fact that there was a brand spanking new scooter cover under the seat).

http://phalanx.phpwebhosting.com/commin ... /pig-spit/

No, I'm not bitter he left my future scoot out in the sun :/

Sure guys any of those "Back To Black" or "Black Max" products should work. Make sure to keep it conditioned and it will look good for a good time to come. Most of these products work on different colors. Don't use Armor All and such imo. Just things to bring out luster and restore the color somewhat with each application.