What is the best way to remove paint without harming plastic.?

Question

I have a Jetta and it has custom painted interior panels. They are fading and chipping. Regular spray paint was used not some specail paint or anything. I need to know, what is the best way to remove the old paint with out damaging the plastic panels. Also, I am going to repaint them (the right way). Thanks for the help!!!

Answer 1

I've used alot of paint thinner in the past to complete this process.

Recently a new process has been indentified in the aftermarket called soda blasting, which strips paint away from all types of materials without hurting the under linning material. Eastwoodco.com has alot on soda blasting. It most likely is over kill for your project but perhaps someone in your area facilitates this process.

Answer 2

I removed the spraycan overspray from my VW bus with stuff called "Goof Off", available in you friendly neighborhood mega-home supply center. I used Goof Off to remove black spray paint from the vinyl seats, check out the before pic;

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1119/1465...

and the after pic;

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2208/2448...

It did a great job, and I have used it on plastic parts in the bus too. Just wipe some on, let it soak into the paint for a few minutes, thenrub the paint off with the same cloth. It will take a little "elbow grease", but it will come off eventually, without harming the plastic, or vinyl. Good luck!