dazzley mazda logo on steering wheel

d4m0 · Postby **d4m0** » Wed Jan 23, 2019 2:12 pm

I have an issue on my ND with the lid down where the sun shines on the steering wheel and reflects off the super-shiny plasti-chrome logo that's in the middle. Anyone successfully sorted that out? I was thinking maybe spraying a few coats of plastidip on it, and while I'm at it, I should also do the plasti-chrome bit around the bottom of the gear stick boot, and hell, may as well black out all the chrome shiny logos on the outside of the car too...

Thoughts/comments/recommendations?

bruce · Postby **bruce** » Wed Jan 23, 2019 2:40 pm

Sunglasses.
I honestly have never heard a complaint like that. Put it to Mazda Australia.

hks_kansei · Postby **hks_kansei** » Wed Jan 23, 2019 3:04 pm

Personally i'd not use plastidip.
It just looks cheap, you'll just end up with making the badges look like a cheap rubbish ebay part that they forgot to paint.

If it were me, i'd use something that still leaves a little gloss, albeit while darkening it a lot.
Either a gloss black paint, or something like "niteshade" which is basically a spray on tint.

bruce · Postby **bruce** » Wed Jan 23, 2019 3:08 pm

Get some clear paint, squirt some into a cup. Put one or two drops of black paint into it. Then carefully using a model brush, paint over the logo.
Then buy a roll of window tint and apply to your front windscreen as there are shiny things out in the world.

93_Clubman · Postby **93_Clubman** » Wed Jan 23, 2019 3:32 pm

Might be something in Mazda Technical Service Bulletins: https://www.miata.net/garage/tsb/

Mr Morlock · Postby **Mr Morlock** » Wed Jan 23, 2019 3:45 pm

t/c/r - thing about just how hard it is to mask and paint a chrome plastic part. If its not masked properly then anything you spray on ends up on the surrounding components. Also its normal to apply some sort of primer i.e. to act as a grip / etch for the paint. Chrome is very hard to paint in any situation. Painting over external Mazda badges or for that matter any logo may be fine for the owner but most like a badge on their shiny new car- its to show off and the Mazda logo is a good one- it could even put a buyer off when the car is sold- small things sometimes count. The chrome is supposed to have a shiny lustre thats the purpose and its been used successfully as a sign of luxury albeit used appropriately. If there really is a dazzle problem whilst one is driving then some black tape will work as a blackout . By all means ask your Mazda dealer about this and see what they say...

bruce · Postby **bruce** » Wed Jan 23, 2019 3:51 pm

Can I stand in the wings to see the expression on the Mazda Service guys face when he mentions that?!

hks_kansei · Postby **hks_kansei** » Wed Jan 23, 2019 4:09 pm

Mr Morlock wrote:t/c/r - thing about just how hard it is to mask and paint a chrome plastic part. If its not masked properly then anything you spray on ends up on the surrounding component.

True, no matter how well masked the part is, there will always be the inevitable over spray, or at best, an odd little collection of paint at the edges.
Even worse with the thick gooey paints like plastidip.

In saying that, depending on the mounting method, it may be much easier to simply remove the badge to paint it separately, and then reattach once the paint has cured etc. The result then can be very tidy.

As far as resale, it really depends on how well the job is done, as well as how long the owner intends to keep the car.
otherwise, it's not difficult to purchase a second set of un-touched badges, and swap them over if you want to sell the car.

MikeVictor · Postby **MikeVictor** » Wed Jan 23, 2019 6:13 pm

Sunglasses. Fixed.

Spac · Postby **Spac** » Wed Jan 23, 2019 7:50 pm

We occasionally have the same issue in our Mazda3.

Funnily, I have an old RWC from my 240 where it was knocked back for a chrome horn button ring on the aftermarket steering wheel... and the horn ring has been painted matt black...

Rocky · Postby **Rocky** » Mon Feb 04, 2019 2:51 pm

I'm with Bruce, plaster over the windows with newspaper like those idiots in "Birdbox" (that Netflix rubbish) and drive using your SatNav. That will work. (well, it worked on Birdbox didn't it?)

Roadrunner · Postby **Roadrunner** » Mon Feb 04, 2019 9:58 pm

The ND steering wheel chrome emblem is incredibly chromey. Roof down, sun behind you at times it is amazingly dazzling even with sunnies on. I’ve considered a nightshade style spray but have no confidence that it’ll look perfect with my masking abilities.

Red_Bullet · Postby **Red_Bullet** » Mon Feb 04, 2019 11:24 pm

Stick gaffa tape over it.

Roadrunner · Postby **Roadrunner** » Tue Feb 05, 2019 12:26 pm

d4m0, There's a few posts about wrapping the emblem to get rid of the glare on the US forums. I never thought of wrap, being so intricate. Personally I am not a fan of the gloss black in the link below but perhaps a just slightly tinted 3M wrap would take the edge off the blinding glare. Or even a plain silver like the stock NB steering wheel has.
My sister in law is a sign writer, I might see what slightly tinted or coloured wrap she can get and get her to do the wrap job.
The reflection/glare when it hits is as bad as cars with aftermarket HID's angled wrong. Blinding.
https://forum.miata.net/vb/showthread.php?t=643746

Rocky · Postby **Rocky** » Wed Feb 06, 2019 4:01 pm

My immediate reaction is to just paint it with a small brush - either matt black or body colour, but the finish would not be very nice.
Masking it off and spraying it would be a very fiddley job and I'd be concerned about the overspray settling on windscreen etc.
...and I guess you would want to be able to remove paint or whatever if you sold the car.