Can you fix a blemished glove compartment button?

I am looking at a nice, used 2005 Prius that is priced unbelieveably (mostly because the seller doesn't know everything the car has in it, including a navigation system). That aside, it has only 16,000 miles on it and is in perfect condition....except....an old couple owned the car and they stuck an adhesive-backed air freshener on the glove compartmenr buttons. As a result, they tore the paint off whenever they ripped off the air fresheners (go figure!!).

My wife is balking at buying the car even though it is perfect mechanincally and even cosmetically except for this snafu.

Is there a way to fix that? I assume it could be painted. It shouldn't cost THAT much, should it?

Any thoughts are appreciated.

Reply to
busbus
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Your wife sounds like a real winner. God help you if you get a pimple... you're out the door.

Reply to
What-a-bitch

Is the damage on the dash panel or on the glove compartment door? If it's on the door, just go to a junkyard, buy a door for a few bucks and replace it. If it's on the dash panel... that's not so good.

But be sure to have your wife talk to the seller and see if she can get the price down a little more anyway.... it won't hurt....

--scott

Reply to
Scott Dorsey

Thanks, Scott.

The damage is on the BUTTONS, not the door. I guess I could change the buttons...I dont' know if Toyota sells just the buttons. My guess is that they only sell the whole darn thing. They look likethey can be painted but that is only a guess.

The car is already priced about $2,500 LESS than what Kelly Blue Book says it should be going for; less, even, than if the car was only in OK shape but it is in excellent shape. I don't think I will get him to go down more but I am going to try.

ray

Reply to
busbus

Sheesh, get a new door from a junkyard and replace the whole door. It'll take you a lot less time than trying to transplant the buttons. If the whole door costs more than $20, I'll be surprised.

It never hurts to ask, and having a wife who is upset about something on the car definitely helps. If he doesn't go down any, well, buy it at the price it's at.

--scott

Reply to
Scott Dorsey

Scott,

I only sat in the car once, so I need to go from memory but I think the latch is separate from the door. There is one door that opens up and another that opens down, *IF* I am remembering correctly.

I am hoping the latches are screwed onto the bar that goes in-between the two doors. If this is the case, then it is easy to change. However, if they are part of the entire unit, I think it will be a lot more difficult.

I need to look at the car again to be sure. Or maybe call Toyota...

ray

Reply to
busbus

Wow. I thought I was anal about my car!

Gee, considering the overall condition of the car and the price, get some kind of sticker and put it over the blemish!

I can't remember what kind of finish they use on a Prius, but if you took it to the Toyota dealer they may be able to match the paint (I can't believe it's paint, it must be some kind of applique...)

I'm kind of the same way, even on 0old beaters...my eyes are drawn to the blemish like a magnet...

Reply to
Hachiroku $B%O%A%m%/(B

Usually on Toyotas the latch is an assembly that attaches to the lid. Best bet, like many have said, is to find a junkyard and see if you can locate one. Or eBay. The dealers are funny (actually, Toyota) some things you expect to be sold as separate items are, and others aren't.

Let us know how you make out.

Also, check the alt.autos.toyota.prius group. Someone there may have an answer, but most of them are more interested in saving the planet than they know about cars...

Reply to
Hachiroku $B%O%A%m%/(B

Hachiroku $B%O%A%m%/(B wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@e86.GTS:

It's extremely likely that it's paint. A lot of interior plastic these days is painted.

It's a lot cheaper to mold one color (black) and paint it to suit, than it is to mold different colors for each interior color scheme. And even if there is only one single interior color, black with paint is still cheaper than colored resin.

It's been a few years since I was involved in the business, but GM used to even use a paint-like substance they called "soft-feel" on some hard interior parts. It sprayed on like thick paint, but had a sort of rubbery texture to it. It was supposed to give a more "upmarket" image without high cost.

As for the OP, I'm left wondering why he does not simply call his Toyota dealer and ask if the latch is available separately from the glove box door. Chances are good that it is, but the price may be a heart-stopper. Seldom-replaced parts like that are often unexpectedly expensive. But then there are the wrecking yards (already suggested by others), which can be true gold-mines with chalcopyrite prices...

Reply to
Tegger

I would have suggested just that, but I suspect that the latch also contains a lock cylinder... not so?

I'd also suggest Krylon, but I may be making a wild assumption here, if someone is asking if they can touch something up, they probably don't have enough skill with a spray bomb yet to truly do an unnoticeable job.

nate

Reply to
Nate Nagel

Nate Nagel wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@news5.newsguy.com:

And knowing Toyota, a lock accessible with the regular key, but not accessible with the "valet" key, so it may even be re-keyable. Good point.

Another good point. As the Top Gear presenters might put it, "How hard can it be?". That button is pretty small. Screw up? Wipe off and try again. And to properly cure the paint, just put it into a 200F oven for 20 minutes.

Reply to
Tegger

Stick an air freshner over the blemish.

harryface

91 Bonneville 318,018 05 Park Avenue 84,654
Reply to
Harry Face

Here's an out-of-the-glovebox thought:

If replacing it or convincingly painting it to match seems like too far to carry this, perhaps you might commit art upon the defective item. Paint it like a smiley face, or a dead skull, or a smiley face re-envisioned post mortem. Or go for "witty" (warning: the line between "witty" and "kitschy" can be a blurry one) and glue a clothes button to it. Tell your kid to put her very favorite My Little Pony sticker *right there* where everybody can see it. Something like that. No limits but skill and imagination.

Reply to
jtchew1

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