I have an 03.5 willow interior and need the paint to match the plastic surrounding the steering column - the shroud that moves up and down with the column itself. Thanks

 

Take off a part of the interior plastic trim that matches the area you want to paint (something very small will even work). Take it to a paint shop (automotive paint shop if you have such a specialty store) and have them blend you some matching interior paint that is intended for plastic. This stuff will soak into the plastic and therefore never leave you with cracking/peeling paint. It comes across just like the OEM pigmented plastic panels. You can get a really small can and brush it, but I really suggest picking up the $10 Modeler's Airbrush Kit from Wal-Mart, etc. These are just cheap little propellant-can powered airbrushes, but it's PERFECT for this small of a job. Depending on thickness of the interior paint, you may nee to add some thinner to it so that it sprays in a really fine mist and you retain any of the OEM grain/pattern/texture of the part.


Remove interior trim you want to paint (unless it won't, then you're looking at taping off the interior with plastic drop-clothes) and have at it. Same paint techique as usual... ...start your spray pass BEFORE the part and stop AFTER the part to make sure you get uniform coverage. Might take a few coats, but you're left with an OEM look.

 

Its really hard to match that color.

 

I think it will be hard to match and it's a visible spot. I had a cord there stich in the shroud between the column and the dash where it's not flush and the cord got hot and cold 1000 times or so such that when i removed the cord there was a nice black gouge in it. Matching the plastic titanium is probably much easier.

 

Just giving you my opinion based upon experience. While the tan interior of my '97 GSX wasn't exactly the same as the G's willow, the shop still had to mix the stuff to match the trim piece I took in. It's not pre-mixed stuff. The only mistake was my fault. I took a screw cap/cover from the lower part of the dash, which wasn't exactly the same color as the A-pillar. But the paint I got matched the part I took in PERFECTLY and you were hard-pressed to tell the slight difference between the guage pod and the A-pillar.

Keep in mind, they scan your color and a computer does the matching. I'd hate to see you settle for a sub-standard repair when the right product for the job is available. It might be worth it for you to look into, depending on what sort of results you're looking for from your repair effort.