Painting, wrapping and choosing parts – a practical guide

Yes. The ABS used to make our front splitters, side splitters and rear valances takes automotive paint well. There is one condition: the part has to be prepared like any other plastic component, which means scuffed, primed with a plastic primer and finished with clear coat containing a flex additive.

Before you take the part to a paint shop, test-fit it on the car. Check the fit and the mounting points, because any correction costs more once the part is painted. We explain how we match parts to specific models in How do you know a splitter will fit?

Also bear in mind that the front splitter sits lowest and takes the most stone chips. Chips show more on body-coloured paint than on gloss black, so it is worth protecting a painted splitter straight away, for example with PPF.

This is a job for a paint shop, but it helps to know what to ask about. The standard process looks like this:

1. Remove the protective film. Maxton parts come with a factory film protecting the surface, and it has to be removed before work starts.
2. Degrease. Use silicone remover or isopropyl alcohol, ideally followed by an anti-static cleaner for plastics.
3. Scuff. The whole surface must lose its gloss. P400–P600 paper or a scuff pad with scuffing paste is usually enough. Take care not to sand through the edges.
4. Degrease again and remove the dust with a tack cloth.
5. Plastic primer. A thin coat that decides whether the paint will start to peel.
6. Filler primer with a flex additive if the surface needs it, sanded smooth.
7. Base coat in your body colour, mixed from the paint code and checked on a test panel next to the car.
8. 2K clear coat with a flex additive. It lets the coating flex with the plastic so it does not crack.

A matt part is prepared exactly like a gloss one. A lack of gloss does not mean the paint will adhere well, so scuffing and priming cannot be skipped.

For two reasons.

The colour can only be matched next to the car. The same paint code can look different depending on the model year, the production batch and even the age and condition of the paint on a specific car. A painter matches the shade by comparing a test panel with your car. We cannot see your car, so we could not guarantee that the part would match the bodywork perfectly.

Scale and logistics. We offer thousands of parts for hundreds of models, and every model comes in dozens of colours. Painting to order would stretch lead times from days to weeks and raise the price of every part. That is why we supply parts in two universal finishes, gloss black and matt black, and leave the painting to a local paint shop that has your car on site.

Yes, and in many cases it is a good solution. It all depends on the effect you want.

Before wrapping, the part must be thoroughly degreased. On edges and in recesses installers use a wrap primer so the edges do not lift.

Is wrapping a good alternative to painting? For a carbon look and for protection: yes. For a perfect body colour: not really. We most often recommend combining both: keep the gloss black or paint the part in your body colour, then protect it with PPF. For everyday care of the gloss finish, use Maxtonizer – detailer for splitters, and you will find more practical advice in Splitters for everyday driving – practical tips.

With a front splitter. The front of the car is what people see most, and it changes the car's character the most. Then add the rest in this order:

1. Front splitter – the biggest change in looks for a single part.
2. Side splitters – they connect the front with the rear and make the car look lower.
3. Rear valance and rear side splitters – they complete the line at the back. Rear side splitters are the cheaper option.
4. Spoiler cap or spoiler – quick to fit and a clear finishing touch.

Example prices for parts designed for the BMW 3 Series G20 with the M Sport package: front splitter €199, side splitters €199, rear valance €194, spoiler cap €144, rear side splitters €89.

If you are planning a full set anyway, check the Maxton Set kits for your model. You get all the parts at once, in one finish, matching in design and shape.

You can fit a splitter yourself in your garage, which also keeps costs down. We go through it step by step in Fitting Maxton Design parts – how to do it, and you will find instructions for individual parts on the fitting instructions page.

A simple rule: match the finish to the black elements the car already has. If the window trims, grille and mirror caps are gloss black (e.g. a Shadow Line or Black Line package), choose gloss black. If the car has matt black plastics, matt will look more consistent.

What about Nardo Grey with a carbon look? It is a great combination, but our ABS parts are not available in a carbon look finish. You have two options: real carbon fibre parts from our Carbon line, or a gloss ABS part wrapped in carbon film. We describe how we make carbon parts in Carbon – how we make carbon fibre parts.

They are not 1:1 replacements, but a different approach. Here is a comparison using the front of a BMW 3 Series G20:

Source of OEM prices: genuine BMW parts price list (getbmwparts.com, October 2026). Prices in your country may differ.

Price. Original M Performance accessories usually cost several times more than comparable Maxton parts. With AMG or RS the gap can be even bigger, because “the package look” often means replacing entire bumpers.

Look. Factory packages have a consistent brand styling. We design Maxton parts to complement bumpers with M Sport, AMG Line or S line/RS packages, so they also suit cars that already have a factory package.

Quality. The original gives you a factory fit and dealer service. Our parts are developed from a 3D scan of the specific model, made from UV-protected ABS, and come with a TÜV material report. We show what production looks like in How Maxton Design splitters are made.

It usually does not raise the asking price, but it does not have to lower it either. It all depends on the quality of the fitting and on who is buying.

What helps:

• careful fitting with no uneven gaps or adhesive marks,
• parts in good condition, with no chips or cracks,
• a restrained finish that suits the car,
• reversibility, meaning the option to return to the original look,
• kept invoices and documentation for the parts.

What hurts:

• crooked or scratched parts,
• marks left by a botched fitting or removal,
• extreme modifications that narrow the pool of buyers.

A car with a well-chosen styling package often finds a buyer faster among enthusiasts. A more cautious buyer or a dealer will rather value it as a standard car.

It depends on the condition of the parts and on who you are selling to.

Keep the parts if they are in good condition, suit the character of the car and you are selling privately to someone who likes the look. List the parts and their prices in the advert, because they are real value for the buyer.

Remove the parts if they are scratched or damaged, if you are returning a leased car (check the return conditions in your contract) or if you are selling to a dealer who will value the car as standard anyway.

When removing parts, remember that:

• double-sided tape should be peeled off slowly after warming it with a hair dryer (use a heat gun only carefully, on a low setting), and adhesive residue removed with a paint-safe remover,
• if the part was screwed on, there will be holes in the bumper that need to be professionally plugged or repaired,
• if original parts (e.g. a diffuser) were removed during fitting, it is worth keeping them complete.