As the fortwo is about to take on full-time dog-carrying duties – more on that setup in a future post – I thought I’d start by adding a bit of extra protection against muddy paws and rough claws to the inside of the tailgate…

With a 100kg load rating, a hidden storage compartment, and a textured loading surface the open tailgate is a really useful off-the-ground space. Being hard plastic the deck does scuff pretty easily however, so I decided to Plasti Dip it to protect the surface and add some extra grip at the same time.

To remove the cover from the car for spraying I used a small punch to tap the hinge pin further into the moulding – this (confusingly!) makes it easier to pull out with a pair of pliers or grips by allowing the hinge to be twisted up slightly to expose the end of the pin (I found closing the cover and then lifting the nearby outer edge the best). I also took off the compartment latch as it’s easy to remove and meant no masking off would be necessary.

One can of Plasti Dip was enough for three good coats (with a little left over) and the result blends in very well with the standard texture for an OEM-like finish. There’s noticeably more grip however and any scuffs or scratches can easily be touched up using what’s left in the can. Plus, if it ever gets really shabby I should be able to simply peel it all off and start again!