just washed it really good, and used the krylon fusion paint, which is supposed to bond to plastic really well... didn't sand it because I was going pretty thin with paint and knew it would show through... I did it cheap like this because Thefront and rear bumpers will be getting replaced eventually, and the rocker panel covers will eventually be coming off, and I might be either heavily modifying my flares, or just using them as a mold to make some fiberglass ones that just stick out, and don't come back in (kind of like the old rubber flares on CJ's and aftermarket rubber flares... My goal ultimately is to get some 33x10.5 or equivilant tires under the flares with only a 3" lift (the inner fenders will come out, and then the metal will get coated withbedliner)... Any other painting i do, such as door handles etc... will be with a black paint mixed at NAPA, then put into spray cans, I had pretty good luck with that before. If I do something with these wheels, the plan will be to powder coat them black, strip the paint off the raised edges of the spokes, and polish those edges and the outter rim area, then have a powder coat clear applied over them... If I decide to keep these wheels for street