Best filament for car parts
Short answer
ASA is the best filament for most car parts: it survives a hot cabin and stands up to sun on the outside. ABS works for interior parts, PC for the hottest spots and nylon for tough brackets and clips. PLA warps in a hot car, so avoid it for anything that stays in the vehicle.
Our picks
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1. ASA Acrylonitrile styrene acrylate
The best all-rounder for cars. It stays rigid to around 95–100 °C, so it survives a hot cabin, and it resists UV for exterior parts such as badges, clips and mirror housings.
- Heat resistance
- Toughness
- Outdoor and UV
- Nozzle
- 235–260 °C
- Needs
- An enclosure, ventilation
Popular ASA filaments
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2. ABS Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene
As heat resistant as ASA and a little cheaper, and it smooths with acetone. Use it for interior parts out of direct sun; it yellows and turns brittle outside.
- Heat resistance
- Toughness
- Outdoor and UV
- Nozzle
- 230–260 °C
- Needs
- An enclosure, ventilation
Popular ABS filaments
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3. PC Polycarbonate
For the hottest spots and parts under real load, softening at around 110–140 °C depending on the grade. It needs a printer that reaches around 260–300 °C at the nozzle.
- Heat resistance
- Toughness
- Outdoor and UV
- Nozzle
- 260–300 °C
- Needs
- An enclosure, dry before printing, ventilation
Popular PC filaments
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4. PA6 Nylon 6 (polyamide 6)
Nylon for tough brackets, clips and wearing parts, including near moderate heat with a suitable grade. It must be kept dry before and during printing.
- Heat resistance
- Toughness
- Outdoor and UV
- Nozzle
- 250–290 °C
- Needs
- An enclosure, dry before printing
Popular PA6 filaments
All 69 →
Torn between the top two? See ASA vs ABS.
Not recommended
Guide
How hot does a car get?
A car parked in summer sun easily passes 60 °C inside, and the dashboard and rear shelf get hotter still. That's above the softening point of PLA (around 55–60 °C) and close to PETG's (around 70–80 °C). Anything mounted on the dashboard, rear shelf or outside the car needs a material that stays rigid at 90 °C or more.
Which material for which part
- Dashboard mounts, phone holders and vent clips: ASA or ABS.
- Exterior parts such as badges, trim clips and mirror housings: ASA, which resists UV.
- Parts near heat or under load: PC, or a carbon fibre nylon grade.
- Clips, brackets and gears that flex or wear: nylon such as PA6.
- Seals and grommets: TPU, for parts that stay away from engine heat.
Engine bay parts see much higher temperatures, along with oils and fuel. Check a filament's data sheet for its heat deflection temperature before trusting it there, and never print safety-critical parts.
Car parts questions
Can I use PLA for car parts?
Not for parts that stay in the car. PLA softens at around 55–60 °C, and a parked car in summer gets hotter than that. It's fine for test-fitting a design before printing it in ASA or ABS.
Is PETG OK for car interior parts?
ASA or ABS for car parts?
ASA for anything exposed to sunlight, inside or out, because it resists UV. ABS is a little cheaper and smooths with acetone, so it suits interior parts out of the sun. See ABS vs ASA.
Do I need a special printer for car parts?
ASA and ABS need an enclosure to stop warping. PC also needs a nozzle of around 260–300 °C. Many recent enclosed printers handle all three; basic open printers struggle.
Can 3D printed parts go in the engine bay?
Some can, with care. Engine bays get much hotter than the cabin and expose parts to oils and fuel. Use a high-temperature grade such as PC or a carbon fibre nylon, check its data sheet, and keep printed parts away from anything safety-critical.