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I bought some cheap terminators off of ebay and assumed I could get the paint off with dettol. Now that I've looked at them it looks like some kind of oil or lacquer paint. I fear that using thinner/mineral spirits/turps will probably melt the plastic.
I'm going to try dettol first and if that doesn't work because it is oil based, can I please get suggestions about how to remove the paint without destroying the model?
Worst case scenario I might try painting over it (but they'll still look awful) or maybe cut down the models and try to use pieces as spares...

Never tried with oil paints to be honest, but Isapropyl alcohol is safe for plastic, as is Dot3 brake fluid.

I'd say brake fluid is your best bet, but that stuff is pretty horrible to deal with

Thanks for the advice - I'll deffy try the brake fluid before I try the spirits.

Don't touch brake fluid with bare skin, dispose of it properly too (ask at the servo/mechanic)

Make sure you get the DOT3 stuff, NOT the dot4.
They are two very different products and dot4 WILL damage plastics.

I use it to strip second hand minis whenever I get them (because regardless of paint used, it generally gets it off).

Wear gloves (disposable latex/silicone) AND eye protection because you don't want ANY of it on your skin OR in your eyes.

And don't touch any other painted materials with it, brakefluid will take the paint of your car. Water neutralizes brakefluid.

Much to my surprise dettol got 99% of the paint off with a toothbrush and a pointy needle file to poke any stubborn bits.

Next question though, is how do I stop my terminators smelling like a hospital? I suppose painting them would help, but right now they've been rinsed and are soaking in water.

Thanks for your advice everyone.

The paint usually covers it. If not I usually just leave my minis soaking in water with a bit of soap for a few nights. Summer fresh every time.

Dettol is amazing stuff to remove paint. It's like magic. For me, it's less about the model smelling afterwards as... the entire house

So more accurately, it's like vile-smelling magic, hehehe.

The smell goes away on its own, at least, for my minis it has. I don't really soak them forever in Dettol, though -- it just isn't necessary, as a few seconds does the trick.

 Talys wrote:
For me, it's less about the model smelling afterwards as... the entire house

Well I got around that by putting a lid on the pot...