Restoring black exterior trim - what do you use?
 

Hey so what do you guys like to use to restore the black exterior plastic and protect it from the sun?

Lots of products on the market and opinions on the internet. What do you like?

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fit...484bb0636a.jpg

What do you like to treat exterior plastic like this?

I've been treating it with a Simoniz uv protectant since day 1 and it looked worse than yours. I ended up just vinyl wrapping it.

octaneguy's blackwow


https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fit...49c194be99.jpg

^^^^ pics or it never happens (see what i did there?)

Stoner TrimShine

black shoe polish paste that gives a flat but not shiny and wet from liquid products.

I just used meguiars ultimate compound, and rubbed it in as hard as fast as i could. it does restore it, fine and dandy. but ive yet to figure out a way, to keep it, from fading again

paint works

Meguiars Ultimate Black.

It's no better or worse than the countless other plastic restoration products I've tried. Lasts for a bit and then need to re-apply.

I agree with kenchan overall. If you want it fixed longer term, sand, prime and paint.

sometimes its just wax build up that turns the trim white. use some dawn, or even some kind of oil to remove the waxy residue.

ive also read peanut butter works, but im not sure i want some squirrel removing that piece off the car and taking it home..

I've used 303 Aerospace Protectant on all of the plastic and rubber parts. Made for marine applications.

303 is good indeed but it is water based and does not last as long for exterior. i use it for interior diluted 50/50 with water.. actually my first choice for interior plastics is Prima Nero... if u can still source it somewhere.

303 user and supporter here as well. Not fond of the smell, but it's a good protectant.

Does little for returning an already sun damaged item to new though. I also agree that it's pretty poor at adhering to exterior parts. One rain and it's washed off.

Yeah that's the problem with virtually all these black plastic/rubber restorers - the results wash away so easily. A lot of the products even state that you need to re-apply them every few weeks but really, who wants to spend their time doing that over and over and over all summer long .... Reading about the need to do that in the instructions is what stopped me from buying the expensive 303.

yah, at this point, i recommend one just paints it and layer with uv protecting clear (matte perhaps).

Spray on bedliner. Just the rattle can kind. Works great and is both a nice even matte and very durable.

I've used bedliner on other cars but I thought it had kind of a rough finish. What brand did you use?


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Put me in the "PAINT IT" camp. More work initially with masking or disassembly (especially places like the cowl) but it lasts MUCH longer.


:yeahthat:

Ive seen a few 2015s with their cowling like this. Its like the plastic was defective. I'd paint it sinceit looks inherent to the piece.