Grrrr Black plastic trim

[Harmchar]

Just finished cleaning the mcs again and have to redo the ton of plastic trim surrounding it. Used Stoners trim stuff last week and it's dull already. What product (reasonably priced) are others using? Might go out again tonight to brush the whole lot with IPA cause I'm sure there must be a wax product been there in past. Don't fancy the heat gun trick as the videos I've seen always look patchy. Seen someone recommending Solution Finish recently. Would have to be good as you don't get a very big bottle for the price.

Charlie

[EcosseGP]

Just finished cleaning the mcs again and have to redo the ton of plastic trim surrounding it. Used Stoners trim stuff last week and it's dull already. What product (reasonably priced) are others using? Might go out again tonight to brush the whole lot with IPA cause I'm sure there must be a wax product been there in past. Don't fancy the heat gun trick as the videos I've seen always look patchy. Seen someone recommending Solution Finish recently. Would have to be good as you don't get a very big bottle for the price.

Charlie

Charlie

I think that you should start by using a degreaser on the trim and trying to get it dirt / grease / product free. It usually goes a slightly lighter colour when it’s clean and then apply the product as recommended. I’d treat the trim a couple of times and see how it turns out for starters.


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[Crombers]

I just cheated & painted the arches :yes nod:

[Mon the fish]

Yes, clean properly (degrease as said) then apply product of choice. Use a toothbrush to clean in the texture grain.

I've had great results with Dodo Juice trim sealant, lasted years on my car. Have now put Solution Finish on the rear trim and looks good so far, will see how it lasts.

Over the years I've tried loads of stuff for the trim - IME the more of a faff it is to apply, the better the product and the longer it lasts

[Harmchar]

i think I may have been making it worse by using shampoo that had wax in it. Recently changed to Simonize shampoo that has no wax. Will degrease all the trim and start with decontaminated trim. Might help Stoners to sit better. Failing that, will give Solution Finish a try. Will post back with results as I know it's a problem for Mini owners. Cheers.

[Mon the fish]

Once the trim is sealed, the shampoo shouldn't be a problem - I used some QD on the R56 trim at the weekend and it came up fine.

At least the Mini trim is nowhere near as bad as Corsa grey trim ;)

[Harmchar]

Cleaned and decreased it all yesterday. Decided to order Solution Finish as it needs a dye type product to soak in and get rid of the cloudy bits. While I wait for the SF to be delivered, thought I would try out Walnut oil. Wife didn't have any in stock, so Seaseme oil it is then. Nice and shiny now and as a bonus, smells like Chinese takeaway �� Will degrease again before SF treatment.

[badwolf340]

Cleaned and decreased it all yesterday. Decided to order Solution Finish as it needs a dye type product to soak in and get rid of the cloudy bits. While I wait for the SF to be delivered, thought I would try out Walnut oil. Wife didn't have any in stock, so Seaseme oil it is then. Nice and shiny now and as a bonus, smells like Chinese takeaway �� Will degrease again before SF treatment.
Get some pics up and let us see how it turned out

[Bryce]

The best place to start is to know why the plastics are fading. If you know, it isn't polish and/or wax residue then it is most likely losing it colour through a combination of oxidisation and the plastics losing their natural oils.

Dressing type products work temporarily to reinstall an oil to darken the plastics, but these are tempory and will eventually dry or wash out.

Solution Finish is an interesting product that I regularly use for faded trims. It's not a dye although its colour would suggest so, exactly how it works is a bit of a secret but its creator, Chris West, claims it dissolves the oxidisation effect (which causes the lighter appearance) and restore the natural oils and finish. So instead of applying a product to mask the effects of ageing plastics, this more so rolls back the years.

Now I like to have something on my plastics to protect them and stop the fading happening from the outset. For this, I use CarPro DLUX which also darkens the finish. It can be enough for moderately faded plastics but cannot rescue badly faded or patchy plastics.

So the obvious answer is to apply Solution Finish then top with DLUX (or the likes), BUT after some testing and discussions with both manufacturers, I cannot be confident that the DLUX will bond with solution finish beneath it. As some have covered above, having the plastics clean and free of any interfering oils or dressings is key to durability.

to conclude, if they are lightly faded, opt for a ceramic based product and expect to reapply every 12-16 months or try Solution Finish but expect the plastics to fade over time as the oxidisation effect takes place.

Hope this isn't info overload :)

[Harmchar]

All info received gratefully. It's good that you're sharing your knowledge. Not every detailer is willing to do that. I bought the Soloution Finish few weeks back and went about decontaminating the plastic, then the crap weather returned. Hoping to get something done this weekend. Will post up before n after pics soon.

[Harmchar]

7304

Just finished 1st application of Soloution Finish on black plastic trim and I'm well impressed. As photo shows there is a clear difference. Product is really easy to apply and a tiny ammount goes a long way. Really hope the longevity outdoes other products I've used in past. They can all be binned now. Whole car took less than 40 mins after thorough clean and dry earlier. Once my wheels are resprayed in autumn car will look 5 years younger.

[chillax]

Just done all the black trim on my R56 too and looks really sweet. I used Autoglym tyre dressing which has given really nice results. Not sure how long it will last but deffo looks nice and deep black for now!

[Harmchar]

Well that's been 8 months since coating black trim with Solution Finish and after today's clean, it looks almost ready to do it again. 8 months is impressive result in my opinion as other products were not lasting 1 month.

[MINI William]

8 months is a great result