White shading on black vinyl - how to get rid.

[AndyP & Lenore]

I know Diamondbrite paint protection isn't very popular amongst the regulars here, but we do have a problem with our black vinyl arches etc., which I'm hoping someone can help with.

We recently bought some "Replenish" black vinyl/plastic/tyre wall treatment product from Jewelultra. We used a fair bit of their products including a scratchX and rainX equivalent product. So far everything we've used of theirs has been first class. Been a very happy customer so far.

The replenish product went on great and gave our arches that "just wet" look we all desire. However after it had been on for a few weeks, after washing or a heavy rain spell, we noticed our arches were turning a nasty shade of white - like the car was actually 20 years old, not 4 months old.

So I called Diamondbrite and spoke to the Scottish Regional manager. His explanation is as follows:

At some point our vehicle has been waxed with a silicone based wax. (This must have been during preparation at Menzies because we don't even possess any wax products - been diamondbrite fans for years). The silicone in this wax embeds itself in the porous surface of the black arches and is very difficult to get out. ANY product we put on top of this silicone will look ok at first, then eventually turn the nasty shade of white we are seeing.

His advice for removal is as follows:

Scrub with a soft brush with a detergent like fairy, rinse off and allow to dry naturally. The scrubbing will bring the silicone to the surface and the natural drying will allow evaporation of the silicone. he said we may need to repeat this process for a couple of weeks to get rid of it completely.

Apparently if you use a silicone wax on your car (especially the black vinyl) it is very difficult to remove.

We've done what he suggested today, but needless to say our arches look frikking awful, having to dry naturally. All spotty and streaky. If this will definitely work, we can suffer this for a couple of weeks, but we'd rather go for a fix that will fix quicker if there is one.

One idea we did have was what Mark (VintageB3) has done with his arches in this thread. But will this get rid of the silicone wax left behind? Is this wax not just the normal wax spilled over from a normal waxing of the car? Or is this a silicone based wax he was trying to remove?

Mark, or anyone with info on this would be appreciated.

A.

[ianking]

I would think the best think to use would be a co-polymer remover. This is what I used to use at the garage to remove the transport wax from the new cars. You wont want to get it on your paintwork though as it will remover your diamond brite stuff.

I have some co-polymer remover at the garage at home. If you are very keen you could drive up tonight or if you can hold off until tomorrow I can bring some round for you.

[AndyP & Lenore]

Cheers Ian.

For now, I'm gonna hold off and see what other opinions are. I am wondering if maybe, rather than applying a silicone wax to our car during preparation, Menzies simply did a crap job of removing the transport wax. Although I find it hard to imagine MINI would use a silicone based transport wax.

You're offer is kindly received though, and you may well get a phone call before the end of the night. Hold that thought Bubba.



A.

[ianking]

I am just home now and I was thinking whilst going up the road. (dangerous)

I doubt if Menzies would have put any kind of bumper trim gel or silicon spray type product on the arches as it was a brand new car and it wouldnt have needed it, and without dissing their valeters I dont think they go into enough detail to have put a clear wax protector on the plastic either.
It is most likely that they simply havnt de-waxed the car properly after it was delivered to them.

We got Sarahs mini new from them and the state it was in was quite frankly pi*s poor. Transport wax all over the place and still some sticker marks on the glass and they had only dressed 3 tyres. Mind you I was going to be doing it all the next day anyway but they were not to know that.

Im pretty sure a co-polymer remover will do it.
Or if you dont want to go as harsh as a co-polymer remover then a strong mix of TFR (traffic film remover) will do it. I also have this product at home.

[Gismo]

Alternatively, stick to the manky way of having a car i don't suffer any white shading on any parts of my arches

[AndyP & Lenore]

Alternatively, stick to the manky way of having a car i don't suffer any white shading on any parts of my arches

Ever the constructive comments from Mr Scotland.

Naw, but you just have a muddy shading parts over your whole car. Unless Julie washes it for you.

A.

[AndyP & Lenore]

Ian, I'm wondering if your right there. I can't see menzies valeters being so dedicated to put a clear coat wax on the black bits. Like you say, more likely they just forgot to take the delivery wax off during vehicle prep.

Oh, and our tyres were not dropped down from delivery pressure to driving pressure either. They were up at about 4 to 5bar! Discovered that 2 or 3 days after we took delivery.

A.

[vintageb3]

Andy...

I personally wouldn't put any solvent on your plastic arches...i.e co-polymer or panel wash. (Sorry Ian) I think that would certainly compound matters.

I have had great success (IMO) with using Tesco's Groundnut Oil (£0.76/500ml). It strips wax and other impurities RIGHT out of the plastic...and feeds it too. 500ml will last for years too!

I had heard that some of the detailing guys use peanut butter to clean the plastic and remove wax. I really didn't want to smear PB all over my plastic. So I guessed it was the oil that was the key ingredient. So I tried Groundnut oil (peanut oil). Its what vegans use to fry with I believe. My guess was "if I can get it on to the plastic...I should be able to remove it again with Fairy liquid....cause that's what would be used to remove it from a frying pan."

We resprayed our 16 year old VW Transporter this summer...and I used that to experiment with .

I washed the front bumper, then coated it with Groundnut oil. I left it for a few hours. I then used very hot water and Fairy liquid...and washed the groundnut oil off. After this...you notice a water repellant quality to the plastic. Water just beads straight off it! So I'm guessing that you only remove whats on the surface...or the excess oil.

I then used Autoglym bumper care as a protectant....and the bumper looked like new. On the back bumper...I went straight for the Autoglym Bumper care...and the results sucked. So I had to redo the back bumper. After going through the proceess with the oil....the back bumper came up like new as well.

Before they were grey...and LOOKED 16 years old!

On my other van...I left the oil on for a few days...and it seemed to work better.

It must have looked good...one of the carpet fitters in the next unit to us asked "What the hell do you use on your bumpers?? They are like new!" He has a year old IVECO with the greying problem.

The next week he used this little trick...and his bumpers were like new!

I was using Meguairs stuff for the bumpers...it doesn't last. So I went back to using Autoglym bumper care. After using the oil, the AG stuff takes care of protecting the plastic quite well....and I boost that using Ulitimate Quik detailer when I do the paintwork....I just do the plastic as well (a tip knicked from Craig...as he uses a Nano Turtle wax product to do the same thing)

APPLICATION:

WARNING: DO NOT USE THIS OIL OVER A SURFACE LIKE MONOBLOCK PAVERS!!!!! IT WILL BE DIFFICULT OT REMOVE!! USE IT OVER RED CHIPS OR ON THE MAIN ROAD AWAY FROM YOUR HOME

Use a 1" (25mm) brush and pour the oil SLOWLY! onto the bristles...then paint it onto the palstic...ABSOLUTELY lagger the plastic. I found out that the oil does not strip wax from a painted surface...so you can go over onto the paintwork without any problems. In fact..its the bit of plastic right on the paint line that is usually the area that has been contaminated with wax...so I think its a good idea to go over onto the paintwork a little.

Rub the oil in with the brush...then use a cloth to rub it in as well. Finish with the brush leaving a coating of oil on the surface. i.e. don't leave it dry...leave it looking wet. After a few hours, or overnight...it will dry in slightly as it "works" on the plastic.

Its better to leave it on for a few hours...or days....but you can just go round the car then start to wash it off.

Use VERY hot water and Fairy liquid (good quaility washing up liquid) to remove the oil from the plastic and paintwork with an old sponge. Then immediately wash the area with clean water. (This removes any salt from the washing up liquid) Because you are only using the washing up liquid on these small areas...and it isn't in contact for long...I don't have concern about the salt in the washing up liquid damaging the car in any way. I suppose you could use car shampoo...but I thought Fairy would be better for this application.

After you have removed the oil, wash the car using you own usual method and then treat the plastic bits with Autoglym Bumper care.

Its really easy...and the plastic will look like new.

Hope this helps Andy!

mark

[ianking]

Mark

Wasnt suggesting a panel wash or any solvent such as thinners.

Co-polymer remover that I have is a non-caustic, low hazard dilutable product, as is the TFR that I use. I have tried many different products when I worked at a dealers as a valeter for 4 years doing about 15 cars a week so I had plenty chance to try them all out.
(I used to manage to wangle all the samples I could get from the various suppliers )

I know that the nut oil is as you say very effective at removing car polish and wax, but I think in this instance, particularly as Andy is looking for a speedy result he should try the wax remover.
However its up to him if he wishes to try the nut oil first and then see how it goes.

If the dealer had preped the car correctly then he wouldnt be in this mess.

[Scottie]

I'ved used the peanut butter on my plastic trim (not got as much as what a Mini has) anyway using the smooth peanut butter my thought was it still had a little grit feel to it which helped get into a grain of the plastic and lift out any polish left.

Then using small bits of sponge that I cut up I applied a very small amount of Chemical Guys gel on to the plastic. Worked fine for me.