Mike Phillips
Active member
- Dec 5, 2022
- 51,004
- 6
Review: BLACKFIRE Tire & Trim Sealant
BLACKFIRE Tire & Trim Sealant
From the AG website
BLACKFIRE Tire & Trim Sealant restores, renews, and protects any color exterior trim including rubber, plastic, and vinyl from outside contaminants that can cause fading, like UV rays. Use on trim that is new or faded. Leave a like-new finish that lasts for months. Will not stain paint or glass. Can also be used on tires for a long-lasting protection and shine.
BLACKFIRE Tire & Trim Sealant features:
• Restores & protects exterior trim
• Long-lasting tire protectant
• Easy to use
• Provides UV protection
The above description is pretty straightforward. This is a trim and tire restorer and protectant. Apply, work in or over the surface and then wipe-off the excess.
Here's the BEST TIP I can share with you when it comes to detailing exterior plastic trim
Find something you like and use it often -Mike Phillips
Some of you recognize that quote. I've been sharing it online since 2002 - that's 16 years now. The point of the quote as it relates to exterior plastic trim is this,
Most people, after purchasing a NEW car with plastic trim don't do anything to it because it looks new. Makes sense. New car, new looking trim, new looking everything.
But here's the deal... the plastic fades and turns ugly S-L-O-W-L-Y over time. Then a few years down the road, you look at the car, the paint is still shiny but the trim is ugly. Then you look for a MIRACLE PRODUCT to make it look new again with a SINGLE application. Sorry, doesn't work that way. If you let the plastic trim deteriorate then a single application of anything won't make it look new. AND... you're going to have to do more than simply wash the trim to remove the oxidization. Usually you have to scrub it with some form of All-Purpose-Cleaner at a minimum.,
Here's my best tip and really good advice.
RIGHT NOW! While the car is NEW and the trim looks GOOD! Right now, start applying a trim sealant or protectant. By ACTING now while the trim looks new or GREAT you will be doing what is called,
Preventative Maintenance
Kind of like an oil change. The oil in your car's engine is changed BEFORE it goes bad so the engine is not harmed by worn-out oil. If you start treating your trim while it looks good it won't ever look bad. You won't have to find a miracle product or spend hours scrubbing the trim with an APC.
It's up to you, but I speak from experience. It's faster and easier to simply maintain exterior plastic trim than it is to try to restore it down the road.
So how do you maintain plastic trim?
Simple - find a product for trim from a brand you trust and simply follow directions.
This is a 2014 Chevy Spark, it's about 4+ years old and while the plastic is still in good shape even after washing it, when I wipe it with an APC I remove some dead oxidized plastic.
Step 1: Wipe plastic surface using an all-purpose-cleaner to ensure surface is clean. Scrub using terry cloth if the plastic trim is visibly oxidized (turning white)
Here's dead plastic coming off the door handle and surrounding plastic cladding
Here's clean plastic ready for treating...
Pour some of the BLACKFIRE Tire & Trim Sealant onto some type of applicator pad. Here I'm using a soft foam finger pocket.
Technique Tip
When working on vertical surfaces, spread the product out and push into the applicator pad and this way it won't simply drop onto the floor and run down into cracks and crevices.
Step 2: Spread BLACKFIRE Tire and Trim Sealant over and into plastic surface.
Here you can see the darkening effect...
Step 3: Use a clean, dry microfiber towel to wipe off any excess and you're done.
Now this is what Pebble Textured Black Plastic Trim should look like...
What the heck, Anna is so nice to let me use her car I'm going to get the other side....
And I'll also get the black plastic pebble textured trim at the front of the car...
Tip - A lot of cars have rear view mirrors and the bottom is not painted but plastic.
BLACKFIRE Tire & Trim Sealant also works on rubber and vinyl trim...
Wiping off the excess....
Stick a fork in it, call it done and kick it out the door...
Review
Easy to use trim protectant, sealant and restorer. The plastic on the car I tested this product out on was in good shape. I'm not sure how well it would restore neglected plastic without first pre-cleaning the plastic but it does have a solvent odor to it and to me that's a sign it will clean.
As you can see in the pictures the product is purple in color and has a rich consistency like hand lotion. This makes it easy to apply and work over a surface. The excess wiped off easy including wiping off of the glass and the paint where I rubbed excess product.
The most important thing when it comes to exterior plastic trim is to get some and then use it. Don't let it sit on a shelf in your garage gathering dust. I included the link to the foam applicator finger pockets below and I'd recommend getting these to as they make applying the sealant easy without making a mess.
On Autogeek.com
BLACKFIRE Tire & Trim Sealant
Black Fine Flex Foam Finger Pockets - 3 Pack
BLACKFIRE APC All-Purpose Cleaner
BLACKFIRE Tire & Trim Sealant
From the AG website
BLACKFIRE Tire & Trim Sealant restores, renews, and protects any color exterior trim including rubber, plastic, and vinyl from outside contaminants that can cause fading, like UV rays. Use on trim that is new or faded. Leave a like-new finish that lasts for months. Will not stain paint or glass. Can also be used on tires for a long-lasting protection and shine.
BLACKFIRE Tire & Trim Sealant features:
• Restores & protects exterior trim
• Long-lasting tire protectant
• Easy to use
• Provides UV protection
The above description is pretty straightforward. This is a trim and tire restorer and protectant. Apply, work in or over the surface and then wipe-off the excess.
Here's the BEST TIP I can share with you when it comes to detailing exterior plastic trim
Find something you like and use it often -Mike Phillips
Some of you recognize that quote. I've been sharing it online since 2002 - that's 16 years now. The point of the quote as it relates to exterior plastic trim is this,
Most people, after purchasing a NEW car with plastic trim don't do anything to it because it looks new. Makes sense. New car, new looking trim, new looking everything.
But here's the deal... the plastic fades and turns ugly S-L-O-W-L-Y over time. Then a few years down the road, you look at the car, the paint is still shiny but the trim is ugly. Then you look for a MIRACLE PRODUCT to make it look new again with a SINGLE application. Sorry, doesn't work that way. If you let the plastic trim deteriorate then a single application of anything won't make it look new. AND... you're going to have to do more than simply wash the trim to remove the oxidization. Usually you have to scrub it with some form of All-Purpose-Cleaner at a minimum.,
Here's my best tip and really good advice.
RIGHT NOW! While the car is NEW and the trim looks GOOD! Right now, start applying a trim sealant or protectant. By ACTING now while the trim looks new or GREAT you will be doing what is called,
Preventative Maintenance
Kind of like an oil change. The oil in your car's engine is changed BEFORE it goes bad so the engine is not harmed by worn-out oil. If you start treating your trim while it looks good it won't ever look bad. You won't have to find a miracle product or spend hours scrubbing the trim with an APC.
It's up to you, but I speak from experience. It's faster and easier to simply maintain exterior plastic trim than it is to try to restore it down the road.
So how do you maintain plastic trim?
Simple - find a product for trim from a brand you trust and simply follow directions.
This is a 2014 Chevy Spark, it's about 4+ years old and while the plastic is still in good shape even after washing it, when I wipe it with an APC I remove some dead oxidized plastic.
Step 1: Wipe plastic surface using an all-purpose-cleaner to ensure surface is clean. Scrub using terry cloth if the plastic trim is visibly oxidized (turning white)
Here's dead plastic coming off the door handle and surrounding plastic cladding
Here's clean plastic ready for treating...
Pour some of the BLACKFIRE Tire & Trim Sealant onto some type of applicator pad. Here I'm using a soft foam finger pocket.
Technique Tip
When working on vertical surfaces, spread the product out and push into the applicator pad and this way it won't simply drop onto the floor and run down into cracks and crevices.
Step 2: Spread BLACKFIRE Tire and Trim Sealant over and into plastic surface.
Here you can see the darkening effect...
Step 3: Use a clean, dry microfiber towel to wipe off any excess and you're done.
Now this is what Pebble Textured Black Plastic Trim should look like...
What the heck, Anna is so nice to let me use her car I'm going to get the other side....
And I'll also get the black plastic pebble textured trim at the front of the car...
Tip - A lot of cars have rear view mirrors and the bottom is not painted but plastic.
BLACKFIRE Tire & Trim Sealant also works on rubber and vinyl trim...
Wiping off the excess....
Stick a fork in it, call it done and kick it out the door...
Review
Easy to use trim protectant, sealant and restorer. The plastic on the car I tested this product out on was in good shape. I'm not sure how well it would restore neglected plastic without first pre-cleaning the plastic but it does have a solvent odor to it and to me that's a sign it will clean.
As you can see in the pictures the product is purple in color and has a rich consistency like hand lotion. This makes it easy to apply and work over a surface. The excess wiped off easy including wiping off of the glass and the paint where I rubbed excess product.
The most important thing when it comes to exterior plastic trim is to get some and then use it. Don't let it sit on a shelf in your garage gathering dust. I included the link to the foam applicator finger pockets below and I'd recommend getting these to as they make applying the sealant easy without making a mess.
On Autogeek.com
BLACKFIRE Tire & Trim Sealant
Black Fine Flex Foam Finger Pockets - 3 Pack
BLACKFIRE APC All-Purpose Cleaner
