Desertnate
Well-known member
- Aug 5, 2013
- 6,190
- 236
A couple of months ago, I was fortunate to be selected in a drawing here to receive a couple of products and provide a review. Life kept me from doing reviews of both products as quickly as I would have liked, but here is the second instalment. Again, thank you Nick for selecting me back then. Testing out these products has been a lot of fun.
This instalment is a review of Blackfire's Trim and Tire Sealant. While a long time in coming, this test was timely. I just finished doing the winter prep on my families cars and I know have the opportunity to see how this product holds up through the winter.
I've never used a trim sealant before, so I wasn't sure exactly what to expect going into this review as it turned out to be very different from the protectants I've used in the past.
The container, as you can tell from the picture, is typical Blackfire fare...durable black plastic bottles you don't have to worry about dropping. This is the four ounce bottle, but it is also available in eight.
The directions state you should use a MF pad. I used a MF pad when applying it on one vehicle and a MF towel on the second. Both methods worked well. I actually like using a towel since I'm able to get it into tight areas easier than a pad.
The directions also state putting a nickle sized drop on a pad and then rub it into the desired area. From my experience, that is WAY too much product unless you're hitting the cladding on an 80's vintage Pontiac, Chevy Avalanche, or Volvo XC70. I think I might have used a two nickle sized drop on the entire first car! A little goes a long way.
First victim: A 2014 VW. The product was applied to all plastic and rubber surfaces.
Cladding around the exhaust
50/50 on rear wiper arm:
50/50 on rubber window trim:
VW Logo on trunk.
Second victim: 2013 Toyota Highlander that sees A LOT of miles.
50/50 on mirror mount:
Mirror Mount finished:
Mirror Mount, opposite side:
Observations
- The product goes a LONG way. It spreads very thin.
- The thinner you apply the product, the more even the appearance when buffing it out. If you want darker results, apply thin layers, vs slapping on a thick coat.
- The product will seal the pad/towel after it saturates a bit. That's good since the product doesn't soak in much, but it also makes it run off the applicator easier.
- Not all plastics are the same. All of the plastics on the VW and all rubber trim absorbed the product and good looking results were easy. However, the smooth plastic around the mirrors on the Toyota didn't spread as nice and didn't absorb the product as quickly. It was odd. I had to really work at getting it to look nice. Everywhere else was fine.
- Once buffed off, the finish varies between a dark satin to OEM flat black. The more product you use, the more satin-like finish you see.
- The product dries very quickly, so no worries about smearing or running when it encounters rain. The finish is dry to the touch; nothing slick, sticky, or oily.
- When applying you might see marks from application, but they go away when buffing, leaving a nice smooth finish.
-I didn't use it on my tires. Call me cheap, but I have a hard time using a product that's $20 for 4oz on tires!
- I only used .5 ~ 1 oz at most to do both cars!
Verdict
I like the product. It was refreshing change from the protectants I've used in the past. I'm looking forward to seeing how it holds up. The VW saw rain this week, and the trim was beading just like the waxed surfaces of the car. Even better, the product didn't run onto the paint when it got wet!
The Trim Sealant made me reconsider my product choices. In the past, I shied away from trim sealants because of their price. I stuck with less permanent protectants...but then I grumbled when they faded after a couple weeks and/or ran all over the paint as they fail. If this product comes even close to living up to it's claims, I'll be a convert. Long, lasting, dry touch trim sealants may be expensive, but their longevity and protection over time seem to be worth it.
I'm glad I got to try this product out courtesy of Nick and AG. I look forward to working my way to the bottom of the bottle.
This instalment is a review of Blackfire's Trim and Tire Sealant. While a long time in coming, this test was timely. I just finished doing the winter prep on my families cars and I know have the opportunity to see how this product holds up through the winter.
I've never used a trim sealant before, so I wasn't sure exactly what to expect going into this review as it turned out to be very different from the protectants I've used in the past.
The container, as you can tell from the picture, is typical Blackfire fare...durable black plastic bottles you don't have to worry about dropping. This is the four ounce bottle, but it is also available in eight.
The directions state you should use a MF pad. I used a MF pad when applying it on one vehicle and a MF towel on the second. Both methods worked well. I actually like using a towel since I'm able to get it into tight areas easier than a pad.
The directions also state putting a nickle sized drop on a pad and then rub it into the desired area. From my experience, that is WAY too much product unless you're hitting the cladding on an 80's vintage Pontiac, Chevy Avalanche, or Volvo XC70. I think I might have used a two nickle sized drop on the entire first car! A little goes a long way.
First victim: A 2014 VW. The product was applied to all plastic and rubber surfaces.
Cladding around the exhaust
50/50 on rear wiper arm:
50/50 on rubber window trim:
VW Logo on trunk.
Second victim: 2013 Toyota Highlander that sees A LOT of miles.
50/50 on mirror mount:
Mirror Mount finished:
Mirror Mount, opposite side:
Observations
- The product goes a LONG way. It spreads very thin.
- The thinner you apply the product, the more even the appearance when buffing it out. If you want darker results, apply thin layers, vs slapping on a thick coat.
- The product will seal the pad/towel after it saturates a bit. That's good since the product doesn't soak in much, but it also makes it run off the applicator easier.
- Not all plastics are the same. All of the plastics on the VW and all rubber trim absorbed the product and good looking results were easy. However, the smooth plastic around the mirrors on the Toyota didn't spread as nice and didn't absorb the product as quickly. It was odd. I had to really work at getting it to look nice. Everywhere else was fine.
- Once buffed off, the finish varies between a dark satin to OEM flat black. The more product you use, the more satin-like finish you see.
- The product dries very quickly, so no worries about smearing or running when it encounters rain. The finish is dry to the touch; nothing slick, sticky, or oily.
- When applying you might see marks from application, but they go away when buffing, leaving a nice smooth finish.
-I didn't use it on my tires. Call me cheap, but I have a hard time using a product that's $20 for 4oz on tires!
- I only used .5 ~ 1 oz at most to do both cars!
Verdict
I like the product. It was refreshing change from the protectants I've used in the past. I'm looking forward to seeing how it holds up. The VW saw rain this week, and the trim was beading just like the waxed surfaces of the car. Even better, the product didn't run onto the paint when it got wet!
The Trim Sealant made me reconsider my product choices. In the past, I shied away from trim sealants because of their price. I stuck with less permanent protectants...but then I grumbled when they faded after a couple weeks and/or ran all over the paint as they fail. If this product comes even close to living up to it's claims, I'll be a convert. Long, lasting, dry touch trim sealants may be expensive, but their longevity and protection over time seem to be worth it.
I'm glad I got to try this product out courtesy of Nick and AG. I look forward to working my way to the bottom of the bottle.
