Tip For Audi Oxidized Metal Trim

Shtexas

Shtexas

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Hey AG, I hope everyone is enjoying the holidays.

After searching for awhile on how to clean up the metal trim found on Audi's, I came up with tons of things people have tried without having much luck. The best solution so far was having the trim replaced under warranty if you're lucky, or paying around $1000 to have it replaced.

One of the issues I saw was a debate in what the trim material was. Some things I saw said it was bare chrome or aluminum. Mike chimed in on an earlier thread saying it was anodized. Some even said chromed plastic. I decided to figure out for sure what it was before proceeding.

After a few hours on hold and switching between branches I ended up speaking to Arne in Germany who was a senior engineer of exterior and interior trim. He explained that depending on the model, the bright work trim is either aluminum or chrome, coated with a plastic material of some sort. One of the big causes of the oxidation is chemicals commonly used in car washes here.

The solution is.... They're currently working on it. Arne told me that VW and Audi were currently developing a coating that holds up much better to chemicals and UV damage. He didn't have any tips on how to repair the already oxidized trim, but he was very helpful with the information I was searching for.

My Solution:

Here is a piece of the trim and the condition it is commonly found in:

IMG_13761.jpg


This was the condition of the trim after washing and drying.
I decided to try something I hadn't seen anyone try yet that is available here on AG as well as many local retailers for cheap.
meguiars-plast-x.jpg


I figured with the trim being coated in plastic, that maybe PlastX would help.

The 50/50 shot after PLASTX
IMG_13771.jpg


It isn't perfect, but it is a vast improvement over what it was before. Rubbing the Plastx in small circles quickly tires your arm out. Ignore the steering wheel image from bmw sitting next to the audi

I'm happy with the outcome so far, but later this week I plan on experimenting with some of the slightly more aggressive plastic restore products on a scrap piece of trim I got from a buddy who replaced his, I'll update with the results.
 
Thank you for the information. Audi is known to have all sorts of wierd reliability problems. Ultimate compound might work here too
 
Bill1234 said:
Thank you for the information. Audi is known to have all sorts of wierd reliability problems. Ultimate compound might work here too
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I had seen pictures from other threads where people had tried using compounds to clean up the trim and ended up making it much worse. I think the coating is fairly 'soft' and hazes easily. I'll give a few compounds and polishes a shot though on my scrap piece of trim and report back later this week with the results.
 
Shtexas said:
I had seen pictures from other threads where people had tried using compounds to clean up the trim and ended up making it much worse. I think the coating is fairly 'soft' and hazes easily. I'll give a few compounds and polishes a shot though on my scrap piece of trim and report back later this week with the results.
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Thanks for the info. Could car manufacturers ever go the non cheap route and use classic chrome?
 
Now that I think about it I also used it to clean up some chrome rims I had. Definitely helped on the plastic center caps that were oxidized without damaging them.
 
I work for VW and there is a bulletin that states we are not allowed to replace moldings under warranty for this oxidation. It is caused by solutions used at automatic car washes. When I worked for BMW we had the same problem and every car owner I asked said they went to a specific car wash in our area. They must use some kind of an acid based liquid to loosen the dirt.
 
G35 said:
Now that I think about it I also used it to clean up some chrome rims I had. Definitely helped on the plastic center caps that were oxidized without damaging them.
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The stuff int the silver tube or the polishing soap? The stuff in the silver tube is super abrasive. I wouldn't use that on trim or paint.
 
WAXOFF said:
I work for VW and there is a bulletin that states we are not allowed to replace moldings under warranty for this oxidation. It is caused by solutions used at automatic car washes. When I worked for BMW we had the same problem and every car owner I asked said they went to a specific car wash in our area. They must use some kind of an acid based liquid to loosen the dirt.
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VW has been pretty strict about replacing it from what I've heard. I know they own Audi as well, but some of the more loyal customers of their $70k+ cars have been getting theirs replaced. The engineer said the automatic car washes here were causing it, especially the touchless washes. I'm guessing it's the strong alkaline presoak solutions they use.
 
Thanks for that tip. I used some cut compound one time on some Honda trim on that was badly water spotted.
 
530inv said:
Thanks for that tip. I used some cut compound one time on some Honda trim on that was badly water spotted.
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No problem. Do you know if the trim was coated, or was it water spots on metal?
 
Not to hijack this thread, but does anyone have tips on BMW trim? Would this be the same thing?
 
pcw25 said:
Not to hijack this thread, but does anyone have tips on BMW trim? Would this be the same thing?
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I just went out and tried it on my x5 trim. It helps quite a bit, but not as well as on the audi trim. I'm trying a stronger plastic polish later this week among other things and I'll update the results in this thread.
 
swanicyouth said:
The stuff int the silver tube or the polishing soap? The stuff in the silver tube is super abrasive. I wouldn't use that on trim or paint.
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I've used it on chromed plastic with no issues. I wouldn't touch my paint with it. In the description on detailed image they say you can use it on metal and plastic. But to each their own. And by the way his trim looks its worth a shot.
 
Thanks for the tip - I do a lot of Audi's and this will certainly be one to keep in mind for improving the look of the trim
 
Hey guys, just an update about cleaning the trim up.

I was unable to find my scrap piece of trim to test all the different polishes and approaches, so I picked a few I thought would work better.

A Few Things I Noted

Using any sort of rubbing compound is overkill for the thin plastic coating on the trim. The plastic acts similar to a very soft clearcoat, it hazes and scratches easily. For most of the hazing and spots a very mild polish is as aggressive as I would get.

I managed to remove most of the cloudiness, haze, and rainbow discoloration from the trim to a point where as an enthusiast detailer I'm satisfied, and no longer want to plastidip or vinyl wrap it. A small amount of haze is still present which I was unable to remove. It got better as I used finer polishes, but even with plastx as my final it didn't seem to be fine enough. I'm open to any suggestions of a very fine plastic polish to give a try.

Comparison Picture

Getting good pictures of the trim is difficult, it looks different from every angle it seems. You can see the difference between the two sides clearly. The left was washed, clayed, and wiped with ipa. The right side was polished first with Menz 4500, then Plastx.

atrim2.jpg





Here's another shot from a different angle a little further away.

atrim1.jpg




Overall I'm happy with the results. The trim looks better than most of the Audi trim I've seen around now.
 
Well I thought you did quite well and I would be happy with those results. Now, knowing it's plastic what is the protection solution? I have my ideas but interested in others.
 
Klink10 said:
Well I thought you did quite well and I would be happy with those results. Now, knowing it's plastic what is the protection solution? I have my ideas but interested in others.
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I would probably use something like Sonax Polymer Net Shield or Adam's Quick Sealant, but I suppose a liquid paint sealant would work as well.
 
Klink10 said:
Well I thought you did quite well and I would be happy with those results. Now, knowing it's plastic what is the protection solution? I have my ideas but interested in others.
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Thanks, it's been quite a search to find a decent fix. For right now I'm using UTTG as a lsp. It looks good, is supposed to offer uv protection, and repels water nicely. If it doesn't hold up very well I'll probably use DG501 for its superior uv protection and durability.
 
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