mustang1971
New member
- Oct 12, 2013
- 9
- 0
What have you found to be the best product(s) to maintain the black plastic trim found typically between the front and rear doors. Also, the rubber or plastic trim around bumpers etc. on newer cars?
Treatment for black plastic trim
- Thread starter mustang1971
- Start date
MarkD51
Active member
- Oct 15, 2012
- 3,130
- 0
I've been very happy with the results, the longevity and restorative effects I have gotten with Carpro CQuartz DLX. One bottle should be more than enough to treat all exterior trim on an average car, or midsize SUV.
Being a clear liquid, it does not have any "dyeing" qualities, but works very well on black, and as well can be used on other colored trim pieces.
This is one product, recommended-suggested by others here, and has very well met my own personal expectations.
Mark
cardaddy
New member
- Nov 20, 2012
- 3,937
- 0
A coating is certainly an option, but for the plastic/vinyl trim both hard and soft and especially the rubber trim something like Ultima Tire & Trim Guard Plus, "UTTGP". There is a Wolfgang version as well but it breaks down as a bit more expensive.
Griot's has one but you need to figure out where it'll work the best. It's more for the rubber, and doesn't leave any real sign that it's been applied whereas the first two will leave a bit of a sheen.
Also on rubber you might look at PERL. It has been noted to streak when getting wet on some trim areas though. Although I've found it to be stable when you apply it and make sure you both wipe it down evenly afterwards, put plenty on to spread evenly on larger areas, and make sure it has PLENTY of time to dry and cure. I have a client with a aluminum reinforced roll up tonneau cover on his Tacoma that was in a hellava mess the first time I ever touched it back in the Spring. It was 6 or more years old and had never been cleaned and scrubbed correctly, much less had anything decent put on it. Figured it as a great 'test bed' for PERL.
I use it mixed at 3:1 (water to PERL) and it works fine. (FWIW I use PERL straight, 1:1 & 3:1.)
Just did it the second time week before last, and it'd been just over 6 months since it'd been touched! Turned out fantastic. It's just important for soft vinyl like that to sit in the sun afterwards and not get wet for a few days. He's never had any streaking problems. (Not even on his fender flares.)
And of course another choice for rubber would be something like Hyper Dressing. If you like really glossy you can go straight up, glossy @ 1:1, Satin @ 3:1 and down to totally subdued @ 5:1.
Griot's has one but you need to figure out where it'll work the best. It's more for the rubber, and doesn't leave any real sign that it's been applied whereas the first two will leave a bit of a sheen.
Also on rubber you might look at PERL. It has been noted to streak when getting wet on some trim areas though. Although I've found it to be stable when you apply it and make sure you both wipe it down evenly afterwards, put plenty on to spread evenly on larger areas, and make sure it has PLENTY of time to dry and cure. I have a client with a aluminum reinforced roll up tonneau cover on his Tacoma that was in a hellava mess the first time I ever touched it back in the Spring. It was 6 or more years old and had never been cleaned and scrubbed correctly, much less had anything decent put on it. Figured it as a great 'test bed' for PERL.
I use it mixed at 3:1 (water to PERL) and it works fine. (FWIW I use PERL straight, 1:1 & 3:1.) Just did it the second time week before last, and it'd been just over 6 months since it'd been touched! Turned out fantastic. It's just important for soft vinyl like that to sit in the sun afterwards and not get wet for a few days. He's never had any streaking problems. (Not even on his fender flares.)
And of course another choice for rubber would be something like Hyper Dressing. If you like really glossy you can go straight up, glossy @ 1:1, Satin @ 3:1 and down to totally subdued @ 5:1.
Mike Phillips
Active member
- Dec 5, 2022
- 51,004
- 7
Regardless of which product you go with here's a tip....
"Find something you like and use it often"
Most people don't maintain their exterior plastic trim until it looks noticeably bad.
Then... they look for miracle product to save it from death.
Instead, find a product you like and use it often. Use it often means;
After you wash and dry the car, quickly give all the exterior trim a quick rub down. This simple act of rubbing a liquid "something" over the trim has a cleaning and polishing effect to keep the surface clean and if you've chosen a quality product the product will perform as advertised and keep the trim healthy and looking good.
It's really that simple.
I've had great luck with the Wolfgang Exterior Trim Sealant on the Honda we just sold. Before I started maintaining the car the trim was dull and lifeless. After a few rub-downs using this product it came back to life and looked new. Then after each time I washed the car I maintained the black plastic trim and when we sold the car not only did the paint look new but the trim looked new and provided really good contrast between it and the silver metallic paint.
For everyone reading this into the future, if you just bought a brand new car, truck or suv, and it has ANY type of rubber, plastic or vinyl trim on the outside of the car then right now put this trim on a "Maintenance Program" while it still looks GREAT!
And this simple approach will ensure it stays looking great...
Find something you like and use it often...
"Find something you like and use it often"
Most people don't maintain their exterior plastic trim until it looks noticeably bad.
Then... they look for miracle product to save it from death.
Instead, find a product you like and use it often. Use it often means;
After you wash and dry the car, quickly give all the exterior trim a quick rub down. This simple act of rubbing a liquid "something" over the trim has a cleaning and polishing effect to keep the surface clean and if you've chosen a quality product the product will perform as advertised and keep the trim healthy and looking good.
It's really that simple.
I've had great luck with the Wolfgang Exterior Trim Sealant on the Honda we just sold. Before I started maintaining the car the trim was dull and lifeless. After a few rub-downs using this product it came back to life and looked new. Then after each time I washed the car I maintained the black plastic trim and when we sold the car not only did the paint look new but the trim looked new and provided really good contrast between it and the silver metallic paint.
For everyone reading this into the future, if you just bought a brand new car, truck or suv, and it has ANY type of rubber, plastic or vinyl trim on the outside of the car then right now put this trim on a "Maintenance Program" while it still looks GREAT!
And this simple approach will ensure it stays looking great...
Find something you like and use it often...
cfiiman
New member
- Jul 22, 2014
- 260
- 0
Hey I finally get to contribute, yeah! I was looking for the same thing and researched my a$$ off and kept coming back to Megs Natural Shine Protectant. I really wanted to NOT like this stuff b/c I'm kind of a product snob lol, but it is truly amazing stuff. I used it on my dash/console and it gives a wonderful natural shine, not greasy (after it dries a bit), not glossy, just a factory shine, it is hard to explain. I also used it on the exterior trim and it did the same thing. I will also use it on the tires b/c I don't really like tons of gloss on them. I don't know how durable it is on exterior parts, but for interior trim it is great, cheap too. I used to think stuff was only good if you paid a fortune for it, I'm slowly finding out that is not the case all the time.
