Do you feel using dressings accelerates fading of plastic trim?

[z06meister]

Do you feel using dressings accelerates fading of plastic trim? Some times I wonder. My bumper on my 2004 Lightning is horribly and looks almost gray. It does look great when I apply a dressing to it but it is very short lived and washes off after a few rains/washes.

I realize these plastic trim pieces will fade when left out to the elements regardless due to the ultraviolet rays but wonder if putting a dressing on them helps prevent this, accelerates this or does nothing at all other than makes it look good while it is on there.

Has anybody done any testing with this? I would like to think it helps delay the inevitable especially since most of the dressings I use have good rubber preservatives and uv inhibitors in them but do they amplify the sun similar to water beading.

If anybody has a new F150 or something similar and does not mind just dressing half the bumper for a few years to see the effect I would love to hear the outcome.

Your thoughts?

[Setec Astronomy]

Are you saying you have dressed the bumper religiously since 2004? It seems that once these surfaces are UV damaged, there really is no bringing them back and then the dressing is a short-lived improvement, as you noted.

[Danase]

A lot also depends on the quality of the plastic/rubber. I've had cars that have never been protected and the trim looked brand new and some that was always protected and looked 100 years old.

[Jakerooni]

Also depends greatly on the dressing. Silicone dressings usually don't have UV protection in them and will actually accerlate the fading process (kind of like using baby oil to tan with but most end up burning instead) where as the water based dressings and protectants have UV blockers in them.

[yakky]

As others have said, it depends on what you are using. Many people wax/seal the hard plastic trim and have excellent results. If its faded already, it needs to be polished so to speak, I have had really good luck with soft scrub (yeah, the kitchen stuff). It removes the oxidized plastic and then I can seal it.

Sounds like what you are doing is soaking the oxidation, and then the rain washes it away.

I certainly don't think the proper protectant makes it worse, the neglected ones turn white fast.