Help Please - Audi A4 Chrome Molding Damage

[Diesel1]

Hi Everyone,

Been awhile since my last post (Been crazy busy with weddings, family functions, getting engaged, wedding planning, etc...). Anyway, my fiance just bought a 2006 Audi A4 which is in great shape (Needs a little TLC from me, but we can get to that later) for the most part. Of course it is black so I need to give it a quickie (Read....a solid days work) to get the dealer halogramming and swirls out.

ISSUE: On the chrome molding around the windows, there is basically I guess acid rain damage. I haven't looked at the molding close enough to determine if it is chrome or annodize aluminum. I may be leaning towards annodized aluminum which may be clearcoated. That said, there are basically stains that look like water puddles (Possibly etched) all over the trim. Kind of gives a blotchy hazy appearance. Has anyone encountered this before and if so, how did you remove it without damaging the molding. I have pretty much every product and detailing tool at my disposal (For a weekend warrior anyway). I am willing to add to the collection if you guys know of product that will help. I did a test spot with a little polish and it didn't seem to budge it.

I saw a website somewhere of a company that sold only 2-3 products one of which was a trim restorer that said it fixed this exact issue. Not sure if there is any truth behind it or not.

Any takers?

[todd@bsaw]

This has just been in my experience with chrome trims, so maybe someone has more official knowledge than myself.

Many of the chrome trims that I have seen are a chrome-surfaced plastic and very seldom actual chrome. Some of the Audis have a 'brushed look' trim that is almost a lacquered metal finish.

I had an issue at a dealership I contracted at where there were many Volvos, Jaguars, and BMWs with this trim failure that ended up having to be replaced. They had found this was caused by the harsh chemicals used at the local tunnel wash (PDQ, to be exact) and could not be corrected. You can try an AIO but it isn't likely to work. We had found on the Audi brushed trim that some aggressive clay made it look a little better, but still not 100%.

Do you have a link to the website for those products? A specific cleaner may possibly be a solution for you.

[simsam18]

My A4 has a similar issue - it looks like some cloudy film that will improve once wet but always comes back. According to the owners' manual, the trim around the windows is aluminum. I've tried aluminum polish and it doesn't seem to take to it and is likely not a polishable metal because of whatever coating applied.

I'd like to know what the website is for that trim restorer as well as I've tried about everything to fix this problem and nothing seems to work.

[Accumulator]

This comes up from time to time. I have the same stuff, and the same issues on the A8 (not on the S8 yet, but it's just a matter of time). This trim *always* goes bad eventually and even the replacement parts from Audi will go bad. Oddly enough the replacement parts go bad *REALLY* fast. The following applies to pretty much all the brightwork on modern Audis, around the windows, on the bumper covers, etc.

The trim in question is aluminum, either clear anodized or clear powdercoated (I've received both answers from people at Audi who oughta know, so no idea which is correct, not that it matters as it's the same situation whichever it is....).

Once the clear coating is compromised it's forever. There's no way to touch up anodizing or powdercoating. Since the replacement parts (which are a bear to install around the windows anyhow) don't hold up, IMO the best you can do is polish it, wax/seal it, and then redo it over and over as needed.

If you polish it aggressively, to where the aluminum is very shiny, "all polished up good as new", you'll be redoing this quite often, and if you let it go it'll start to *REALLY* corrode. That's the last thing I'd want.

SO, I recommend that you do the polishing *VERY* lightly so you don't make things temporarily better but long-term worse. Don't shoot for perfection, it's already beyond that. These days I never use anything more aggressive than 1Z Pro MP, and I only use that if I've been negligent enough that KAIO isn't enough.

I'd protect it with your longest-lasting LSP, layered heavily.

If you then take good care of it, and redo the LSP before it's obviously necessary, the deterioration should slow down a lot (it might even halt completely for practical purposes). The affected trim in question on my wife's A8 hasn't gotten noticeably worse over the last few years...though the pieces under the headlights that I replaced with new pieces sure do look crappy..wish I'd just kept the original parts on there.

IME/IMO, the trick is to accept its current condition and keep it from getting worse.

EDIT: Welcome to Autopia, SIMSAM18!

[simsam18]

Thanks for all the info. I tried Mother's Mag & Aluminum polish and it didn't respond at all so the 1Z Pro MP might be worth a shot. Do you know where I can find the 1Z? I looked on a couple of specialty sites like Detailers Paradise and Detailed Image and couldn't find it. Is it best to hand polish the metal? Since the area is so narrow (and I'm perfectly happy with the paint condition on the rest of the car) I can't see how any machine would make much sense there. Any recommendations on a LSP?

[Accumulator]

Originally Posted by simsam18

Thanks for all the info. I tried Mother's Mag & Aluminum polish and it didn't respond at all so the 1Z Pro MP might be worth a shot...

Note that the Pro MP won't fix the problem, it'll just provide relatively safe cleaning. You could probably do about as well just using KAIO.

Do you know where I can find the 1Z?

See if either of these places has it: Home or Aloha & Welcome to Our Oasis for All Your Auto Detailing, Auto Detailing Supplies, Auto Detailing Equipment, Auto Detailing Products, & Auto Detailing Accessories for all your Automobile Detailing

Is it best to hand polish the metal? Since the area is so narrow (and I'm perfectly happy with the paint condition on the rest of the car) I can't see how any machine would make much sense there.

Yeah, for that reason I'd do it by hand. You might use the edge of a PC's pad, but since you're not really trying to do anything aggressive the by-hand oughta work fine.

Any recommendations on a LSP?

Something very durable. Collinite 476S, KSG, and FK1000P all work well.

[simsam18]

Thanks again for the all info. Just out of curiosity, do you remember how much it cost you for those replacement trim pieces? And is the whole thing difficult to install or just certain areas (above the windows vs. the pieces along the door)? I know yours didn't hold up but I just want to evaluate all the options.

[Accumulator]

simsam18- Sorry, I have zero recollection and I didn't replace the ones around the sideglass anyhow (just the little pieces under the headlights, which weren't too expensive or I woulda remembered). I didn't have the door strip replaced after deering the S8 because I knew the new piece would have worse issues than the tiny scratch from the deer-incident.

Replacing the pieces around the sideglass is a pretty involved job, IIRC they're epoxied in place and the design didn't really allow for replacement. I'd sure have an Audi specialist do it. My Audi guy said he *could* do it but it was pretty obvious he wasn't keen on the idea and that he was a little relieved when I decided to let it go (note that he understands what working on *my* Audis entails ).

The pieces along the door shouldn't be that bad, but again, don't have somebody learn how on *your* car

I'd find a big Audi dealership with a *GOOD* bodyshop and talk with both the manager and his top tech.

[bipchianti]

[quote=Diesel1;1156207]Hi Everyone,

Been awhile since my last post (Been crazy busy with weddings, family functions, getting engaged, wedding planning, etc...). Anyway, my fiance just bought a 2006 Audi A4 which is in great shape (Needs a little TLC from me, but we can get to that later) for the most part. Of course it is black so I need to give it a quickie (Read....a solid days work) to get the dealer halogramming and swirls out.

ISSUE: On the chrome molding around the windows, there is basically I guess acid rain damage. I haven't looked at the molding close enough to determine if it is chrome or annodize aluminum. I may be leaning towards annodized aluminum which may be clearcoated. That said, there are basically stains that look like water puddles (Possibly etched) all over the trim. Kind of gives a blotchy hazy appearance. Has anyone encountered this before and if so, how did you remove it without damaging the molding. I have pretty much every product and detailing tool at my disposal (For a weekend warrior anyway). I am willing to add to the collection if you guys know of product that will help. I did a test spot with a little polish and it didn't seem to budge it.

I saw a website somewhere of a company that sold only 2-3 products one of which was a trim restorer that said it fixed this exact issue. Not sure if there is any truth behind it or not.

Any takers?[/QUOTE
I have tried everything. And no help from the Audi dealership, where we just bought our pre-owned 2006 Audi A4. Today, I finally tried Quixx Repair Kit High Performance Scratch Remover, a German product. The window trim looks brand new. I only had to use the tubes #1 and #2 and not the sandpaper. I hope this helps.

[bipchianti]

Originally Posted by todd@bsaw

This has just been in my experience with chrome trims, so maybe someone has more official knowledge than myself.

Many of the chrome trims that I have seen are a chrome-surfaced plastic and very seldom actual chrome. Some of the Audis have a 'brushed look' trim that is almost a lacquered metal finish.

I had an issue at a dealership I contracted at where there were many Volvos, Jaguars, and BMWs with this trim failure that ended up having to be replaced. They had found this was caused by the harsh chemicals used at the local tunnel wash (PDQ, to be exact) and could not be corrected. You can try an AIO but it isn't likely to work. We had found on the Audi brushed trim that some aggressive clay made it look a little better, but still not 100%.

Do you have a link to the website for those products? A specific cleaner may possibly be a solution for you.

I have tried everything. And no help from the Audi dealership, where we just bought our pre-owned 2006 Audi A4. Today, I finally tried Quixx Repair Kit High Performance Scratch Remover, a German product. The window trim looks brand new. I only had to use the tubes #1 and #2 and not the sandpaper. I hope this helps.

[bipchianti]

Originally Posted by simsam18

My A4 has a similar issue - it looks like some cloudy film that will improve once wet but always comes back. According to the owners' manual, the trim around the windows is aluminum. I've tried aluminum polish and it doesn't seem to take to it and is likely not a polishable metal because of whatever coating applied.

I'd like to know what the website is for that trim restorer as well as I've tried about everything to fix this problem and nothing seems to work.

I have tried everything. And no help from the Audi dealership, where we just bought our pre-owned 2006 Audi A4. Today, I finally tried Quixx Repair Kit High Performance Scratch Remover, a German product. The window trim looks brand new. I only had to use the tubes #1 and #2 and not the sandpaper. I hope this helps.

[bipchianti]

Originally Posted by Accumulator

This comes up from time to time. I have the same stuff, and the same issues on the A8 (not on the S8 yet, but it's just a matter of time). This trim *always* goes bad eventually and even the replacement parts from Audi will go bad. Oddly enough the replacement parts go bad *REALLY* fast. The following applies to pretty much all the brightwork on modern Audis, around the windows, on the bumper covers, etc.

The trim in question is aluminum, either clear anodized or clear powdercoated (I've received both answers from people at Audi who oughta know, so no idea which is correct, not that it matters as it's the same situation whichever it is....).

Once the clear coating is compromised it's forever. There's no way to touch up anodizing or powdercoating. Since the replacement parts (which are a bear to install around the windows anyhow) don't hold up, IMO the best you can do is polish it, wax/seal it, and then redo it over and over as needed.

If you polish it aggressively, to where the aluminum is very shiny, "all polished up good as new", you'll be redoing this quite often, and if you let it go it'll start to *REALLY* corrode. That's the last thing I'd want.

SO, I recommend that you do the polishing *VERY* lightly so you don't make things temporarily better but long-term worse. Don't shoot for perfection, it's already beyond that. These days I never use anything more aggressive than 1Z Pro MP, and I only use that if I've been negligent enough that KAIO isn't enough.

I'd protect it with your longest-lasting LSP, layered heavily.

If you then take good care of it, and redo the LSP before it's obviously necessary, the deterioration should slow down a lot (it might even halt completely for practical purposes). The affected trim in question on my wife's A8 hasn't gotten noticeably worse over the last few years...though the pieces under the headlights that I replaced with new pieces sure do look crappy..wish I'd just kept the original parts on there.

IME/IMO, the trick is to accept its current condition and keep it from getting worse.

EDIT: Welcome to Autopia, SIMSAM18!

I have tried everything. And no help from the Audi dealership, where we just bought our pre-owned 2006 Audi A4. Today, I finally tried Quixx Repair Kit High Performance Scratch Remover, a German product. The window trim looks brand new. I only had to use the tubes #1 and #2 and not the sandpaper. Then I used Nu Finish Car Wax for added protection. I hope this helps.