Discolored Black Plastic

[NavArch]

I`ve two types of problems. The first relates to the exterior black trim. On the somewhat shiny black plastic, there are spots of really dull black. The second is on an interior piece of hard plastic. See the L-shaped piece in the center of the attached pic. The car is a 2001. Suggestions?

[Miami_Sunset]

Poorboy`s Trim Restorer :bow

NUFF SAID ! :bb:

[Brenton]

Try the trim restorer, but don`t be discouraged if the first go doesn`t do it. Try it again.

[joe.p]

I`ve two types of problems. The first relates to the exterior black trim. On the somewhat shiny black plastic, there are spots of really dull black. The second is on an interior piece of hard plastic. See the L-shaped piece in the center of the attached pic. The car is a 2001. Suggestions?
Try using the trim restorer and work it with a brush. it looks like water spots or wax. do you know how this happen?

[TrueDetailer]

Here`s what i use.

http://www.detailnet.com/catalog.php?action=124&item_id=162 8oz They make a 4oz also so check it out

This stuff actually soaks into the plastic or molding, It does not sit atop it and wear off after time like most dressings out there.

[Brenton]

^That`s pretty cheap if it works likeyou say.

[NavArch]

Don`t think either of the problems are water spots or wax. I used Meg`s #2 on the interior trim (by hand) with no effect. I`ve had the same type of spotty dulling/discoloration on exterior trim on other cars. Back to Black just doesn`t get rid of it. Someone once told me that it was some sort of bacteria. Don`t know if they were right, but it does have that type of amoeba-like shape to it.

Looking at the interior trim again, it almost looks like sun damage (PO lived in FL - serious water spots on hood and trunk that only a PC with Meg`s #83 could cure). You might suspect that the trim was affected by a chemical, except that the effect is uneven, and the same part is this discolored whitish mottled effect on both sides of the car. Of course, the PO might have also tried some sort of harsh chemical, in a sloppy uneven manner, on both sides, as well. There has been plenty of evidence that the PO didn`t take very good care of the poor beastie.

PO examples: 2001 Miata SE. There are structural "pockets" behind the front wheel liners, immediately forward of the lower door hinges. I had heard this was an issue, so I pulled each front wheel and the back portion of the liner, and extracted a double handful of decaying leaves from each side. Rain that comes down the back of the convertible top is directed to pockets that are actually inside the car, and thence to a pair of 1" diameter drain pipes that exit just forward of the rear wheels. The PO hadn`t bothered to clean them out, leaving me with a soggy rear package shelf. 10 minutes of work per year is all it takes to prevent the problem. A number of stone chips in the front. Working those as time permits.

Going to the PB site, the Trim Restorer is advertized as a protective dressing. Does it also include vinylizers? All of the products I`ve seen like this in the past have been intended primarily for soft vinyl, not hard plastic. Am I to understand that the PB product works on both?

[NavArch]

On a hunch, I tried a new approach just now. I wrapped a cloth around a finger tip and used that to rub Meg #83 and then Meg #2 on the hard plastic. Only the slightest of changes to the hard plastic interior trim. However - The softer exterior trim responded nicely to the Meg #2 only. The discolored spots have gone away in the short area that I tried. I then followed up with Back to Black to protect it.

Still have the pesky interior pieces to deal with.

[NavArch]

:yay Solved the problem of the pesky interior hard plastic pieces. They turned out to be sun-damaged. The solution was to wet sand them with 800 grit sandpaper, and then rub in a lot of Back to Black. After an initial rub-in, I arranged the pieces so the affected areas were horizontal, and then floated a layer of the B2B on them. That was then left overnight. Rubbed that in/off and did it again. Three overnight sessions left them very nice.