how do I clean molding

[medic]

Every time I`ve washed my car, I get it nice, shiney, and clean but there are two stips of plastic side molding that I can`t get clean.



I`ve tried things like goo-gone, simple green, polish, elbow grease, etc and nothing will work to make them as shine as the rest of the car. I always looks like that area hasn`t been washed.



Anyone have any suggestions as to what will work. I was thinking of alcohol, but this seems to be dirt that`s stained the plastic not surface grime.



I don`t have a dig camera, so no pic to post, but I`ve outline the area that`s affected in the pic below.

[Preachers Sheets]

To tell you the truth I have the same strip going around my Camaro.



If needed, I go over the strip with 3M SMR then layer the Klasse Glaze ontop of that.



If the stains won`t come out and if the strip is painted and clearcoated like the rest of the car I would treat it like a clearcoated surface, break out the Meguiars V2.0 and if that works but not fast enough bust out the 3M SMR.

[medic]

I think it`s painted and clearcoated the same. the color matched at one point if I can remember that far back



cool, I`ll try that. I`m still waiting for my Klasse kit to come in from tascar (awsome place and prices) and then I plan on claying it too.

[medic]

I`ve attached a pic of the affected area on my car. As you can see, it`s pretty discolored. I tried some SMR by hand that a friend had, but there was no effect.



Any other thoughts?

[imported_Intel486]

looks like the bottom side of it is still white though...



maybe you should think about having them pulled off and repainted.

[shaf]

That`s a 3rd Gen Nissan Maxima isn`t it? :rolleyes:





I bought a spraybomb (custom mixed because no one sells it), masked off my car for 3 feet around, and sprayed them. I didn`t bother entombing the entire car because this was before claying an all the steps in my sig. I sanded them a bit first so the paint would bite and cleaned with alcohol. Sprayed colour coats (2) and then layered on 3(?) clear coats, taking about 3/4 days for this. Last, I wet sanded it and polished it out.



I`m pretty happy except I wish the colour matched a bit better, and I wish I`d been more patient with the paint and not sprayed too heavily in 2 places where I have runs.



Much cheaper than what I was quoted at a body shop, and even (shudder) Maaco. All in all, less than $30 Cdn for supplies.



Some folks on Maxima.org are fond of removing these moldings all togther and cleaning the glue off, but I don`t like the indentation in the doors where they sat in.



EDIT: I didn`t even see post 1 and knew it was a Maxima! LOL, very common problem with lighter coloured Maxes. :p