What product to use to restore this trim?

[CFiftyFive]

It`s the trim encircled in red below from a Mercedes Benz C55 AMG. It`s the same trim that runs on the sides of the roof. It looks like faded rubber in the picture but it`s actually some sort of aluminum. I`m just not sure if it`s anodized or not or if it has a clear coat.



Anyway, as you can see it has lots of oxidation and tarnish.



I don`t have a dedicated aluminum trim restorer so I first tried Meguiar`s Hot Rim Aluminum wheel cleaner on a tiny area just for the heck of it, but it didn`t help one bit.





I guess I have to purchase a proper product for it. Any suggestions?

[CFiftyFive]

Anybody?







?

[Accumulator]

CFiftyFive- Welcome to Autopia!



I haven`t had a Benz since they got all modern so I`m flying blind, but I`d try a mild All-In-One product for starters.



Note that anodizing is (perhaps surprisingly) fragile in some ways; it gets messed up and then stays that way and aggressive measures just take it off the aluminum, leaving you with a new, and perhaps worse, problem.

[CFiftyFive]

Thanks for the welcome!



Any specific "mild All-In-One product" you can suggest?

[Accumulator]

Thanks for the welcome!



Any specific "mild All-In-One product" you can suggest?

The "standard answer" is Klasse All In One. You have to order it, but it`s incredibly useful stuff to have around anyhow and I`m confident it`d be money well-spent. The big thing in this case is that it`s very gentle, almost always functionally nonabrasive.



Might not solve the problem, but wont make anything worse. Gee, sorry that`s the best I can say about it, but unless/until somebody who has first-hand experience chimes in I`d be more worried about doing damage than affecting a perfect fix.

[15951]

I had the same problem, used Zaino`s AIO, and the trim is as good as new. The pad was black with oxidation by the time I finished.

[samhian]

My trim looked very similar to that. The belt molding on that Benz needs to be replaced. I wasn`t able to restore mine.