Restore Plastic and rubber trim?

[schiddy]

I have some really faded black plastic and rubber trim pieces. The car is only an 2007 and it`s pretty bad. Looks 10X worse in direct sunlight. Any products out there that can restore these or are they just too far gone? G-technic trim restorer looks interesting but very expensive. I`ve tried cleaning with diluted apc in test spots but luck.



Black plastic front cowl:









Rubber seal around sunroof:





Weird very hard rubber trim along roof line:

[Accumulator]

schiddy- I`ve had some good results (good luck?) along with a few not-so-swell ones using products made for paint.



KAIO is my usual first-try product. I`ve also done well with Hi-Temp`s Heavy Cut Leveler/"357" and sometimes (especially on GMs) 1Z Paint Polish. You gotta wipe such stuff off before it dries/hazes lest you get the dreaded "white polish stains", but products like those seem to work well on the oxidation and also (at least in the case of the 357 and the 1Z) the abrasives help take off the "dead" layer of plastic.



That approach doesn`t always work (e.g., the Crown Vic`s trashed plastic just gets slimed with Autoglym Bumper Care), but more often than not it has for me. I`ll then either strip the surface and use a trim sealant or just use KSG (over KAIO) or Collinite 845 (over any of them) without bothering to strip it.

[Jpostal]

Check out this thread. I had a Chevy Avalanche with faded trim and posted a similar question...4 pages of answers.

[schiddy]

Looks like c4 is my best bet for long term on the plastic. What about restoring the rubber sunroof seal?

[SVR]

Most options that I am offering are expensive at first but will work



For the cowling and the roof line trim, I use Milestone Lemon Proof, Driven Multi or Optimum power clean first with a small stiff brush. then I follow with Glare Zero by hand with foam pads which is a deoxidiser and purifier for many surfaces including paint



It sucks out impurities as well as reviving the like new finish on most ext trim.

The foam pad may turn black as you use it, thats all the carbon and damage being removed



From that point, proceed with Gtechniq C4 or an American or Japanese glass/quartz coating product or Optimum Opti Coat (Cquartz is another)



Any materials that are hard but smooth I actually polish by hand or machine (depending on shape of the trim) with Glare Micro, Infinity and Advanced to give a gloss black paint like finish permanently.



However textured trims and cowlings do not like that stuff. wrong material



Zero is extremely versatile ( I use on tyres, trims, paint, plastic chrome, wheels and interior rubber seals and plastic) but its only downside is its a couple hundred dollars a litre and smells like paint. it will not damage any surface though.



when it comes to exterior trim repair, Zero after a degreaser or APC is dynamite preparation for a permanent coating system.



I highly recommend it for those with exterior trim problems. forget dressings and dye`s, clean it, zero it then coat the ```````s.



Glare :: Home



you can do the wiper arms with glare and top with Gtechniq C4 for a permanent paint like gloss if you wish.

[schiddy]

Thanks dudes! I`ll have to try the APC cleaning then C4 on the plastic. Good test for the c4, pretty much worst plastic out there. Prob even worse than avalanches.



Any ideas on this faded semi soft rubber seal for the sunroof? Just 303 to stop it from getting worse or can you think of anything to restore it?

[Ron Ketcham]

My old company has a kit that is a permanent fix for plastic discoloring.

Used by Hyundai on over 40,000 new vehicles, Mazda on over 3,000 new pickups, it lasts for years.

I did the wiper arms on my Serbring convertible 5 years ago, and nothing since, they still look brand new.

You can see a video regarding the product and how it is applied at the ValuGard website if you are interested.

Warning, one kit may do up to 50 or more vehicles, so the cost per vehicle is quite low.

Grumpy

[DM101]

Do you have the link ????

My old company has a kit that is a permanent fix for plastic discoloring.

Used by Hyundai on over 40,000 new vehicles, Mazda on over 3,000 new pickups, it lasts for years.

I did the wiper arms on my Serbring convertible 5 years ago, and nothing since, they still look brand new.

You can see a video regarding the product and how it is applied at the ValuGard website if you are interested.

Warning, one kit may do up to 50 or more vehicles, so the cost per vehicle is quite low.

Grumpy

[Accumulator]

Ron Ketcham- Are you referring to the Exterior Trim Repair kit?

[Ron Ketcham]

Two links, Automotive International.com or ValuGard.net

[Ron Ketcham]

Yes, but the new kit does not have the white toner in the kit.

Grumpy

[DM101]

Can this be purchased if your not a dealer ???

[Ron Ketcham]

Yes, they offer most products to consumers, detailers, etc.

[Accumulator]

Yes, but the new kit does not have the white toner in the kit.

Grumpy

So the results are gonna be "regular matte black" right?



As in, you only need the white toner if you`re trying to match an OE gray finish, is that correct?

[Ron Ketcham]

The first week or so, the surface may appear a bit more glossy, but then it goes to the matte finish.

They dropped the toner as most could not make a good match, color matching takes some extra talent.

I am sure they have some open stock of the white toner if you call them.

The only concern I have seen with the black and the UV Gard is that people either try to apply too much or "work" the product too much, which creates some small bubbles, but with a second coat, they go away.

It is a great product, however they never could figure out a way to do smaller sizes, as the labor and packaging cost would make it cost as much as the regular ETR Kit.

Grumpy