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We have a black suv that which after 20K freeway miles is showing some fading in its brilliance on the plastic bumper and showing swirl and light scratch marks through out the vehicle. I have also noticed some scratches probably a result from the grocery store lot.
I keep seeing reference to clay bars but am not sure what they do.
What would you recommend to remove swirls and scratches, and to restore that brilliant black color on plastic and the rest of the car?
TIA
Clay will not get rid of the scratches and swirls you need a swirl mark remvoer for that - it`s not a dumb question - so I am assuming you will do all this by hand. If you are looking for products off the shelf then -
for the trim I would get Mother`s back to black or Stoner`s trim shine for the outside plastic - for the paint - you should clay, then follow up with a 3 step system like Meguiar`s deep crystal or the mothers three step.
The back to black product for the trim ( I should have elaborated, the bumpers are plastic yet painted black same as the color of the vehicle). Will this product still be effective?
Yes I will be doing all the work by hand.
Yes...... i agree with groebuck what he mention this should do the trick as far as the question there is never a dumb question only not asking a guestion would be dumb!
i always liked gold class liquid on my black ford explorer ..took out the swirls looked good but since youve found detail city you have access to much better products so give one of our sponsors a call and they can set you up with some stuff to make your ride look killer .. polish, polymer sealer, ect
Max, If the plastic bumpers are colour coded with the exact same paint as the rest of your vehicle than the Back to Black will not be effective. I believe it is designed for black plastic bumper such as late eighties and early nineties vehicles, as well as other modern trims in black. If the bumpers ARE color coded than treat them as if it were any other painted panel on the car. That`s what I would do without someone correcting me ;).
No question is stupid, we`re always learning too!
Since you`re doing your work by hand, it may be impossible to get every single scratch and swirl out.
That being said, I do almost all my work by hand and I have some favorite polishes that can probably help you out. From most to least abrasive:
Einszett 1ZUP
Meguiar`s DACP
Einszett 1ZPP
Einszett 1ZMP
The Einszett line especially is quite suitable for work by hand. With all of these, you have to make sure to really work it in good. That means working it in until the product is almost dry and powdery.
Without knowing how bad you scratches are, I would probably not start out too agressive. Probably start with 1ZPP. Make sure to follow up with 1ZMP to remove any hazing that you might get with a more agressive polish.
Then, you can use a glaze to fill in any remaining minor swirls. I recommend Vanilla Moose by Clearkote. Very easy to work with and won`t stain trim (actually will help it.)
Finally, seal it all in with a nice sealant. For black, I love Wolfgang (about as deep a look as you`ll get from a sealant) but there are many good choices out there.
After washing the car, claying will be the first step you want do (even before polishing.) The clay will remove contaminants from your paint, even ones you can`t necessarily see (but can feel.) A common tip is to put your hand in a ziploc sandwich bag and lightly touch your paint surface. The plastic will enhance your sense of touch and you should be able to feel the contaminants in your paint.
Use plenty of lubrication for the clay. You can use the lube suppllied with the clay, a quick detailer (QD), or even a soap/water mix (I use a 10:1 water/soap mix.)
To be safe, when you`re done, wash the car again to remove any remaining clay and lube residue. Then do your polishing steps.
Have fun, I know I do!