Ford Escape on Monday, Quick question?

03COBRA

03COBRA

I miss my 03 Cobra......
Hey Guys/Gals:



On Monday I am doing a Ford Escape, black!:cool: Anyways, for those of you that are not really framiliar with them, they have a lot of the plastic trim around the bottom of the vehicle. (Front/Rear Bumper, sides) My question is, what should I use to clean this trim? Regular car wash soap, Meguiar's APC? But my real question is should I dress this trim or not? there is a lot of trim and I am worried about it attracting dirt with it being dressed. Also worried about when the rain comes, it streaking down the side! What would you guys do? Check out the pic!



Thanks,

Kyle



564578_4.jpg
 
When I did this black Tribute, I washed the plastic with the normal wash soap and water. My uncle (the owner) told me not to worry about doing anything with the plastic because he was kind of in a hurry. So I just worried about the paint. I would think the 303 would work well for dressing it.



TributeRearPass.jpg
 
Well for dressing I have the following products!



--Adam's V.R.T.

--Poorboy's BnB

--Meguiar's Hyper Dressing
 
I've never tried any of them...sorry. All I've tried is NXT Tech Protectant and 303. Maybe somebody else can help with the decision.
 
O4cobra said:
My question is, what should I use to clean this trim? Regular car wash soap, Meguiar's APC? But my real question is should I dress this trim or not? there is a lot of trim and I am worried about it attracting dirt with it being dressed. Also worried about when the rain comes, it streaking down the side! What would you guys do?
Click to expand...





This is a classic question. I just detailed a relatively new Ford Escape a few days ago and used regular car wash soap for washing. Since this vehicle was less than a year old and the trim looked extremely good, I left it alone. No protectant.



In most cases I will apply a protectant on exterior trim, such as Stoners Trim Shine, only after the vehicle is a couple of years old. That is usually when the trim starts to look a bit faded and lifeless. The key is, once you begin to use an exterior protectant, you will usually have to re-apply it on a regular basis.



One other note. It is a good idea to only use exterior protectants made for use on exterior trim. The use of interior protectants may cause exterior trim to turn white and streak prematurely.
 
Hi Kyle,



It may only need car wash soap to clean. If it needs more, use APC diluted 10:1 in a high volume sprayer. I would use a terry towel for a little more bite. Spray off and dry as usual.



Any of the dressings you have will work great. I would only do a water-based (all of them are) since they are less likely to attract dust.



Good Luck.
 
i see multiple pics of fords...



anyways... i dont think you'll have a problem with streaking if you apply, let it sit/absorb, then buff off residue. any of those dressings should work. let them sit as long as the directions specify, and make sure to buff off, b/c i know when i use 303 and you dont buff off, it will streak on certain surfaces when it rains
 
I would use AIO. That is what I have used on several Volvo Cross Countrys that I have done. Keeps it black and not too shiny. Any excess polish also gets cleaned off.
 
Kyle as others have said as long as the trim isn't in any worse shape than the rest of the car your normal shampoo and wash routine will be just fine. If there is wax on any part of the textured surface I have had great luck using Meg's #39 and a good quality terry to clean it.



As far as dressing the trim that is up to you. I tend to agree with mirrorfinishman on this one. If it is relatively new and in good shape no need to dress IMHO. Once it has aged a bit and been exposed to the sun for some time I would start dressing the trim. My dressing of choice would be Meg's #40. I would use a foam pad for application, let sit for 10-15 minutes, then buff lightly with a clean terry. No rain streaks with that product and process in my experience.
 
hftw Audi 6 said:
Hey 04 Cobra how do u like the meguiars hyper dressing?!?!? i was thinking about ordering some!
Click to expand...

In all honesty, it's ok! I like Poorboy's BnB a little bit more. I need to do some more experimenting with it. If you would like a sample of it, let me know!! I can get you 4oz bottle if you want to try it! with a dillution rate of 2:1 that would be 8oz of product!!
 
If it isn't too dirty, regular car wash soap is enough, otherwise try an all-purpose cleaner, nothing too strong though.



Dressing depends on how it looks once it is clean. You might want to let your customer know that any dressing will end up running to some degree when it rains, and often, leaving it clean and undressed works fine.
 
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