how do I clean molding

M

medic

New member
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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?
 
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
 
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