Exterior Trim 'restorer'

[AJPMIKE 0]

I've bought a couple of trim bits(bumpers and rearpanel) from a chap just recently,but in trying to do me a favour this guy has left me with a bit of a problem! He has 'restored' the grey trim items with something which has turned their colour to an almost black shade of dark grey,so they look a mile off my existing grey trim on the car.I contacted the chap concerned who said that the 'gel' type restorer he used was a trade product and couldnt remember it's name,so i wouldn't be able to get it in the shops.He said he would send me some so that i could treat the rest of my trim to match,but this hasn't happened.

After trying a Simoniz brand gel type product(the only gel type i could find),but to no avail,i thought it might be just as easy to get some more bumpers and rear panel and sell these ones which are too dark,but it's proved harder to find good second hand grey items than i expected.

Does anyone out there know of a gel type 'restorer' product that will really darken my grey trim to match,or know what he might have been using?After buying the Simoniz stuff which doesnt do it to the same effect i realise i could waste a lot of money trying out various 'back to black' type products in order to find the right one!

Cheers,Mike

[miamichris 9]

Try the plasticare stuff on ebay, i've used the grey one with good results but you can get a black one too.

 

I doubt you'll be able to lighten them again so probably you're best bet is to darken the others.

[Lan 24 1 Cars]

2nd that plasticare is great

[dansalegend 0 1 Cars]

3rd that placticare is awesome!!!

[Simes 248 2 Cars]

Autoglym Bumpersnot is also very good.

[RobBBoi 0]

Theres some meguires 'tyre shine' that makes grey bumpers very dark. Dont know if you can get it here as my brother brought it back from America. It is very greasy though!

[ALEX 98 1 Cars]

AutoGlym Black Dye!

It's an areosol can, a bit like paint but stains the plastic even black rather than paints them.

If you don't want to remove the trim I spay it in the cap and rub it on with a rag and then go over it with the Auto Glym (Green) bumper care stuff to seal it.

I found it lasts a good 4-5 months before it starts to fade.

Edited May 20, 2009 by ALEX

[Sanchez 0]

Autoglym Bumpersnot is also very good.

This is what gets used on mine and it's good stuff. Lasts a reasonable amount of time too.

[AJPMIKE 0]

Thanks for all the replies so far .The plasticare stuff looks really good,but it also doesntlook like it's quite as dark as what i need to match it to,does it get darker the more you apply? Failing being sure of a good match then it sounds like i might just be better off dying everything black with either the autoglym or perhaps the plasticare in black?

I was wondering if a degreaser would remove the stuff thats been applied to the affected trim bits,anyone tried using something to remove this kind of stuff with any success?

[Sanchez 0]

Thanks for all the replies so far .The plasticare stuff looks really good,but it also doesntlook like it's quite as dark as what i need to match it to,does it get darker the more you apply? Failing being sure of a good match then it sounds like i might just be better off dying everything black with either the autoglym or perhaps the plasticare in black?

I was wondering if a degreaser would remove the stuff thats been applied to the affected trim bits,anyone tried using something to remove this kind of stuff with any success?

I've put a first coat of Plasticare on one of my arches today and it's definitely a lighter shade than my existing trim (which i grey, not black). I'm hoping that once I've pained it and then sealed it with the Autoglym bumper care that it will match up with my exiting trim.

 

How are everyone else's results with this?

[ORB 227 1 Cars]

I use Black Kiwi Instant shoe shine.

 

Its much too radical for most dudes though.

[zebedy101 0]

iv found that autoglym black dye is the best option depending on how bad your plastics are i sprayed my rear plastic panel tonight and it came out pretty aswome id advise against spraying it on though unless your taking the plastics off as no matter how many panels you mask up it will still go everywere im definatly going to try out spraying it in the cap tomorow. the autoglym bumper snot is also very good and works very effectively unless like me the previous owner of your car has done god knows what to the rear plastic panel and made it turn a very wierd colour of grey with a hint of green on places thats impossible to cover up unless sprayed. good luck with the plastics anyhow.

 

seb