How do I Revive Exterior Plastic Parts, Especially Fender Flares?

[Down the Tubes]

My 2016 Power Wagon is looking sad
All of the plastic trim is faded and grey instead of black, especially the fender flares
What do you guys use on this plastic to revive it?

 

[Atcer2018]

My 2016 Power Wagon is looking sad
All of the plastic trim is faded and grey instead of black, especially the fender flares
What do you guys use on this plastic to revive it?

I’ve used this with very good results. It’s like $15 at Walmart or Amazon. Easy application although plastic has to be clean and free from grease or adhesive. It’s lasted over a year on both my wife’s and daughter’s black plastic car trim. Isn’t greasy and doesn’t streak.

 

[Down the Tubes]

Thanks!
I'll pick some up and try it. I got some other ceramic coating from a local store earlier today.
It worked really well on the door handles, but not very good on the fender flares.

 

[diymirage]

Heat it up with a hairdryer

 

[bitdrive]

My 2016 Power Wagon is looking sad
All of the plastic trim is faded and grey instead of black, especially the fender flares
What do you guys use on this plastic to revive it?

I use Maguires Ultimate Black. It works better than any plastic vinyl restorer I've ever used. I couldn't find the tailgate comparison where I did half the tailgate showing the difference, but here is using it on the wheel wells and it looks nearly new.

The ONLY downside is if you afterwards drive through anything wet like dirty roads and get material thrown up in there - it's on there. They stay clean if you drive SUPER nice.

Still IMHO worth it cause it looks so fresh.

 

[HarryS]

I'll second the ceramic trim coat. Did some black bumper plastic early this year, and it still looks brand new.

 

[ricky_bobby]

You need to clean the area thoroughly to remove surface contamination and oxidation first

If you just wash with soap and then apply a protectant it will not soak into the plastic trims properly and will go back to fading shortly after

I would use a decently strong APC mixture, or a paint prep solution (Duplicolor, Rusoleum etc) which is basically odorless mineral spirits -

then apply the rejuvenating product of choice - you are building back the UV protection on the plastic and the fading is from losing that

 

[Treburkulosis]

These are the things I do. First I will get a bottle of Motsenbockers lift off graffiti remover. I suggest watching your lungs it will make you caught, but spray it on a pretty durable microfiber towel. Not one you would touch the paint with. Spray it on the towel and agitate the heck out of it. This will remove everything stuck on the pours. A lot of times if the vehicle isn't that old, this alone will bring it back. If that is the case I would use something like Cquartz Dlux on it to lock it in and keep it looking new. If it still is faded then coating is probably out of the question so lets move on to what we can try next. With Ram trim I have found Shine Supply Clutch yes I know it says it is not a dedicated trim restorer, but it will bring it back and it wont wash off. It will also last several months if not a year. That will all depend on you. With what's left which will be a lot since a little goes a long ways. Use it as a spray wax and it will blow your mind as to how much it locks in the shine and lasts. I have seen it last 6 months with one application. For severe cases then you are left with solution finish black trim restorer. I did it on a 2000 Subaru Forester with close to 300k miles on it. It lived its life outside and that brought it back. Hopefully this helps you out.

 

[ricky_bobby]

Another vote for CQuartz DLux if your trim is not in terrible shape after prepping and cleaning- easy to use and get a couple years from it

 

[bitdrive]

One thing I noticed was after using these black restorer products is that they work so well I've noticed in the photos I've took that I have to paint the wheel well screws as they look so out of place when the wheel wells look so clean.

 

[ErickTAR21]

I’ve used this with very good results. It’s like $15 at Walmart or Amazon. Easy application although plastic has to be clean and free from grease or adhesive. It’s lasted over a year on both my wife’s and daughter’s black plastic car trim. Isn’t greasy and doesn’t streak.

Second this, used it heavily on toyota black platics

 

[ricky_bobby]

One thing I noticed was after using these black restorer products is that they work so well I've noticed in the photos I've took that I have to paint the wheel well screws as they look so out of place when the wheel wells look so clean.

You're speaking my OCD language - I would probably buy fresh hardware completely in that case who cares if its $2-3 a screw LOL

 

[MyNewRam]

I’ve used this with very good results. It’s like $15 at Walmart or Amazon. Easy application although plastic has to be clean and free from grease or adhesive. It’s lasted over a year on both my wife’s and daughter’s black plastic car trim. Isn’t greasy and doesn’t streak.

Just bought this stuff yesterday. Hopefully it works well!

 

[Treburkulosis]

You can always been like the C7 guy yesterday at the car show and freaking shoot tire shine on the wheels, the tires, the engine, the wheel wails, some black trim he had, you name it. He must be doing something right as he won best of show lol.

 

[Treburkulosis]

I have been using Koch Chemie PSS On my 2002 Camaro SS. Its been out in the sun every weekend since March. No fading back at all.

 

[Treburkulosis]

I haven't really cleaned the T top area of my Camaro, so there was 23 years worth of gunk in it. I had the tops out yesterday and decided to take care of that. All I used was shine supply solution and my detailing brush. I have wiped it out, but I had never deep cleaned the rubber and hard plastics in there.

 

[bitdrive]

You're speaking my OCD language - I would probably buy fresh hardware completely in that case who cares if its $2-3 a screw LOL

Yes! I AM in the right place

 

[bitdrive]

I haven't really cleaned the T top area of my Camaro, so there was 23 years worth of gunk in it. I had the tops out yesterday and decided to take care of that. All I used was shine supply solution and my detailing brush. I have wiped it out, but I had never deep cleaned the rubber and hard plastics in there. View attachment 553021View attachment 553022

Those tops look immaculate. Very well done!

 

[Treburkulosis]

Those tops look immaculate. Very well done!

Thanks. You can't take back 23 years totally off of it, but you can get it close.

 

[Treburkulosis]

This is a very well used 21 Yukon. The trim was bad on it. This was just Motsenbockers lift off graffiti remover. I took this picture a good 2 hours after using it to clean. I topped it with clutch, but I haven't removed that yet so no final pictures. I will grab some more today when I am doing my final detail on it.