Cleaning/restoring plastic body parts

Looking to bring back the faded rear bumper on my wife's 2014 Rav4. I have a Porter Cable DA but I suspect that's not needed..it's a black plastic bumper cover, the metal panels are dark blue.

What would I use, some kind of dressing I believe?

 

Dressing will get it done, it will only be temporary. Solution Finish is what you need. It will redy the plastic and make it look original again.

 

Solution finish, Gtechniq C4, or Carpro D-Lux..all will work.

 

People swear by 3m 303 aerospace protectant

 

Sweet..sounds like I have a couple of options. Much appreciated..

 

A dressing does not compare to the other products. 303 will be gone after the first rain. I have gotten well over a year out GTechniq C4.

 

303 Aerospace Protectant is really great stuff, but it's only a dressing, and will only look good for a few weeks (depending on weather).

 

Aren’t they all basically just a dressing? It’s not like the plastic is being heated up and remolded. And nothing is changing the molecular structure or anything like that. I’m pretty sure whatever you use will at some point in time break down, wash off, or fade away and the worn plastic will be exposed again.

 

Dressing sit on top of the plastic and wash off after the first rain. Coatings bond to the plastic and can last 1 year plus (in my experience).

Everyone loves 303 but really it’s not useful on exterior plastic unless you want to reapply every other week. I prefer the method where I have to do the least amount of work.

 

No, everything in the marketplace is NOT just dressing. Solution Finish redyes the plastic black so it looks new again.

 

Website says it’s a natural oil. Looks like the tint it like a colored wax just to help with the color. Seems to me that this product will rinse away or wear off just like another other. It’s not a plastic dye like a SEM product and even dying plastic you still need a clean scuffed surface and it’s recommended to use an adhesion promoter. It just dyes the surface which is smoother and thinner than paint.

 

Yes eventually Solution Finish will wear out but then again so does the OEM plastics on all these vehicles. Want to make your OEM plastic stay darker longer, use a dedicated trim coating (can't recommend this enough on any newer vehicle). Want your restore job of Solution Finish to last longer, apply a ceramic coating on top of it.

Either way SF is for restoration, dressings make plastics look good for weeks maybe months. Ceramic coatings will make plastics look good for a year or years.

 

I would suggest you try using it rather than assuming how the product performs. There have been a few products recommended on here that last longer than a dressing/303.

 

I've tried 303 and Solution Finish (along with other dressings) on my daily driver.

Both look great; however, 303 only lasts about a week or two max before it fades out or washes off with a wash. Solution finish will last about 3-4 months before I started to notice it failing.

As a FYI, if you decide to go with Solution Finish, use gloves and make sure you have a clean towel nearby to clean it off your paint or windows. I've read its a pain to remove it if it dries up.

 

Try a ceramic coating.

 

Or a heat gun

 

What about for interior drivers door panel that has scratches around handles from hands? Car guys, solution finish or anything else help

 

Car Guys will help.

 

Appreciate the response. I tried Meguiars Ultimate Black plastic restorer but really did nothing. Is the Car guys the same type of stuff