Restore black plastic

Yeah I use a heat gun on plastic bumpers scuffs, when plastic bumpers get scuffs on them they turn to a lightest color and what your doing is kinda melting the plastic and turns back to there original color on the plastic … well that's what I do on used car lots anyway …

 

Honda shin etzu grease if you want something that'll hold you over before replacement or repainting.

 

The sun really does bleach them out in time, I do paint a lot of those on my Dealerships lots … Just degrease the area mask off and paint it, I've been using

Mar-Hyde Black Satin over 20+ years on plastic trim and bumpers for car lots.​

 

https://www.carthrottle.com/post/4-ways-to-restore-faded-black-plastic-trim/

 

CarPro cquartz for plastic, it will bring the black back but not to new but it will darken it near new, and it adds a layer of UV protection, I put it on all new vehicles from the start now and havent had any fading, every 3 months I recoat, about 12 drops to do the trim so the bottle will last a long time. The heat gun thing works but it will fade blotchy and look even worse later.

 

Automatic transmission fluid. Your going to think it's nuts but there's a reason it works. Plastic is just another version of refined petroleum, it fades because the heat is cooking the oils out of the plastic. On a hot day use small amounts, and I mean the size of a quarter, on a cloth and rub it down. Do this 2-3 times on different days and it will be back to looking new. I've done this on a ton of different vehicles. You can use a heat gun after you coat it to accelerator the process just becareful not to burn it.

 

No no no! Overtime it will have an adverse effect on the plastic. No petroleum based products or heat gun unless you want a blotchy mess.

There are other products out there that are made for plastic....USE THEM!!!

 

Prevention is the best approach to detailing. You want to prevent swirling, prevent oxidation, prevent UV damage, prevent drying and cracking etc.

Once you have neglected something to the point where it looks ugly, you’ve really created a much more time consuming and expensive job for yourself.

Wash your vehicles with appropriate soaps.
Hand wash your vehicles only. Do not run through auto washes.
Use microfiber towels and/or drying aids to prevent swirls.
Use sealers or coatings on your paint, plastics, glass, and lenses to prevent oxidation and damage from the sun.

If you use product safe soaps, hand wash only, and put a protective product on your black plastics 1-2 times a year you can have a 15 year old set of plastic fenders look new.
You cannot neglect the plastic for a decade and then decide you want to care for them.
You can’t put toothpaste back in the tube.

If the black plastic has turned white from age you are SOL. They need to be redyed or replaced.
Don’t use petroleum oils, shoe polish, olive oil, Magic Eraser, wD40, soda, salad dressing or what ever other dumb ideas exist out there.




OK I’ve done my prevention rant, I feel better.
Its less work to care for it as you go than to neglect it.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuueCrRBaCA

 

Fair enough Packon. I can't argue with the longevity of it, I mainly did it on car or trucks I was flipping. It was cheap and worked... or so I thought lol.

 

Bondo makes a black dye that is made just for that purpose.

 

Thats whats nice about using things in the used car business... you never really find out if it stays or not lol

 

i used this on my roof rail liner things. because i'm short and always forget to 303 it.

https://poorboysworld.com/trim-restorer-for-exterior-trim-moldings.html

 

I have used that before. My only issue is that it contains petroleum distillates.

 

I'm unfamiliar, what does that cause?

 

Tends to dry out plastic over time.

 

I've had good luck with Meguiar's Ultimate Black. I also like the look when applied to tires. Gives a clean dark without being shiny.

 

I use Gtechniq C4 as well on all my cars including my Lambo. It makes faded plastic look like new. It keeps new plastic from ever fading. The small bottle believe it or not will cover at least two Tacoma trucks plastic. It goes on so incredibly thin that it covers a lot more than you would expect.

Try it. It lasts two years, cannot ever wash off and keeps plastic looking like new! I live in Phoenix where the sun is ruthless on black plastic. I cannot overstate how great this product is!

 

Will definitely have to try Gtechniq C4. I've used heat gun and back to black.

 

I'd like to find something for my Wrangler fenders besides the plastic dip that comes off every few months.