Thread: Keeping plastic trim alive

Thanks for the tip, I'll see if my local Autobarn has it in stock.
I've seen the penut butter method on a few youtube vids which seems to also do the job.

I'd be reluctant to peanut butter anything! Rodents don't need much encouragement to get under and chew stuff let alone with nice flavouring on?

Anyway, the autoglym is ok on the reasonable condition trim but I'll need to stick to my original plan to refurbish my wheel arch moulding thingies, they're too far gone for a treatment but I'm going to fine sand them then vinyl dye them

Originally Posted by 1976_michelle

I'd be reluctant to peanut butter anything! Rodents don't need much encouragement to get under and chew stuff let alone with nice flavouring on?

Anyway, the autoglym is ok on the reasonable condition trim but I'll need to stick to my original plan to refurbish my wheel arch moulding thingies, they're too far gone for a treatment but I'm going to fine sand them then vinyl dye them

Not a bad point about the rodents. Our Ford Focus seems to attract birds that like eating plastic trim!

Would be great to see some before and after pics after the sand and vinyl dye.

Yep. Will happily put it off a while longer but will definitely post progress when I start. I have nothing to lose, its either replace them altogether or give them a shot

Vinyl dye worked well on my County radiator grille and headlight surrounds. Did them about 18 months ago and the car isn't garaged but still looks good now.

Grabbed some of the Autoglym Bumper and Trim Gel from the recommendations on this thread. Brought it home and declared to the boss that I'd "bought her a present". She used it for the trims on her Astra and its come up great!

Steve

ryangus posted a thread here somewhere about resurrecting the trim around his headlights etc.

Can';t find it at the moment...

Originally Posted by steveG

Brought it home and declared to the boss that I'd "bought her a present".

Steve

How funny, I do this all the time

Forget all the "flash stuff". Motor trimmer gave me good advice many years ago. Use boot polish. Black Brown Grey etc. One can get almost any colour from your local boot maker. Among the best advice I have ever been given. Thing that kills interior and exterior plastic trim in Oz is the ultra-violet. Shoe polish pigments provide ultra-violet opaque blockers. Many of the so called restorers on the market actually amplify the UV and or cause damage to the plasticizers at a molecular level.

In my experience, having done a few restorations of Euro cars over the years, and consequent observation of Euros, Japanese and Oz builds. Only the Japanese and Oz builders seem to take note of Australia's extremely high UV. Not only rips your face off but kills automotive soft trim.

I've used it on and in my rag top Concours car and on my restored E30 as well as in all of the Landies I've owned. Not had any problems with degradation; and the shoe polish gives a nice subtle finish when "polished".

Cheers

RF