So the trim around the car, the rubbery antenna, underneath wind shield wipers soft plastic is going Grey and so is the plastic grill in the bumper.

I've used 303 for couple years and all it takes is some showers and everything back to grey. I've been using Raggtopp on my soft top for past year and love how it beads water. Then the other day realized that vynil is plastic and why can't this work on all the trim pieces mentioned above?

So I applied raggtop carefully to all pieces and plastic. Let's see if it beads and stays on there.

Should I stay away from using Raggtopp on other plastics in the feature? If so what should I use? Some might say Black WOW and etc... but what about trim it self?

 

i would use a product by mothers called "back to black". it works extremely for items such as trim.

 

I've tried that before on buddy's 330 Beema and it lasted only about 2 weeks.

 

Unfortunately there is really no way to permanently get it back to new condition. Plastics and rubber will degrade in sun, and oxidize (and discolor, crack, shrink and warp). But there are a few things you can do to maintain them as good as possible.

303 is good, even if it lasts only a few showers. It is cheap and you can reapply.

Black WOW is awesome stuff, and will last longer than 303, but is a PITA to work with, and like 303 it streaks paint after a rain and such. You will need to apply thick, wait a while, then blot off, then buff off (by hand of course).

Meg's trim detailer is really good stuff, but I can't say for sure how long it will last (just started using it a few weeks ago). IMO it is as durable as 303, maybe a few weeks. But this looks nice, not glossy and greasy like black WOW. The best thing about this stuff is that it wipes off glass and paint super easy, making cleanup a snap.

AIOs, like Klasse, can also be applied to a properly cleaned plastic surface, like mirrors and door trim. As long as the plastic is not very "grainy" or corse, you should be able to wax it with AIO with good results. I can;t say how long it lasts either due to lack of experience with it, but this stuff will not streak (how could it) or wash off. It will not darken as much as the other products either, but is worth a try.

The key to all of these is proper cleaning prior to application. I have 2 plastic/rubber cleaners from Griots: Rubber Cleaner and Rubber Prep. They are very strong, and you can spend a few towels on just getting grime out of a piece of trim with this stuff. But it does the job! If not, try APC 10:1 on a car that will be waxed afterwards. I have heard APC strips wax at 10:1, but have not confirmed it. Use brushes and rags to really get the stuff clean. Finally, do not rub to hard or fast. Just passing a MF towel briskly over a piece of trim can "marr" the surface, kinda melting it. So keep it slow and steady, and use brushing as much as possible.

 

All those products ^^^ work well. I have also seen some shops use Mop n Glo on hard plastics!!! Yes I swear!!! And it worked great. Lasted a long time.

 

I use Poorboys Trim Restore.

 

Okay thanks. Black wow seems like the best for plastics and i've seen it beeds water. Meguiar's stuff must be good too.

 

i also use mother's back to black. my stuff still looks outstanding from several months ago. If your finish looks quite beat, it may take several coats over a couple weeks to work properly. I also like it because i've yet to experience any oils or residue rinsing off and smearing from washing.

you could also try an AIO type of product like Klasse AIO as people like them for their color + protection abilities

 

I used 303 religiously from the start and never had a problem with fade.

 

Not meaning to thread jack.....

It's somewhat on topic....

I've been using Swissvax Pneu for all the trimmings and rubber peices on my S2000. And, it's been lasting me about 4~6weeks on certian parts and tires only for about 2weeks at most. Is this safe for the Antenna and stuff? Because it seems to work better for me compared to the Megs Trim Detailer and 303 protectant.