A car's exterior deteriorates over time, even if it is kept in perfect conditions where it isn't exposed to the cold, rain, or the sun.

Besides knowing how to prep a car for a paint job, learning how to permanently restore black plastic trim can also prove to be very useful if you want to take proper care of your vehicle's exterior.

Black plastic doesn't respond well to the extreme weather conditions, and it progressively turns gray, which can make your ride look older and shabbier than it actually is. So, in this article, we are going to show you how to permanently restore black plastic trim and keep it in mint condition over extended periods of time.

What is the exterior car trim?

The term car trim refers to all plastic parts of your car's exterior. These parts are often made out of black plastic and they include:

  • Headlights
  • Window and door seals
  • Wheel wells
  • Bumpers
  • Lower door trim panel

However, some parts of the trim can also include parts made out of vinyl and rubber that are added for both functional and aesthetic reasons.

All of the parts of the exterior car trim are prone to gradual degradation which can eventually lead to cracking, loss of color or flexibility, and various other issues that damage the vehicle's visual appearance.

The only way to combat these issues is regular maintenance, but just washing your car may not be enough to keep the black plastic from fading, especially if you don't keep your vehicle in a garage.

Why do exterior car trims fade?

Parking your car in the street makes it vulnerable and exposed to different types of risks, as someone can vandalize it with spray paint, scratch it accidentally and transfer some paint in the process or make a dent.

The exterior parts of all cars deteriorate over time, and fading is a natural part of that process. Trim isn't like car paint that has a protective clear coating that protects it from the environmental factors, which is the reason why it fades more quickly than the car paint.

The two most common factors that make the trim fade faster are UV radiation and road contaminants.

If you are parking your car outside regularly, the sun exposure will speed up the fading process, and leaving your car indoors can help slow it down, but it won't stop it altogether.

What's more, nearly all parts of the exterior car trim are exposed to the salt and road grime during winter months. These road contaminants contain corrosive elements that affect the trim and cause the color to wear out.

Taking extra care of your vehicle's exterior is the only way to slow down the deterioration of trim, but sooner or later its color is going to fade, regardless of how well you maintain your car.

Is it possible to restore a faded trim?

Nothing lasts forever, and as your car gets older, having to deal with faded trim becomes more probable.

The good news is that you can restore your trim to the factory finish and keep it that way for months and even years. However, you need to go the extra mile to preserve the trim's color after you restore it because they can fade in just a few weeks if you don't take the necessary steps.

What's more, the entire process doesn't take too much time, but you shouldn't attempt to restore a black plastic trim in the open if the weather is too warm or too cold.

Exploring the plastic black trim restoration options

You have several options when it comes to the method you are going to use to restore a black plastic trim.

Painting the trim is probably the most permanent solution, although it may be time-consuming. Ideally, you should remove the piece of trim you want to restore and wash it thoroughly before you spray it.

However, you should make sure that the paint you want to use is suitable for the trim part you want to restore before you start restoring a plastic black trim.

The second black trim restoration method involves the use of a heat gun, but you must be careful because overheating a trim can cause irreparable damage. Heating the plastic will bring up the oils it contains and restore its original color.

Even though this is a permanent solution you may resort to it just a few times because the material has a limited amount of oils. In fact, applying any type of oil onto a trim will restore its color to some extent.

Most industry experts recommend using linseed oil, so you just have to boil it, apply the oil to the trim, remove the excess, and leave the rest to dry.

However, the easiest and most reliable method of restoring a black plastic trim is to use the permanent trim restorer. There are lots of trim restorers to choose from, but we recommend opting for a more expensive brand, since the cheapest options may not be as effective.

Choosing a black plastic trim restorer

All black plastic trim restorers darken the surface to which they are applied and they make it shiny after they dry.

Moreover, either of these products provides protection against UV rays, wind, rain, or debris which helps keep the trim in the perfect condition for a longer period of time.

Gtechniq C4, Meguiar's plastic restorer, or CarGuys plastic restorer are all reliable options that will restore your black plastic trim permanently. The process of applying any of these products to the trim is the same, although the effects can vary from one product to another.

For instance, most plastic restorers create a shiny finish that doesn't resemble the trim's original finish. Opting for Gtechnic C4 may be a good idea if you want your trim to look exactly the same as it did when it was new because this plastic trim restorer provides a satin finish.

Even though the quantity of these products may seem disproportionate to their price, purchasing any of these permanent black plastic trim restorers is still a good investment even if you want to restore large trim surfaces.

Working with the permanent black plastic trim restorer

A permanent black plastic trim restorer is a powerful product, and you must use it with utmost care in order to avoid damaging other parts of your car's exterior.

In addition, it is advisable to read the instructions and to familiarize yourself with the product before applying it to a part of the trim you want to restore.

When ready, proceed to wash your car including all trim parts, and then use an all-purpose cleaner or a degreaser to get rid of any remaining dirt. Optionally you can clean the trim with isopropyl alcohol to make sure that you removed all sealants, wax, or grease.

What's more, you can use masking tape to cover the parts of your car's exterior that are close to the trim you're restoring, because a black permanent restorer can cause streaking or hazing of the paint.

Wearing eye protection and gloves is also recommended because permanent black plastic trim restorers contain chemicals that can be harmful to your skin and eyes.

When ready you should get a few drops of the permanent black plastic restorer onto an applicator pad and then rub it onto the surface of the trim. Go through the entire process slowly, and ensure that you've finished one section of the trim before moving on to the next one.

After you're done, you can use a fiber cloth to remove any excess of the permanent black plastic trim restorer and preview the results. If the trim's finish resembles the original finish, then your job is completed.

You can apply more trim restorer to the areas of the trim where the finish is still not as it is supposed to be.

It is worth noting that trim restorer bonds quicker to the plastic in a warmer environment, which is the reason why you shouldn't apply it in the open if the weather is humid or cold.

Getting the right amount of the permanent black plastic trim restorer

How much permanent black plastic trim restorer you are going to need depends on the size of the area you're trying to restore.

Most permanent black plastic trim restorers come in 15ml packaging, which should be more enough to cover all parts of a smaller car's exterior trim.

In case you want to restore trims permanently on several vehicles or if you simply have a vehicle that has a large trim, getting one or two 30ml trim restorers may be a good idea.

Keep in mind that applying too much of the plastic trim restorer to the surfaces you're restoring isn't going to provide better or longer protection.

That's why you should add smaller amounts of the trim restorer to the applicator pad in order to avoid having to remove the residue.

Black plastic trim maintenance tips

Although the fading of the trim is unavoidable even after you've restored it to its former state, applying protection can slow down the fading process.

Trim protectants, like Meguiar's G14716 Ultimate Protectant, are designed to prolong the durability of the trim restorer and provide additional protection against UV rays.

Applying these products to all trim parts regularly will help maintain the shine and prevent road contaminants from damaging the segments of the trim that are exposed to them.

Each of these products is easy to use as you just have to add them to fiber cloth and polish the trim part you want to protect.

Frequently asked questions about how to restore black plastic trim?

Are permanent black plastic trim restorers expensive?

Most trim restorers cost between $15 and $25 which makes them affordable for most car owners. However, one bottle of a trim removal may not be enough to permanently restore the vehicle's entire trim.

How often do I have to apply black plastic trim restorers?

The answer to this question depends on how well you maintain your car. If you continue using a trim protectant after you apply a trim restorer, chances are that your trim is not going to fade for a few years.

Can I apply a trim restorer over any color of plastic?

Most permanent black plastic trim restorers provide the best results on black surfaces and you need to look for a product that works with all colors if you want to restore a part of the trim in a different color.

How long does it take for the permanent black plastic trim restorer to dry?

It shouldn't take more than twenty minutes for the permanent black plastic trim restorer to dry even if the weather is cold or humid. If the weather is warm trim restorer is going to dry in approximately ten minutes.

Conclusion

The car's exterior is constantly exposed to environmental factors that eventually wear out its paint job and trim.

Luckily slowing this process down isn't too difficult or expensive and with proper care, all parts of your car's trim can look as good as new even after years of daily wear and tear.

The safest and easiest way to permanently restore black plastic trim is to use a trim restorer product that restores the trim's original finish and provides protection against UV rays and other environmental factors that speed up the fading process.

Hopefully, this article has provided you with all the information you needed to learn how to permanently restore black plastic trim. Leave a comment below and share your opinions with us or follow this link to find out more about swirl removers for black paint.