Front grill

The place to pick up tips on bringing that showroom shine back to your E30.

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lucam3evo2
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Post Wed Apr 28, 2010 11:52 am

What do you advise me to shine my front grill?

thanks
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lucam3evo2
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Post Thu Apr 29, 2010 1:47 am

lucam3evo2 wrote:What do you advise me to shine my front grill?

thanks

?? :)
baur320
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Post Thu Apr 29, 2010 11:49 pm

I use Autoglym Bumper Care. Maybe not the best of pictures:-

Image

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... 65682#tab3
Current E30 325i, E63 630is.
Previous E21 320/4, E9 3.0 CSA, E12 525, E30 320i, E28 528i, E34 535is, E30 318i, E28 525e, E30 325i Touring, E30 Baur 327i, E36 M3 Evo, X3is, E39 530d M Sport.
Alex
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Post Thu Apr 29, 2010 11:54 pm

i use

Image

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_165651

i had just used it when i took this pic, i soaked the grills with the stuff

its probably similar to the Bumper care

Image
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mabz
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Post Fri Apr 30, 2010 4:42 pm

maybe for a long lasting finish try boot polish
Cook318IS
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Post Fri Apr 30, 2010 4:54 pm

i use meguiars high endurance gloss tyre shine on all my black trim bits. Its a nightmare doing the grilles though!
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Falkster
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Post Fri Apr 30, 2010 4:55 pm

Armourall for the black and autosol for silver.
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pukar
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Post Tue May 04, 2010 7:50 pm

+1 meguirs tyre shine, if you use a paintbrush on the grills, its quite easy
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harry_p
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Post Mon May 10, 2010 11:55 pm

if theyre really faded take them off and paint them.
cheers,

harry
P10mike
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Post Wed Jun 02, 2010 4:41 pm

Boiled linseed oil! Much cheaper than the usual products.
If you dont believe me try it! Only needs a light coating and lasts for ages.
iceox
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Post Sat Jun 05, 2010 9:10 pm

+1 for boot polish, cake them in boot polish, then use a good off brush and they will come up prestine, did the front spoiler on my chromie and it came up like brand new
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PG325
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Post Thu Jun 10, 2010 7:34 am

Alex wrote:i use

Image

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_165651

i had just used it when i took this pic, i soaked the grills with the stuff

its probably similar to the Bumper care

Image
+1 for Autoglym Vinyl care, I did the same as Alex on bits of mine, sprayed on and left to dry, my horseshoe and interior look brand new, definitely going to do the same on grill and bumpers.
hennabm
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Post Thu Jun 10, 2010 7:46 pm

Autoglym vinyl care is OK but from my experiences the Bumper Care stays on a little longer and gives a nice deep shine once you have built up a few layers. :D

The only problem I find with Meguiars tyre shine on plastic is that it does stay sticky for some time and concours judges don't like getting their hands dirty winkeye
'82 323i henna
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Alex
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Post Thu Jun 10, 2010 7:58 pm

PG325 wrote:
Alex wrote:i use

Image

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_165651

i had just used it when i took this pic, i soaked the grills with the stuff

its probably similar to the Bumper care

Image
+1 for Autoglym Vinyl care, I did the same as Alex on bits of mine, sprayed on and left to dry, my horseshoe and interior look brand new, definitely going to do the same on grill and bumpers.
+1 you should see my rear door cards, i took them out and soaked them in this :P
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blackE30indy
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Post Thu Jun 10, 2010 8:45 pm

I sprayed mine satin Black look brand new now
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juddye30
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Post Fri Jun 11, 2010 1:23 pm

meguirs endurance trim detailer all the way :P
d6dph
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Post Fri Jun 11, 2010 1:33 pm

They weren't glossy from the factory were they?

It's one thing I really try to follow when detailing, All finishes should look factory. The dash should never be shiney, Tyres should not have a wet look, and all exterior plastics should be dark and look new but without a gloss finish.

As for products I use:

Dash & grilles: Einsett plastic cleaner followed by Einsett plastic protectant
Tyres: Zaino Z16 tyre treatment. A think milky solution that leaves them looking factory fresh.
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SGP
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Post Tue Jul 27, 2010 2:17 am

I've heard that judicious use of a heat gun can return the pigment and make them look as-new. Will try later today and report back.Afaik various back to black type preparations just wash off.
If it ain't broke..
Fix it till it is :)
silversideofthemoon
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Post Tue Jul 27, 2010 4:15 pm

blackE30indy wrote:I sprayed mine satin Black look brand new now
done the same looks like new again
formally touringandy.............driving e30 320i touring and e39 535i
SGP
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Post Wed Jul 28, 2010 1:30 am

Sorry didn't get around to the heat gun today, will do asap, satin black paint will look great until it gets scratched :)
If it ain't broke..
Fix it till it is :)
SGP
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Post Thu Jul 29, 2010 1:36 am

The heat gun is not a good idea. Tried it today, it basically melted the plastic.
If it ain't broke..
Fix it till it is :)
TouringTash
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Post Thu Jul 29, 2010 1:40 am

but how many will 'get it'

winkeye
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godinman
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Post Thu Jul 29, 2010 4:26 pm

I used that Autoglym Bumper Care on all the black bits and they've stayed that way for a month now..Only washed it twice in that time tho!!

The bloke who recommended the Autoglym stuff said that if you continue applying it, it'll eventually stay black...not sure how true that is tho.
ravstar13
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Post Fri Jul 30, 2010 7:16 pm

yep its got to be autoglym to have a really glossy black finish put fair amount on leave(or just go around the car) for a bit. then with a clean cloth give it some elbow it comes out dark and new like...Godinman is right the more you use it the better...
snakebrain
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Post Fri Jul 30, 2010 8:25 pm

I sprayed the slam panel on my E28 as a test piece. Looks like new, but it chipped immediately where it slots in against the bodywork, revealing primer...

I'm just going to buy a new one and call it a lesson learned. Autoglym bumper care is great unless it's really far gone. I'm going to try Plasti-dip spray on the rubbery bits of shadowline round the car.
Kemix
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Post Tue Aug 24, 2010 4:24 pm

use a heatgun but keep it moving! or just spray satin black :)
.

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silversideofthemoon
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Post Tue Aug 24, 2010 8:12 pm

all asabove it seems i find a easy fix is to paint keep on top of it until it needs doin again unless its gonna sit in a garage until neeeded for a show ,there all gonna fade at some point quik easy solution is to use a high silicone compound ie i use a silicone spray for my saw at work for the blades works a treat on plastics mentioned this before a think in another link its part of the 20 plus year plastic scenario unless bought new . i paint keep on top of when time is due again repaint not hard or long to do , even do my bumper plastics aswell ...............sounds now like ocd to my plastics
formally touringandy.............driving e30 320i touring and e39 535i
e30kev
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Post Thu Aug 26, 2010 12:36 pm

P10mike wrote:Boiled linseed oil! Much cheaper than the usual products.
If you dont believe me try it! Only needs a light coating and lasts for ages.

+1
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dickster
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Post Wed Dec 01, 2010 11:06 am

e30kev wrote:
P10mike wrote:Boiled linseed oil! Much cheaper than the usual products.
If you dont believe me try it! Only needs a light coating and lasts for ages.

+1
Tried that myself on E30 grilles and VW bumpers and never got it to last very long.
1988 325i Sport