E30 Trim restoration

[SamD02]

Hey
Does anyone know the best way to restore faded bumper trim and grill plastic?
I’ve seen videos of people just spraying them? Do I need to sand them down a bit before and primer them too?
Thanks

[Cloggy Saint]

I use Gtechniq C4 Permanent Trim Restorer. It's not cheap but it does the job.

[SamD02]

I use Gtechniq C4 Permanent Trim Restorer. It's not cheap but it does the job.

Ok cheers I’ll have a look at it.

[Brianmoooore]

The professional way of restoring black plastic trim is with a heat gun. You have to get the trim hot, but not too hot, and the colour will be restored, but it takes experience to get it just right.

[Moz]

Gtechniq for me too, just be sure to wipe it off as instructed as a little longer and it leaves a film over the top that is very hard to remove!

Thanks

[paultv]

Boiled linseed oil...lasts for 12 months....and you can do your cricket bat too !!

Half litre bottle will last forever!

Paul

[BenHar]

Boiled linseed oil...lasts for 12 months....and you can do your cricket bat too !!

Raw linseed oil for cricket bats.

Ben

[acme15]

Linseed oil lasts about a week before the trims start going patchy and fading again, if the car lives outside and gets rained on etc. It might last a few months if the car is parked indoors and never goes anywhere.

[acme15]

Anything you do will be temporary. Either paint them with satin or matte black direct to plastic paint, use a heat gun with care, or buy new ones.

Nothing you wipe over them will last long. Even that expensive C4 "permanent" trim restorer only lasts a year or so at most. No idea why they are allowed to call it permanent.

[paultv]

I stand corrected sir...

"Howsthatt" !!!

Paul

[paultv]

It has to be the boiled variety...lasts really well... used it for years...

Paul

[acme15]

It has to be the boiled variety...lasts really well... used it for years...

Paul

Were your trims just not that faded to begin with? Do you only drive your car in the dry and keep it in a garage? Or do you re-apply it daily? Haha

Its also really greasy.

[Brianmoooore]

Do you only drive your car in the dry and keep it in a garage? Or do you re-apply it daily?

Paul almost certainly has the most 'driven' E30 on the zone. Far from a garage queen.

[paultv]

I use it twice a year.....but I think you've made up your mind already.....it's just free advice from someone who uses their car daily...in all weather's....

Good luck buddy.

Paul

[Radar]

I’m going to try applying Avalon King’s Amourshield ceramic coating. Mine have faded to a very pale grey so not much to lose as anything will bea an improvement

[e30-EVN]

The professional way of restoring black plastic trim is with a heat gun. You have to get the trim hot, but not too hot, and the colour will be restored, but it takes experience to get it just right.

I can also vouch for this technique. I did it on my vRS a few years ago and it worked very well

[Cloggy Saint]

I remember peanut butter was touted here in the past, can't vouch for it though.

[Brianmoooore]

The required oils are already in the plastic. The heat gun brings them to the surface.

[e30-EVN]

Yeah I've heard of people using peanut butter aswel. But as Brian said, the heat from using a heat gun activates the oils already there and makes the trim pop like new again

Very effective

[Satan]

The professional way of restoring black plastic trim is with a heat gun. You have to get the trim hot, but not too hot, and the colour will be restored, but it takes experience to get it just right.

I can also vouch for this technique. I did it on my vRS a few years ago and it worked very well

Trouble is that you will then need to remove the squirrel teeth marks from the trim...........