`98 Honda CRV Plastic Trim fade

[squiredude]

Hi,

My TOAD is a `98 Honda CRV and all the plastic trim has turned milky.  I've tried several high end products all of which failed miserably, within 2 weeks all the products I tried had failed and the plastic trim is back to its milky color and very dull finish.

There are dozens of videos on YouTube showing one product after another but none show what the car and its trim looks like 2 weeks later.

Does anyone have any good, or bad, as long as it works on how to get it back to a Black luster finish?

Thanks in advance to all who respond.

 

[wildebill308]

I would look at possibly painting it with a paint made for plastics. Prep would be a big part of getting good results.

Bill

[manholt]

Is it pliable or hard?  In a holder (like a coach weather strip) or glued on?  Are you sure it's plastic?  If it's removable, I would replace it.

[squiredude]

Hi Carl C,

It is hard finish not a soft pliable rubbery finish.  Since the car is a `98 and not worth much I don't want to pour a bunch of money into it.  Just spruce it up a bit.  I could take it to a body shop to paint it, or buy replacement parts, but neither of those appeal to the pocketbook!

I'm hopeful of a cheap, quick, and easy way of refinishing the Trim.

Thanks for your response though. 

[manholt]

Have you tried Coke?  Lucas "Slick Mist",  works on my Jeep Wrangler fenders.

[wildebill308]

19 hours ago, SquireDude said:

Hi Carl C,

It is hard finish not a soft pliable rubbery finish.  Since the car is a `98 and not worth much I don't want to pour a bunch of money into it.  Just spruce it up a bit.  I could take it to a body shop to paint it, or buy replacement parts, but neither of those appeal to the pocketbook!

I'm hopeful of a cheap, quick, and easy way of refinishing the Trim.

Thanks for your response though. 

Cheap and easy like I posted before some painters tape and a couple of rattle cans from walmart. Ok add in some scotch brite a small can of acetone to clean it before painting.

Bill 

[richard5933]

I had great success repainting the black plastic trim on a VW Golf years ago. Scrubbed it clean using Simple Green and a mild scrub pad, let it dry thoroughly, then carefully taped & masked the entire end of the car around where I was going to spray. Prep took lots longer than the actual painting. If you are taping around complicated curves and such, narrow blue tape is much easier to bend and curve than wide tape. I use the narrow tape first to go around everything, and then use wider tape to hold on the masking sheets. Uses more tape, but much easier to get the taping done neatly.

I used spray cans from the box store - if I remember it was either satin or flat black in a can from Krylon specifically designed for use on plastics. Other companies make a similar product. Biggest thing to remember is to apply in multiple thin coats, not one thick coat.

Read the directions for re-apply times carefully. Wait the minimum time, then spray another coat. Repeat until things look like you want. Don't wait longer than the max time for re-coating though. I learned the hard way that if you wait too long with some of the spray paints you'll lift/bubble the earlier coats. If you miss the window for re-coating, you'll have to wait the full curing time before re-applying another coat or risk problems (BTDT).

You might need to experiment with when to remove the tape. On some paints you have to remove just after the paint is dry to the touch, on others it's better to wait until the paint is cured. Do it at the wrong time and you might lift the edge of the new paint.

When I got done, the bumper and the grill parts looked great and from 5 feet away you couldn't tell anything was touched.

YMMV.

[rayin]

Have you given any thought to using Rust-Oleum Wipe New? It is widely available, don't have to buy from Amazon.

[squiredude]

RayIN - Thanks tried that one and after about 2-3 weeks it was back to its ugly self again... but thanks for the suggestion.

Richard5933 - Wow!  That is detailed and one of my possible solutions.  Thank you for the details now I know how to do it I can plan better knowing tht it has been done before.

WildeBill - Thanks for your suggestion too.

[manholt]

SD, In your case (I looked at a 98' Honda CRV), I presume it's the wide strip on the doors? I would do as Richard suggest's.    You might add a couple of coats off clear.