getting black plastic black again

[kognito]

OK,

Getting the Volvo ready for its first season pulling our house.

There are large side panels, that look like the same plastic as on the front bumper on the E46's

What is best to make them look black again?? I don't want to introduce ArmourAll, but maybe that is why they are so Grey??

[iateyourcheese]

I used the Forever Black stuff on old plastic on my E30 M3. It's a black dye and has lasted 2+ years now on the parts. It's also easy to cleanup.

[Nick M3]

Forever Black gets pretty mixed reviews - if the E30 M3 is a garaged occasional driver, it'll last a LOT longer than on, say, a truck that is outside at all times.

I highly recommend SEM trim paint. It's a bit more of a pain as you've got to pull the pieces, and prep them, but done right it looks really good. (It's a virtually perfect match for BMW black plastic.)

[JST]

If it's matte plastic, try peanut oil (like you use for cooking). It works amazingly well.

[FC]

I have this thing called Black Magic (bought at an auto parts store by my sister) that has to be 10+ years old. I've never trusted it on my nice cars for thigns like interior (or exterior) trim, but I could not get the rubber mats on the Volvo to look new so I sprayed this (clear) stuff on them and while they got a bit slippery, they look like new. The slipperyness wore off after a few days.

I also used it on my 190E. Didn't last very long, but it worked.

[Rob]

Peanut butter. Really. The oil will probably work more quickly and have easier clean up though. I have a jar of car peanut butter in the garage - although I don't have any more black plastic trim to use it on.

[JST]

Peanut butter. Really. The oil will probably work more quickly and have easier clean up though. I have a jar of car peanut butter in the garage - although I don't have any more black plastic trim to use it on.

Yeah, it was after reading the posts about peanut butter working (and cleaning peanut butter off my car) that I decided to give peanut oil a shot.

[Theo]

Yeah, it was after reading the posts about peanut butter working (and cleaning peanut butter off my car) that I decided to give peanut oil a shot.

I may have to give the oil method a shot.

[lupinsea]

The flares on the TJ Wranglers are notorious for fading out and semi-quickly. Some remedys for getting the plastic fenders dark again that are common on the forums:


Krylon Fusion spray paint
Heat gun
Penetrol (its a paint conditioner but darkens the plastic for s year or two)


People steer clear of the Forever Black just because it needs to be reapplied more requently.

The Krylon Fusion spraypaint is the most popular choice by far. It's specially formulated to bond to plastic. And if you're worried about it holding up, don't be. The Jeep guys use it on their fenders and we are CONSTANTLY scraping them on trees and rocks. Even under those conditions it holds up VERY well with most guys reporting the paint still looking good and scratch free after even several years of hard wheel'n.

I personally tried the heat gun approach (well, blow torch) and it sort of worked. But the fender plastic is fading again. When I tackle the fenders a second time I'm definitely going with the Krylon Fusion spray paint.

[Alan]

Peanut butter

+1 ... I would advise applying it after you've eaten a meal and make sure you don't have any chocolate that might get dipped into it by mistake .. you wouldn't want to eat your car washing cleaners :D

[kognito]

Peanut oil worked great on the huge rearveiw mirrors (not shown in picture) and on the door handles, side turn signals, and most other black trim.

It only did a so-so job large trim pieces down the side.

Guess I will try the Krylon Fusion on those.

Funny, due to all the local graffiti artists, all Krylon products are behind lock and key here in all the stores:lol:

Just need the 30-40 mph winds to die down some here in the valley, before I try spray painting

[ZBB]

Funny, due to all the local graffiti artists, all Krylon products are behind lock and key here in all the stores:lol:



We have that out here... but its by city ordinance. Phoenix has one, but Scottsdale and some other suburbs don't :lol:

[lupinsea]

Hm. . . . go into any home improvement store around here and there are row and row and rows of spray paint available on the shelves.