Why have these plastics faded?

[Louis Balfour]

2018 Mini Countryman.

They started not being easy to clean at about 18 months old. Now about 2.5 years and they look poor.

Any thoughts chaps? [url]

|https://thumbsnap.com/2jeVQzfq[/url]

Edited by Louis Balfour on Sunday 15th November 17:00

Edited to re-add images.

They have gone grey and patchy. Autoglym bumper product used to bring them up, but not anymore.

Edited by Louis Balfour on Sunday 15th November 17:02

[vikingaero]

Different plastic parts are made in different factories/batches and not always created equal. MINI black plastics have never been brilliant despite people and press talking up their implied quality.

Lots of tales of what to use: toothpaste, olive oil, boot polish etc etc. I have a garage full of plastic restorers and back to black stuff. Only stuff that works and lasts is gtechnic c4, but it is expensive.

[Louis Balfour]

vikingaero said:

Different plastic parts are made in different factories/batches and not always created equal. MINI black plastics have never been brilliant despite people and press talking up their implied quality.

Lots of tales of what to use: toothpaste, olive oil, boot polish etc etc. I have a garage full of plastic restorers and back to black stuff. Only stuff that works and lasts is gtechnic c4, but it is expensive.

This is the 3rd Mini we have had, the previous two were better if not brilliant.

I am going to report it to Mini and see what they say. I just did not want them to say "ah you've used Autoglym on those haven't you".

[Summit_Detailing]

Any pics of said trims?

Some caustic TFR's which haven't been diluted properly (yes that's aimed at the £5 hand washes) will degrade plastics very quickly.

There are several options to improve them, depending on what they look like?

Cheers,

Chris

[Louis Balfour]

Summit_Detailing said:

Any pics of said trims?

Some caustic TFR's which haven't been diluted properly (yes that's aimed at the £5 hand washes) will degrade plastics very quickly.

There are several options to improve them, depending on what they look like?

Cheers,

Chris

I am sure I uploaded them! Oh well, sorry, I have edited to include.

[paintman]

Try a hot air paint stripper but don't go mad.

[Belle427]

No miracle cure out there unless you decide to paint.
Solution finish is a decent long lasting trim restorer.

[Louis Balfour]

paintman said:

Try a hot air paint stripper but don't go mad.

Interesting thanks. I will try that if I make no headway wit Mini.

[bobski1]

Louis Balfour said:

Interesting thanks. I will try that if I make no headway wit Mini.

I would be a little careful with this. The process works by heating the plastic and brining the oil to the surface but there are only so many times this can be done.

As poster above has said the Gtechniq is a restorer so will work better.

[Summit_Detailing]

I would first deep clean with some all purpose or citrus based cleaner and a melamine sponge (otherwise known as a magic sponge) you'll then know what the true condition of the trim is.

Solution Finish is an excellent long-term trim dye, or Gtechniq C4 but from experience the latter doesn't work that well on MINI trim.

Happy to take a look if you are local(ish) to Weston-s-Mare?!.

Cheers,

Chris

[Chris32345]

Modern "German build quality"
No doubt some dorm of new more eco friendly plastic and dies aka crummy quality like water based gloss

[sgtBerbatov]

Linseed Oil is supposed to be the dogs bks when it comes to restoring black trim on the cheap for a long period of time.

Just be careful with the rags afterwards as they can spontaneously combust. Which means it must be good!

[Louis Balfour]

sgtBerbatov said:

Linseed Oil is supposed to be the dogs bks when it comes to restoring black trim on the cheap for a long period of time.

Just be careful with the rags afterwards as they can spontaneously combust. Which means it must be good!

Ooh fire, I am liking this solution.