Trim and bed refurbish?

General talk about the Subaru Baja.

Moderator: mikenmel08

Post Reply
RooBaja
Scoobytruck Lurker
Posts: 16
Joined: Sun Aug 30, 2020 4:17 pm

Trim and bed refurbish?

Post by RooBaja »

Hi,
What product have y'all used and with success to refurbish trim and bed to bring back the black color of OEM. Forever Black has been suggested but wondering if there is other options or processes to bring faded plastic trim back. Open discussion is encouraged. Thanks
oldpro
Scoobytruck Contributer
Posts: 78
Joined: Wed Jun 10, 2015 11:10 am
Location: New Mexico

Re: Trim and bed refurbish?

Post by oldpro »

Peanut butter. No kidding.
RooBaja
Scoobytruck Lurker
Posts: 16
Joined: Sun Aug 30, 2020 4:17 pm

Re: Trim and bed refurbish?

Post by RooBaja »

At least you did not suggest jelly! I am good with that. LOL
RooBaja
Scoobytruck Lurker
Posts: 16
Joined: Sun Aug 30, 2020 4:17 pm

Re: Trim and bed refurbish?

Post by RooBaja »

Can anyone else suggest any products that may work on trim refurb?
Reddog
Scoobytruck Lurker
Posts: 18
Joined: Fri Mar 31, 2017 4:39 pm

Re: Trim and bed refurbish?

Post by Reddog »

I use Mother's Back to Black Trim Restorer.

it does great on the side trim around the bed, though I haven't tried it in the bed.

Depending on how you wash, mileage will vary.
RooBaja
Scoobytruck Lurker
Posts: 16
Joined: Sun Aug 30, 2020 4:17 pm

Re: Trim and bed refurbish?

Post by RooBaja »

Thanks for the info. I will check it out.
oldpro
Scoobytruck Contributer
Posts: 78
Joined: Wed Jun 10, 2015 11:10 am
Location: New Mexico

Re: Trim and bed refurbish?

Post by oldpro »

Really; try a half-teaspoonful of creamy peanut butter on an inconspicuous place. Just a dab'll do ya. See how long the shine lasts.
AHudson777
Scoobytruck Lurker
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed Jun 30, 2021 8:01 pm

Re: Trim and bed refurbish?

Post by AHudson777 »

I've used several different trim restorers (with many manufacturers loosely using that word) in the past.

Mothers Back to Black is among the very best, though it has its limitations. Most/many of the others are simply silicone based products that deepen the color temporarily, then streak the side of your vehicle or any exposed paint soon as they're rained on.

I will say that though B2Black is better in this regard, it is still largely a 'conditioner' that really needs to be rubbed into deeply cleaned surfaces to make any lasting improvement. Please know that even though it is recommended to 'buff lightly', you're really only removing the very top layer of the silicone, and the surface will be slick. No way I'd use it in the bed or step rails. Its too slippery to trust.

However, a product called 'Wipe New' trim restorer is a complete separate product from the conditioners. It requires absolute full cleaning (alcohol is fine) of the surface or it won't adhere well. And it chemically seeps into the plastic (you must wear gloves) but once its dried, it stays just like that and is NOT greasy to the touch at all. You can see reviews online, some say it doesn't work but I'm telling you IF you clean the surface, it will work.

The ceramic coatings are also incredible. You can get the as wipes (I would, otherwise it's just too hard to control) and they will leave the surface shiny. I put it on my 997tt which has a bunch of thin black trim and it worked great, with the wipes being necessary due to precise small areas. It is still on there 4 months later, though that car lives indoors. yet its a bit shinier than the Wipe New noted above.

I'm very curious how this works out for you. I've just gotten a Baja and the trim is a mess. Kinda chalked out and faded in several areas, but I've not nearly gotten to the point of treating the trim. Still sorting other items. Oh, and I've not yet gone to the Peanut Butter stage either! Sounds interesting to say the least. Best to you, hope this helps.
RooBaja
Scoobytruck Lurker
Posts: 16
Joined: Sun Aug 30, 2020 4:17 pm

Re: Trim and bed refurbish?

Post by RooBaja »

Thanks for added info on this subject and it is appreciated. I have not applied B2Black yet on mine as of yet due to life and crappy weather here in SC of late. I will try your suggestion if B2Black does not work out since I have already have some on hand.
SoobyToo58
Scoobytruck Master
Posts: 102
Joined: Fri Aug 18, 2017 7:35 am
Location: South East PA

Re: Trim and bed refurbish?

Post by SoobyToo58 »

RooBaja wrote: Thu Aug 19, 2021 1:51 am Thanks for added info on this subject and it is appreciated. I have not applied B2Black yet on mine as of yet due to life and crappy weather here in SC of late. I will try your suggestion if B2Black does not work out since I have already have some on hand.
I agree that "Wipe New" works real well and I love the stuff BUT you need to get the surface really super clean and remove any previous so called plastic restorers. It's sold as wipes with only 3 in a package or as a liquid in a very tiny bottle that comes with some small application cloths and vinyl gloves.
I recommend the liquid but be super careful. Use it very sparingly and put the cap back on the bottle after putting a tiny bit at a time on the cloth that it comes with. (A little goes a very long way if you take your time and do it right!)
Store the bottle standing upright in a cool, dry, shaded place with the cap tightly closed and don't expect it to last long in storage. It tends to turn into a gel and than dry up completely in the bottle if stored for a long time.
Apply it out of direct sunlight when the outdoor temperature is cool and the surface is cool otherwise it tends to streak and it will also evaporate quickly from your application cloth and you don't want to waste any since the bottle you get is so small. It will go a very long way if you're careful. I recommend folding the wipes or your cloth neatly into about a 2 inch square to work with so it doesn't evaporate as quickly.
You don't want to get it on any painted areas or any rubber trim so you should really mask off those areas with masking tape.
READ AND UNDERSTAND ALL OF THE DIRECTIONS ON THE PACKAGE AND FOLLOW THEM CAREFULLY! WORK OUTSIDE OR IN A WELL VENTILATED AREA! IT HAS A REAL STRONG EYE BURNING KIND OF CHEMICAL SMELL.
Wear vinyl gloves when using it!
If you choose the wipes instead of the liquid then you should have a lot of the black plastic that you want to restore set up and cleaned and masked off so you can completely use up the wipe in one shot. Don't expect to do a little and save the wipe for later or another day. It wont save. No matter how well you seal it up in a plastic bag or airtight container it will dry up on the wipe and then it's useless and the stuff is not cheap.
It sounds like a pain in the butt to prepare everything and use this stuff and it is BUT it works real well if you prepare ahead of time and use it correctly. It really makes black trim plastic come back to life even when it's faded and sun bleached and it makes it look great and it lasts many, many months even through washings and direct sunlight. If you park your vehicle in a garage, it will last even longer.
I recommend this stuff and I don't usually recommend anything.
Anyway, that's my take on it.
Post Reply