Restoring Faded Plastic and Trim On Your Car

Restoring Faded Plastic and Trim On Your Car

Most cars, trucks, vans and SUVs have one or more plastic trim components. These pieces, just like the paint on your vehicle, can become faded, chalky and marred over time. This can become very apparent after receiving a wash as it can stand out and detract from the overall shine. In addition to looking unsightly, the plastic may end up drying out and cracking, which can lead to costly and time-consuming repairs. The first step in fixing damaged plastic, as seen on the black rear tail light trim in the above picture or the wheel well below, is through a correction process.

Sun can oxidize plastic and cause it to fade. By properly cleaning the plastic and using certain chemical dressings, it is possible to restore the look and sheen back to near-factory conditions. Some of these chemicals can be found at your local automotive store or online. However, applying these solutions should be done with caution, as getting it on anything other than the plastic can potentially cause damage to that area - especially the paint and clear coat. If you are unsure about using these products, consider having an auto detailer like Capitol Shine do the job.

After we've restored the trim, we can also look into applying a protective coating to avoid UV rays and future fading.

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When considering adding a coating to your plastic or trim, consider Capitol Shine's Ceramic Pro for Plastic & Rubber. This protective layer is:
  • Extremely durable
  • Makes trim easy to clean
  • Super hyrdrophobic (water beads up!)
  • UV Resistant
  • Wear Resistant
  • Provides a moderate sheen
  • Works for both interior and exterior components
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We know you have questions on Capitol Shine's Ceramic Pro and we're here to answer them, so please send us a message and review our FAQ page. In addition to Ceramic Pro, we can also fix that faded trim, give your car a wax job, vacuum, shampoo the interior, correct paint issues, clean your engine and more. Please head over to our scheduling page to make an appointment! Please schedule at least 24 hours in advance to ensure time and date.