So gone and got some smartprice peanut butter, going to see if these rumors are true with the old black trim restoration! Having cleaned the interior a couple of nights ago its got me in the mood for a shiny car (not usually something I hanker for!). Will pop some pics up if it works! Got a gold sunglasses holder to replace the drivers grab handle too, £7 from hong kong.

I discoverd that this really works well.

I wipe it on the black exterior trim with a cloth (the cloth usually gets very dirty), and the plastic stays black for a few weeks.

 

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_170539_langId_-1_categoryId_255235

 

Not as cheap as peanut butter tho.

Iv decided to remove side strips and going to paint front and rear. Peanut butter does work well tho.

Shoe polish (black) works too.

More permanent solution is to use heat (use a flame as opposed to a hairdryer!), never tried it but was told on another forum.

My history of playing with fire isn't good, peanut butter is a safer option...

Shoe polish (black) works too.

More permanent solution is to use heat (use a flame as opposed to a hairdryer!), never tried it but was told on another forum.

Use a heatgun. Be careful not to apply too much heat to one area or use some sort of heatshield to protect the paint work. 

Make sure it's not crunchy! I picked up the wrong jar once! What a nightmare to get out of the nooks and crannies

Use a heatgun. Be careful not to apply too much heat to one area or use some sort of heatshield to protect the paint work.

I have a heat gun. So I suppose the bumper trim could be removed to do this. So heating the trim turns it back to black?

^^^^^^^

 

I would suggest you try it out on some plastic trim you can live without first!!!

I have a heat gun. So I suppose the bumper trim could be removed to do this. So heating the trim turns it back to black?

I've done this one two cars now, yes you just heat the trim. I found you can be a lot more brutal than you might think. That said if you do melt your plastic badly don't blame me. 

 

If you can take the trim off do, it makes getting into the nooks a lot easier. 

 

You will see the plastic turn a deeper shade of black (err?) I found on my octy more than one go was required on each strip.

So no rubbing or anything just heat up?

Deffo not colour coded, just keep em in good nick

+1 for the heat gun, remove strips 1st, blast of heat then your favoured trim protector job done

So no rubbing or anything just heat up?

Yes, just heat it up. I would clean it first if it's dirty though. 

 

The process is that you are melting the top layer of plastic and mixing the oxidised plastic with fresh plastic underneath. At least, that is how I udnerstand it.

Linseed oil does the same job, but it stinks, and the rags you use can spontaneously combust (apparently). I got sick of the smell, it made me gip, and just bought some AG stuff for black bumpers.

There is a few videos on youtube explaining the heat gun method. One bloke lightly sanded any scrapes out of the trim first then heated up the trim. The plastic certainly looks like it can go a bit tacky like wet paint so remember not to touch the trim til its hardened up. My plastic under the windscreen is looking faded as well so that could be done as well.