Ultimate Compound on exterior trim! (pictures!)

[jorg1]

Hi

Was working on my car with a DA-machine ($49 cyclo-copy with orange pads) and Ultimate Compound, when I decided to try it on my trim. And the results?

Look for yourself:


This used to be grey-white




50-50, upper part is old, grey-white, lower part is polished, black and shiny. (Lower part is blacker in real life, like the trim on the image above, upper part looks the same)




On the images, I have used no trim dressings, and it's 3 days since I did the work, and still it is just as good. My own opinion is that maybe it gets too much of a shine (I would have liked a bit more matte finish), but it's definitely much, much better than before!

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Ultimate Compound on exterior trim! (pictures!)

Interesting. Maybe the SMAT abrasives are cleaning the surface and the lubricating properties of the UC are acting as sort of a dressing. Obviously you didn't leave anything behind to dry in the texture of the surface or you'd be using M39 with a brush to clean it up.

It's always interesting when people stumble onto things like this, but if there was ever a case of "your mileage may vary", this is definitely it! We don't recommend UC on vinyl, plastic or rubber trim not because it will hurt it but because it's no fun to clean up after. You seem to have avoided that last part.

Keep us posted though, we're curious how this ultimately (no pun intended) plays out for you.

[CieraSL]

Re: Ultimate Compound on exterior trim! (pictures!)

I used Ultimate Compound once to clean up the plastic door pillars on my uncle's Explorer. Check it out:

Before


After


Applicator pad after UC


It may not be recommended for use on plastic, but it sure did the trick!

[CieraSL]

Re: Ultimate Compound on exterior trim! (pictures!)

BTW, to MOL!

[Murr1525]

Re: Ultimate Compound on exterior trim! (pictures!)

I used Ultimate Compound once to clean up the plastic door pillars on my uncle's Explorer. Check it out:

Has it stayed good as well? Or did it wear off at all like a dressing would?

[CieraSL]

Re: Ultimate Compound on exterior trim! (pictures!)

Has it stayed good as well? Or did it wear off at all like a dressing would?

I don't know, because he left a day or so later to go back home to North Dakota. I would assume it didn't wear off, because it "stripped off the dead plastic", rather than just dressing it and covering it up. Sorry, that's the best way I know how to put it. He did say he's taken his truck to some detail place before and they never got it to look that good. What does that tell you?

[Murr1525]

Re: Ultimate Compound on exterior trim! (pictures!)

I'm just curious, as with the first post, if some dead plastic was removed, and the plastic under will stay in good shape, or if the polishing oils just did something temporary.

[CieraSL]

Re: Ultimate Compound on exterior trim! (pictures!)

Well, I think all that black is is just like oxidation, if you will. So if you remove it, and then dress the plastic on a regular basis, that dull look hopefully won't come back. I think whether or not you can use UC though depends on the type of plastic involved. Not really sure.

[jorg1]

Re: Ultimate Compound on exterior trim! (pictures!)

Today, I washed my car thoroughly once again, with strong de-greasing, high pressure washer and Gold Class car wash, to prepare for polishing the rest of the car (only polished the roof and bonnet the other day..).

Still, the trim I polished with Ultimate Compound is just as black and shiny.

And I also discovered that I could get a matte, black finish on my trim by carefully polishing by hand until I get my desired shine. So far I don't have any pictures of this, since it got dark before I had a chance of taking any.

Warning: This is how it works on MY car, it may work different on yours. I don't know if it does any damage to the trim, or how this will look like in 6 months, 1 year, 5 years...


Edit: as CieraSL says above, I also have a theory that I'm removing oxidation, since my pad gets all black by doing this, but I have no scientific research supporting this...

[Murr1525]

Re: Ultimate Compound on exterior trim! (pictures!)

Just as a side note, if you remove the texture from plastic, it will tend to become shiny also.

[the_invisible]

Re: Ultimate Compound on exterior trim! (pictures!)

Just as a side note, if you remove the texture from plastic, it will tend to become shiny also.

Seems like that's what the post starter has done... removing the texture from the trims to achieve shine.

Each to their own... I guess.

[Murr1525]

Re: Ultimate Compound on exterior trim! (pictures!)

Well, if it makes plastic in terrible shape look good, then it is ok I suppose. Just have to be aware if/when you might be permenantly changing something.

[sontakke]

Re: Ultimate Compound on exterior trim! (pictures!)

Hi

Was working on my car with a DA-machine ($49 cyclo-copy with orange pads) and Ultimate Compound, when I decided to try it on my trim. And the results?
!

Please, please tells us about the $49 cyclo-copy, I would love to get my hand on a cheap DA. Did you purchase pads separately or the machine came with some pads?

Thanks,
- Vikas

[ricks778]

Re: Ultimate Compound on exterior trim! (pictures!)

I did this on a plastic part of the car that should be smooth and shiny. The trim around a door. Here is a pic with treated (only one pass) and untreated.


On the right trim, I think this is a great idea. I would not do this to the fender trim in my truck, which is textured, that might smooth it out too much.