Caring for the Roof & Pillars

[gt_ie]

I have a 2010 white Lincoln MKT. But, the roof and pillars are black. 80% of the roof is Glass, but the trim around the edges is, well I don't really know what it is. Seems to be the same as the pillar between the doors. Black. Plastic I suppose. But high gloss, not at all like the rocker panels. I don't know if it is painted with a clear coat, or what exactly it is and more importantly how to care for it.

All I've done to this point is wash it. I think it needs to be clayed, it is definitely not smooth, but I've only really read about claying the painted surfaces. If it should be clayed, then what? If it has a clear coat, I guess it can be waxed, but how do I know??

Any help?

[Murr1525]

Re: Caring for the Roof & Pillars

If it is smooth and glossy, claying and wax wont hurt it.

[Detroit CC]

Re: Caring for the Roof & Pillars

GT_ie, Is the black gloss plastic the same as the B-pillar plastic on the car in my gallery?
I use Meguiar's Mirror Glaze M17 Clear Plastic Cleaner and M10 Plastic Polish.

Seems to work ok for me.
Although I have only used it once so far.

[gt_ie]

Re: Caring for the Roof & Pillars

Not sure it's the same as your B pillar. It's very wide. Here's a stock photo. Not close enough to tell much, but you can see the black part of the roof across the top of the windshield.

[Shawn T.]

Re: Caring for the Roof & Pillars

Looks like you can clay, polish and wax it like any part of the car.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Caring for the Roof & Pillars

If the finish is smooth and glossy then you should be able to safely clay and wax it. This is true whether that surface is painted, or if it's glass, clear plastics, chrome, or shiny colored plastic. Some cars have matte finished b-pillars, while others are glossy. You would not want to wax matte surfaces, but if yours are glossy, and they along with the roof sections appear to be, then claying and waxing should pose no issues at all. You can even go over them with a mild polish such as Ultimate Polish or SwirlX or with a cleaner wax. On one of my own cars the b-pillars are glossy and I even go over them with the same paint cleaner I use on the rest of the car, or at least with a cleaner wax from time to time. I definitely wax them whenever I wax the car. I've seen cars similar to mine, and even a few years newer, where the owner does nothing to these pieces and they look pretty bad due to that neglect. You don't need to do anything radical or really aggressive, just treat them like you treat the rest of the painted surfaces and you'll be good to go.