anyone have any tips on how to clean the plastic near the "grill" on the front of the vehicle? Mine appears very dull, but I'm sure there is something to coat it with to make it shine. Any tips?

peanut oil...no joke. Hit the body side moldings with it too. Its like armorall for your plastic pieces. Just dont do it in the sun because it will streak...and peanutbutter is not a substitute for peanut oil...it wont damage the car but the clean up time just isnt worth it.

really? peanut oil? What will this make the dull plastic look like? shiny? un-dull? how long will it last if i put peanut oil on there for, before having to reapply?

Mine was dull to when I got my x. I cleaned it during the car wash and rubbed it down with armor all. I did that the first few times. Now I only armor the bumper/grill area about once a month.

Use it on anything plastic, leather, or rubber.
http://www.armorallracing.com/images/ARMOR-ALL-Logo.gif

really? peanut oil? What will this make the dull plastic look like? shiny? un-dull? how long will it last if i put peanut oil on there for, before having to reapply?

It will make the plastic shine and it looks really nice. It only last for about a week though.

Armor all degrades the plastic over time, causing the plasticizers to migrate to the surface, and degrading it from within.

I think the peanut oil works, because at night, the neighborhood critters come out, and lick all the parts until they shine.

:D

No, really.

The peanut oil REPLACES the already lost plasticizers on the surface, but, as it doesn't chemically bind to the materials below, it too is lost with weathering.

Armor all degrades the plastic over time, causing the plasticizers to migrate to the surface, and degrading it from within.

I think the peanut oil works, because at night, the neighborhood critters come out, and lick all the parts until they shine.

:D

No, really.

The peanut oil REPLACES the already lost plasticizers on the surface, but, as it doesn't chemically bind to the materials below, it too is lost with weathering.

Ok Mr Hawking. Were not discussing things at the molecular level. I've been using Aromr All for years and have been served well by it.

:biggrin:

You don't keep your rigs long enough to tell.

:D

You don't keep your rigs long enough to tell.

:D

True, 100K & they're gone.

Seriously TJ, you've actually noticed a visual diff over some period of time?
:fliege-big:

Yeah - the plastic fades more and more, until you'd notice.

The plastic also becomes less pliable/more brittle, and more vulnerable to ozone and UV damage with time as well.

Its akin to licking your lips when they're dry...it fixes it temporarily, but, dries them out in the long run.

Also like petroleum based lip balms, same deal...they cause the symptoms you are trying to cure...so you use more and more of it, as it DOES seem to help...and you are trapped in a consumer cycle.

I've done some of the FDA related testing on a bunch of products, as well as reverse engineering for other clients...you would not believe how many products work like this. (A lot)

:D

I hate Armorall on exterior plastic.. YUCK-o!

I use the non-gloss armorall cleaner inside the car, but for the plastic outside I just use reg'lar old carsoap and water to keep it clean. Mine isn't faded yet, so I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

I hate Armorall on exterior plastic.. YUCK-o!

I use the non-gloss armorall cleaner inside the car, but for the plastic outside I just use regular old car soap and water to keep it clean. Mine isn't faded yet, so I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

I guess it's an age preference thing. When I was a kid, that stuff was the shit. You couldn't have shiny enough tires.

I guess when I was a kid, TJ was in the lab with his beakers and microsomal minutia, whilst I was out with girls in my vehicle whose plastic was aging at a lethargic rate. :rolleyes:

Lets just say that by the time your plastic was lethargic...I was already married.

:D

get some wax. It shines it up real good and it lasts to forever

get some wax. It shines it up real good and it lasts to forever

Almost 2 years old! Haha!

hey at least he is searching.. LOL

SO what if its old. if others search it they may see it. My X is still in the shop cuz they are close all weekend and till wednesday. LAME especially since it was done Friday.

Just Paint all your plastic... I painted all the plastic black on mine and have had no problems. Some say that it chips but it's all in the prep and the best part is if it does chip just touch it up a bit.

I use Black Again......that shit works like a charm.
It's in the auto parts store by the car wash.
:bubblegum-big: