Renewing Gray/black bumper trim -- '99 S80

Hendoo · Post by **Hendoo** » 13 Feb 2017, 17:47

I have a white '99 S80, which is generally in very good condition but the bumper trim has faded to light gray, and is somewhat mottled-looking.

I'm not the original owner so I'll have to ask -- was the bumper trim black originally, or dark gray?

This is the trim that is molded into the bumpers; not separate pieces clipped on.

Any suggestions on products/methods that will improve the appearance?

Thanks!

Hendoo in SoCal
'99 S80 2.9
'82 245 Diesel

ThommyKent · Post by **ThommyKent** » 14 Feb 2017, 01:03

None of those back to black products work. You can use a heat gun and warm the plastic ( it`s a fine line between warming enough and melting the plastic) and it get`s good results, but it will start turning back to gray in a few months. Plasti Coat paint works really well and is easy to apply. just make sure and clean the surface thoroughly with hot water a brush and soap or wipe down with lacquer thinner being careful not to get it on other surfaces.
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=57041

facime · Post by **facime** » 15 Feb 2017, 15:29

Hi, new here, but wanted to reply and say that one product that absolutely DOES work is Wipe New (the original). Its super easy to use and will restore your trim just like they show in their commercials. Volvo trim isnt actually black to begin with, its a dark grey. All of the typical products just add a layer of silicone that wipes off and fades again real quick.

Im a detailer and mechanic and I decided to give Wipe New a try and I was very pleased with the results. It is not like anything else that I know of on the market. I would describe it as behaving like a wipe on clear coat. It does take a little while to completely dry, and sometimes will leave a few streaks if not applied correctly, but overall, Ive not found a better product for the job.

My biggest gripe is the cost for what you get. Its a tiny little bottle, and on a volvo you will use at least half a bottle for the whole car, BUT....it lasts for a long time before any reapplication is needed. Its actually kind of tough to get off if you let it dry where you dont want it.

You do want to get a good clean on your trim first. Something that removes the chalkiest parts first and doesnt include any wax or oils. After a good wash with soap and water, I use Prep-sol which is a prepaint wax and oil remover. Then sparingly wet the little applicator cloths with Wipe New and wipe on with long even strokes. As I said, dont get it where you dont want it, or you will want to wipe it off before it dries. Let dry for at least 30 minutes before you do anything with the car (I personally use this stuff as my last step of a detail and let the car sit overnight). I use it under the hood on all the plastics as well because it doesnt attract dirt like most underhood dressings. It actually seems to repell it.

I dont mean to sound like a commercial for the stuff and Im not affiliated with them at all, but I recommend giving it a try. You'll be pleased, Im sure.

Post by **oragex** » 15 Feb 2017, 15:34

Don't laugh, I've used liquid black shoes wax, it won't be dark black again, but it looks good and especially it lasts 6-12moths

Hendoo · Post by **Hendoo** » 15 Feb 2017, 22:36

Thanks everybody!

I'm particulary intruiged by the Wipe New report... Consumer Reports rated it pretty well too.

One thing, the trim I'm talking about is part of the bumper skins, not separate clip-on trim. Any thoughts about how Wipe New might work on the bumper?

Scroll down to Post #7 in this post to see what I mean...
http://forums.swedespeed.com/showthread ... Sedan-Love

-Hendoo

facime · Post by **facime** » 15 Feb 2017, 23:09

If its plastic/vinyl/rubber, Wipe New will make it look better. For Rubber parts (like underhood hoses and tires) the Wipe New - Tires product is marginally better (streaks less) but the original product is what I use most of the time.

One suggestion you might consider in your case is to mask the paint around the trim before applying. Wipe new doesn't harm the paint, its just that its similar to overspray, and masking would leave a cleaner application. Should work great for what you want to treat.

Here is a little more example. Basically everything plastic on this truck was treated with Wipe New. Check out this whole album (this is a detail job I did last year)

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set ... fdc9a0bc91

Legofan · Post by **Legofan** » 12 Mar 2017, 19:43

I ordered some and I'll post some before and after shots if that would be helpful.