Blackfire Trim and Tire Sealant Review

[Bunky]

Blackfire Trim and Tire Sealant Review

I received this product in a AutopiaForum giveaway with a condition for a review. This was a new product to the Blackfire line and available in two sizes: 4 oz and 8oz.

Claims:

BLACKFIRE Total Trim & Tire Sealant is far more than a trim dressing. This polymer-based trim restorer forms a bond at the molecular level, restoring the surface while coating it in a durable, protective shell. BLACKFIRE Total Trim & Tire Sealant doesn’t wash off in the rain – it actually causes water to bead up like a wax! Treated surfaces will have a factory-fresh appearance – not a sticky, greasy mess like other so-called trim restorers.

Price: $19.99 for 4 oz, $29.99 for 8 oz.


Product


For this review I decided to compare Blackfire to my usual go Ultima Tire and Trim Guard (old version) which is my most used trim product. I do not use trim products on tires but did for this review.

This product was used on a 1997 Dodge Dakota. I cleaned the surfaces with Mothers Back to Black Heavy Duty Trim Cleaner that I like a lot over typical cleaners since they gel consistency stays on the surface.

The mirrors and door pulls are molded out of a rigid plastic. The cowling and front facia below the bumper are much more flexible.

Side by Sides with control swipe

Right mirror- day of application


Left mirror - day of application


Both mirrors -day of application


Cowling


Door handle


Front Facia



Beading pics 3 weeks later





[B]Cowling[B]



Tires at application and 3 weeks later Blackfire is on the right




Usage notes:

Scent: Pleasant on contrast to original forumla Ultima's chemical smell

Consistency: Thick creamy consistency. It is definitely not as oily as Ultima

Application: On the hard plastic mirrors and door pulls, it was more difficult to get an even appearance compared to Ultima. This can be seen in the images.

Ultima definitely spread better and gave a more even look initially. On the softer plastics such as the cowling and facia, there was not really much difference but Ultima had the edge in quick even application.

On the smooth surface Michelin tires, I could not get either to really look even. I have trouble with other tire dressings as well. There is something about the very smooth rubber that resists dressings. I suspect silicones in dressings give a more even look - my theory.

Final appearanceBlackfire tended to darken plastics much more than Ultima. The uneveness did disappear for the most part after several days. As shown in the rain pics, Blackfire tended to bead better and stayed darker,

Pros:
1. Nice scent with no chemical smell
2. Nice darkening effect on plastics
3. Gel consistency - not oily

Cons
1. Not as even coverage initially on some plastics. It may take a little extra buffing. This is not uncommon with other trim products to behave different on some surfaces compared to others.
2. Price is slightly higher than Ultima ounce for ounce but Blackfire is available in a small size.
3. No help for my Dakota tires but neither was Ultima. I want to try Carpro at some point.

Summary
A nice addition to the Blackfire line.[/QUOTE]

[Pats300zx]

Fantastic review Al !!! Can't wait to give this a try.

[Moldavite]

Great review

[expdetailing]

Thanks for the review. From your pictures, I prefer the darker look of the Blackfire on the mirrors, and on the tires it looks like the BF sealant had a more consistent look.

[Marc08EX]

Great review Bunky! Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

How does the product look after the first wash?

[Bunky]

Thanks for the review. From your pictures, I prefer the darker look of the Blackfire on the mirrors, and on the tires it looks like the BF sealant had a more consistent look.

The Blackfire does look better and it did work well on the Dakota as evidenced by the pics. It just took a little more effort to get even looking.

[Mizzoutiger]

Thank you for the great review Al!

[mg6045]

wow, impressive. I have the product but i didnt think it would perform this well compared to UTTG old formula.

I actually like the blackfire trim sealant better than the new UTTG formula. the new UTTG is a bit too glossy for my taste.

[PreludeVTEC01]

Awesome review! Thanks for sharing!!

[Bunky]

Here is a 2 month update.

Blackfire is still darker although the different is less than at beginning and still sheets water much faster than the Ultima side. They both are doing better than the control section without any dressing.

BLACKFIRE is always on right side of image.







Definitely an improvement over the Ultima (original formula).