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View Full Version : Best way to maintain/remove swirls from plastic between side windows



newb001
01-03-2011, 09:13 AM
For some reason the very smooth/shiny 'plastic' between the side windows of my Audi Q5 has gotten a tremendous amount of swirls (much more so than my paint). Is there any hope of hiding/removing them by hand? I've given up hope of removing any of the swirls from the paint (and intend to have a proper detail by a pro at some point), but was wondering if there was anything I could do for this 'plastic' piece.

Here's an example of what I'm referring to (not actual pic of my car):

http://img832.imageshack.us/img832/4098/79957816.jpg (http://img832.imageshack.us/i/79957816.jpg/)

Finemess
01-03-2011, 09:37 AM
I polished the wifes Edge this weekend. She had real bad swirls on her trim panels there. I used XMT 360 on an orange pad with the GG rop and BAM! they look new again. Not sure if it would work by hand.

Mike Phillips
01-03-2011, 09:46 AM
You might try Ultimate Compound by hand...

Ultimate Compound (http://www.autogeek.net/meguiars-ultimate-compound.html)


Usually any type of swirl and scratch removal is done best by machine.


:)

jlb85
01-03-2011, 12:01 PM
NINJA EDIT: re-read the OP, but figured I'd leave info for all types of B-Pillar Garnish...


Some "B-pillars" are garnished with a durable tape wrapped around the pillar. They will be more "textured" than smooth. Use something like Meg's trim detailer for these. Others have a hard plastic trim cover that may or may not be polishable. Textured means not to polish, smooth means UC by hand, or any medium to fine polish by DA machine will do the trick. And others are actually painted. Most are painted piano black, sometimes single-stage, and either take very well to polishing with M205.

These were painted piano black, from a 2010 Passat CC:

http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/rr220/jacobbunyan/2010%20VW%20Passat%20CC%20Detail/DSC05660.jpg

http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/rr220/jacobbunyan/2010%20VW%20Passat%20CC%20Detail/DSC05662.jpg


It is hard to tell, but this Focus has a polishable plastic trim piece around the door side of the B-pillar. No pictures up close or afters, sorry.

http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/rr220/jacobbunyan/2002%20Ford%20Focus%20SVT/DSC06999.jpg

superd
01-04-2011, 09:35 AM
For some reason the very smooth/shiny 'plastic' between the side windows of my Audi Q5 has gotten a tremendous amount of swirls (much more so than my paint). Is there any hope of hiding/removing them by hand? I've given up hope of removing any of the swirls from the paint (and intend to have a proper detail by a pro at some point), but was wondering if there was anything I could do for this 'plastic' piece.

Here's an example of what I'm referring to (not actual pic of my car):

http://img832.imageshack.us/img832/4098/79957816.jpg (http://img832.imageshack.us/i/79957816.jpg/)



My wife has an Acura TL that has similar pilars that need attention. I'm curious if you tackled the project and if so how did it turn out?