How can I clean this up?

[Pritch]

I bought a 4-Runner recently from a used car dealer, and the paint looked alright at the time. Now after a few months, all 4 plastic quarter panel pieces are all showing paint wear, scratches, etc. Since I didn't notice them when I bought it, I'm assuming that the dealer treated them with something to keep them looking good temporarily, then it eventually faded away over time. I'm just trying to find out what they might have used to clean these areas up, so I can get them looking decent again. Any ideas? Thanks.


https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6Cxh_E-QEBqekJza1J1Y2ZaN1E/view?usp=sharing

[Setec Astronomy]

So was that plastic supposed to be gray or black?

[Marc Hufnagel]

That paint or whatever is finished, IMHO.

[Pritch]

So was that plastic supposed to be gray or black?

Yeah it is silver. The darker part that you see is at the very top of the plastic piece. Just trying to figure out how to clean it up.

[J Cole]

Doesn't look like you can clean it - looks like the paint has worn off. Maybe the dealer took off the plastic piece and used lower quality paint to repaint it?

I can't tell in the picture, but is the paint on the lower plastic piece also metallic?

[Setec Astronomy]

Yeah it is silver. The darker part that you see is at the very top of the plastic piece. Just trying to figure out how to clean it up.

Yeah, I looked up a picture after I posted, I thought that was supposed to be black/gray unpainted textured trim, now I understand that's a painted piece, and I agree, the paint is shot.

[RTexasF]

In short there is no cleaning that up. It is either have it repainted or live with it.

[Pritch]

Doesn't look like you can clean it - looks like the paint has worn off. Maybe the dealer took off the plastic piece and used lower quality paint to repaint it?

I can't tell in the picture, but is the paint on the lower plastic piece also metallic?

I believe so. It appears that all the plastic pieces on the vehicle have worn paint. It is a 2005 vehicle. But when I bought it, the fender areas looked alright from what I remember. I'm just trying to figure out what the dealer used to cover it up, so I can get it to look better.

[shagnat]

You may want to ask the dealer what they used.

[Mantilgh]

My in laws have a similar year 4Runner with body colored fender trim pieces and they look the same. The paint is failing on the plastic pieces just like your is.

Idk. Maybe they had it touched up somehow, but with how rough the rest of it looks, it's just failing.