Preserving "New" exterior Trim

[TTQ B4U]

Have used it on new trim without any issues.

Same. Hundreds of new cars, zero issues.

Just simple prep the surface to remove all dealer delivery or owner applied trim dressings.

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[PA DETAILER]

Things have changed. I no longer use a dedicated trim product. Any good spray coating will do the job now.

[TroyScherer]

As a long term user of DLUX I will say early on I loved it. But after 4+ years on our personal Jetta the coating started to “silver”. By silvering I mean that it developed a silver tint to it in places like it was delaminating for the plastic, but I couldn’t remove it using clay, or polishing. I couldn’t do a whole lot mor to get rid of it due to the plastic being textured.

After going to CarPro and finding there was nothing really to be done I changed my perspective. I would rather use a dye or trim sealant that can wear down over time. It means I can always reapply

[The Guz]

Poorboys Trim Coating is where it’s at though. Holds up better than DLUX or Gyeon Rim and looks better.

Another option for the op is solution Finish Over the Top.

As a long term user of DLUX I will say early on I loved it. But after 4+ years on our personal Jetta the coating started to “silver”. By silvering I mean that it developed a silver tint to it in places like it was delaminating for the plastic, but I couldn’t remove it using clay, or polishing. I couldn’t do a whole lot mor to get rid of it due to the plastic being textured.

After going to CarPro and finding there was nothing really to be done I changed my perspective. I would rather use a dye or trim sealant that can wear down over time. It means I can always reapply

This is where some go wrong thinking the trim does not need to be maintained. A yearly application will keep this from happening.

[Eldorado2k]

The most important part isn’t your trim but how you take care of the paint.

That would be Your opinion, but certainly not everyones. Some people consider different things as most important to them i.e. a clean interior, perfect glass, clean wheels & tires, or even a detailed engine bay. For people who own a Chevy Avalanche, I could certainly understand plastic trim being the most important part.

In this case, OP has a brand new vehicle and would like to preserve the plastic trim in new condition and I think that’s a smart decision that alot of people wish they could’ve done from the start.

As a long term user of DLUX I will say early on I loved it. But after 4+ years on our personal Jetta the coating started to “silver”. By silvering I mean that it developed a silver tint to it in places like it was delaminating for the plastic, but I couldn’t remove it using clay, or polishing. I couldn’t do a whole lot mor to get rid of it due to the plastic being textured.

After going to CarPro and finding there was nothing really to be done I changed my perspective. I would rather use a dye or trim sealant that can wear down over time. It means I can always reapply

This is exactly why I’ve never liked the idea of using Dlux^
Everyone raves about how nice it looks when they apply it, but what about a year later or when it’s reached the end of its life? How exactly does it go about doing so? Does it go away peacefully? Or does it turn into a mess that’s nearly impossible to fully remove? There’s so many variables when it comes to plastic trim because always different and I have yet to see a product that works great on all plastic trim.

But if/when you find out a product doesn’t work well on the trim you’ve applied it on, the least you can ask is for the ability to easily remove it, and that doesn’t seem all that easy to do with some of these trim coatings.

[Coatingsarecrack]

Cerakote trim coating. Almost 2 year old application. And bumper is dirty





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[Bosko]

I have used Cerakote on a few cars with good results...some have had issues with pimpleling and white spots.
I would imagine that comes down to bad prep/cleaning

[TTQ B4U]

As a long term user of DLUX I will say early on I loved it. But after 4+ years on our personal Jetta the coating started to “silver”. By silvering I mean that it developed a silver tint to it in places like it was delaminating for the plastic, but I couldn’t remove it using clay, or polishing.

4+ years it was probably long gone. I've been using it for years and find it's life is about 2 years here in Central Ohio. After two winters of exposure, the trim will need re-done. FWIW, on my personal vehicles, I use Dlux then after a couple weeks, I also top the trim with a standard ceramic such as GYEON or CarPro. I've found it will extend the life of the Dlux Darker appearance.

[TroyScherer]

This is where some go wrong thinking the trim does not need to be maintained. A yearly application will keep this from happening.

4+ years it was probably long gone. I've been using it for years and find it's life is about 2 years here in Central Ohio. After two winters of exposure, the trim will need re-done. FWIW, on my personal vehicles, I use Dlux then after a couple weeks, I also top the trim with a standard ceramic such as GYEON or CarPro. I've found it will extend the life of the Dlux Darker appearance.

I guess I left some of that out.

During those years I did regular maintenance on the Paint and on the trim. On the wheels where I used DLUX I really liked it and since I could polish it off the paint and reapply it worked fine. But on the textured plastic trim even after doing a full clean/scrub/reapply I developed the silvering. Granted this was after 4+ years. But I can confirm the coating was still there because trying to use and apply something like Solution Finish didn't work. I could wipe it on and let it set but when I came back with a towel it al simply came right off the surface. You could see the coating rejecting the Solution Finish.


I could have been that 1 in a thousand where there is a small issue that develops long term. But I do think it is something to consider long term when applying some kind of a coating that is supposed to seal the pores of the panel.

[TTQ B4U]

Granted this was after 4+ years. But I can confirm the coating was still there because trying to use and apply something like Solution Finish didn't work. I could wipe it on and let it set but when I came back with a towel it al simply came right off the surface. You could see the coating rejecting the Solution Finish.

That's typical on some plastics though. It's not uncommon at all to see trim that's aged not take solution finish. Volvo's are known for this and that's based on my personal experience with them. They simply become hard and brittle and solution finish even has no way to penetrate and bond to it. Neither will a coating. It has nothing to do with the coating or top coats applied previously either.

In the end, Dlux is a great product but it's not going to remain after 4 years of aging. It's good but not that good. I think what you're seeing is the aging and brittling of the plastic trim itself.