Keeping them shiny

[mikeharold]

Well looks like I'm gonna have to give the Zep a try. Thanks for the tip.

Aaron, let us know if the back to black works for ya. I have seen those wipes mentioned earlier as well just haven't used em myself. The other thing I've used on the bed rails of my truck is the Meguires interior dressing. Looks good but doesn't last very long, usually just a wash or two.

 

[crashz]

I found out, by accident, that Fluid Film really brings back the deep luster in paint and plastic. I wipe on a thin layer, let it soak in a bit, and then wipe it off with a dry rag. I first noticed how nice it made my truck look where I over-sprayed some FF while undercoating it a couple years ago. I wiped it dry and the 'spots' remained for months (or until I washed it which rarely happens). the spots looked better than the paint around them. I applied some to an old JD mower plastic body which was looking dull, and it looked much better. It seems to nourish the paint and plastic.

I did this to my JD paint. The paint is faded, chipped, scratched and rusting. So instead of wax, I threw a quick spray of FF on the hood and wiped it down. It doesn't look new (doesn't hide scratches or rust!) but looks a heck of a lot better. Did the bobcat too.

Back-to Black works good, but doesn't seem to last long. The copious amount of black trim on my truck fades within a few months of application. I try to apply it every time I hand wax the truck, which is usually 2-3 times per year. But mid-way through the winter, its fading again. haven't found a better product though, as the rest of the store bought stuff seems to be worse.

 

[oosik]

I keep the seat & arm rests clean & pliable using Pledge. Used it for 25+ years on my previous tractor and the seat never developed any cracks in the vinyl.

 

[GreatWhitehunter]

I was going to try the back to black as I heard that it worked, but I've got a ton of FF in the garage so I may as well try that first. Thanks

Matt

 

[MORRISONSTEEL]

Dakota Shine is supposedly pretty good as well. A tad expensive though.

 

[94BULLITT]

I'll second the areospace 303 for keeping plastic in good shape.

I would use something like this to restore the plastic.

Black WOW Exterior Trim Restorer, black trim dressing, restore black rubber trim, Mini trim

 

[kubota21]

For plastic, a heat gun used carefully will do wonders. The plastic needs to be clean, then just go over the plastic with the heat gun. You will see the plastic return to the original color as you apply heat. Don't do too much at one time, you don't want to deform or melt the plastic and you can always hit it a second time if needed. It works really well and then you can always apply 303 to keep it looking good.

 

[HAPPYNC]

If it's painted, I haven't found anything better yet than Zaino Polish. It is expensive but it takes so little that it lasts forever. I've literally done my entire care with less than 2 ounces which is how it's intended. To my knowledge, you can't buy it in stores but you may have a "rep" in your area that sells it. If not you can order directly from Zaino Bros website. I don't know if it's customary but the rep that I bought from always threw in extra polishing pads and goodies the more I bought. They have products for any part from glass to paint to tires to plastic and leather.

Other than the awesome shine, the other great thing is ALL of their stuff smells GREAT! REALLY! Their spray enhancer smells kinda like grape bubblegum to me. And the shine last forever and unlike wax, the more layers of polish you add, the shinier it gets and you can buff as hard as you can and it just gets shinier. I use to wash and polish my vehicles every week. The last time I bought a new truck I spent the whole weekend and washed it, clay barred it, washed it again and then put 6 coats of polish on it. I didn't wash it for over a year after that (life happens) and still had numerous people comment on how clean I kept my truck. I looked at them like they were crazy but looking at it again and I realized it still had an amazing shine even through the skim coat of dirt and dust.

Just talking about it makes me wish I had time to go baby it again! The worst part with a really dirty vehicle is using a clay bar but the finished results are amazing!

 

[oosik]

I gave up worrying about the "shiny" part after about a year - living out here. We have so much dust and volcanic ash that within a couple days there will be a complete coating on any vehicle. When I feel "moved", I will pull the tractor out and hose it down good - then wash & wax it. Two days later it will, again, be totally covered with dust & volcanic ash. Covered or uncovered - garaged or not - - shiny just isn't a option out here. A good coat of wax will protect the finish and that's what I look for.