How to care for the black molding around the wheel well ? The trim that runs along the bottom of the air dam and at the kick panel by the doors. How to keep it black and pristine ?

 

I've been using a product called Black Wow for years. Apply it every couple of months before a wash. Gets applied very sparingly and works well for a fair period of time.

There's a thread around here about product called Wipe New and a lot of people seem to like it. Me... waiting for more data to come in on it before I switch. Just something about using something on one of those cheesy TV commercials.

 

303 Aerospace Protectant also works well.

 

Does the old school stuff like 'Armour All' work or does it actually create more harm than good?

 

Black wow like the other person said. It's 110% good. I plan on using it before the summer ends.

 

I don't let Armour All get within a half mile of my cars.

It doesn't last long and can dry out your plastic trim. Stay away from the cheap stuff. The adage "you get what you pay for" applies here.

 

I use TurtleWax Trim Restorer, works for me and is cheap!

 

Black WOW....
Use it sparingly.....and after a couple applications it seems to last longer... Stay blacker....and work better.
The first time it seems to be kinda short lived...but it gets better with use.
One warning....too much will attract dirt.
My trick....I apply it BEFORE washing... So any that has been smeered on the paint gets washed off....
A disclaimer....my car is not a plaything...but a daily driver that gets washed when I have time....lol...sometimes I change my oil more often!!

 

Any suggestions for the interior other than armoire all to maintain the black dash?

 

Aerospace 303... keeps it looking nice and has UV protectants.

 

I've decided to give Adam's Super VRT (vinyl, rubber and tire) a try and I am very pleased with the results. Super VRT has a great black semi-matte finish. It has fantastic staying power that has lasted for 3 weeks so far with no sign of fading. It can also be used as a tire dressing. I've tried it using it that was, and again, it's fantastic. I cover all the rubber trim prior to machine polishing and not a speck of white residue anywhere that the Super VRT was applied. I'm pretty happy with the product. We'll see how well it stands up given more time.

 

I use black wow but it takes some time because you have to use it pretty sparingly. On the quick, I use Prima Nero. It is my favorite product. I always use it on the interior and door seals. When I am doing a quick clean I spray it on the microfiber and wipe on wheel and door trim. Looks great and lasts a while.

 

+1 on this. I use it about every 4 weeks on all the plastic/rubber exterior parts.

 

I use Black Wow a few times a year. I find it goes a lot further than they lead me to believe. I mean as far as how many applications I get out of one of those small bottles. It looks like I'll get 6 or 8 (maybe more) applications.

If I want to freshen it up in a hurry, I use McGuire's Natural Shine which I apply thick and wipe off after 10 minuets or-so.

 

I'd say you're using way too much Black Wow. From the small bottle, you should be getting 20-30 applications. I easily get 30.

 

I purchased a case of mother's back to black for a pretty sweet deal years ago, and still have a few bottles left that I've been using on the black trim on my Clubman. I've seen this product getting a fairly bad wrap on this site, but it seems to work reasonably well. I can say with some confidence that it works a bit better than plain silicone products I've used on black trim in the past, but it probably doesn't hold up as well as some of the more modern products that are out these days (Black Wow, 303, etc.). If you're looking for something locally available, it's worth a try. I found that it seemed to wear off fairly quickly after the first couple applications but, after using it pretty consistently, it seems to dwell on the plastics a bit longer.

--Matt

 

I'll have to have another look at my bottle. Truth is, I was guestimating it by looking at a still pretty-full bottle. I just have a recollection of reading something-maybe even on their website-that left me thinking I'd only get a few.

I do all the applicable surfaces too, BTW/FWIW. (window seals, antenna mount gasket, under hood plastic fender panels, battery cover (under the hood in an R50), fuel rail cover, etc, etc.

 

The average MINI owner is finding about 5 years before using up a 4oz bottle of Black Wow and 2 to 3 years for the 2oz bottle assuming it's applied to just one car.

A pea sized dot covers about 2 square feet but it depends on how much is absorbed which is determined by how oxidized the trim is. If you apply Black Wow to a first gen MINI which has never used any trim products you'll probably find a dime sized or nickel sized dot is needed to cover 2 square feet.

As others have said, it gets better with time. The logic is simple.

Apply Black Wow until your plastic reaches saturation. When that happens, it depends on your plastic. With a brand new MINI, it might be saturated on the first application but an older one might take a day or few days.

Dust attraction happens during the initial process of saturating the plastic.

Durability is also dependent on how well the plastic is prepped and how long you leave the Black Wow on before you wash it, wipe it off, or gets rained on.

1.) For the absolute longest durability--6+ months or more, prep with Pre-Wow.

Forget the sprayer that comes with it. Pour it out (future bottles will get rid of the sprayer as it tends to fail over time). Pour a little bit on a white painters (cotton) towel from Costco. Thoroughly wipe the trim watching the towel turn black. Keep wiping until very little comes off the plastic..keep turning the towel to expose clean areas.

Remove Pre-Wow
Take a spray bottle full of water and add a few drops of dish soap. Enough to make it change color and shake. Spray this diluted solution on another clean white painters rag and wipe the Pre-Wowed area. A little color may come off and the PW'd area will be dry, no longer shiny or slick.

Apply Black Wow
You can use any applicator, towel, sponge, paint brush...whatever you feel comfortable with. Apply it fairly heavy in the sense that you want to apply it, spread it around and work it in. Leave it. Don't wash it, dry it, touch it. Let it absorb. The longer you let it absorb the better. If possible, leave it until your next wash. As each day goes by, the Black Wow will become less wet on the trim and will likely pick up some dust and twigs. Once you wash the MINI, the Black Wow that didn't absorb will wash off, leaving a nice matte black plastic trim that will no longer attract dust.

Tips:
If you apply the Black Wow and find the next day it is grey again, that means it completely absorbed it. Apply it again. There will be a point where it won't go grey anymore.

One more thing. The first time you properly apply Black Wow, you will find that it lasts one or two months. If you reapply as it starts to grey, think of that first 2 months as long term soaking and reapplying it will likely yield 3 to 4 months durability the next time. Don't use Pre-Wow again when you reapply. If you let it go completely grey and reapply, you will find the durability will be about the same each time. So the best long term results come from applying it before it really needs it.

Finally, there have been some tests that have shown that heating the trim with a hair dryer BEFORE applying Black Wow can increase durability. The heat opens the pores of the plastic, and closes up when it cools down after the Black Wow is applied.

I'm sorry I'm not active much on NAM these days. I'm still lurking and mostly on my company Facebook page these days but I am always available for questions or comments.

Richard

 

That's what I used in this pic. First time the trim had ever had special attention given to it, and I'm impressed. The trim looks like new from the factory after the whole car has been done.

 

I used that turtle wax junk.
Sorry guys, but have fun re applying every week.

 

I use Meguiars Ultimate Black, I have been using it for 20 months each application lasts longer than the last application.

 

I use the same on my last 3 cars, works well and last for around 3-4 months depending on rain and washing.

 

This stuff is awesome! Like 1 of the other posters stated with another product. You need to wash the trim well before first application and a little goes a long way. Alot of the other products contain silicone which is not a good thing. I've had a few people ask the year of the car because it looks so good. I tell them over 3.5 years old, daily driver in spring, summer, winter and fall. Definitely not a garage queen.

 

Please don't perpetuate the myth that silicone products are bad for your trim. There are a couple of manufacturers out there that bash silicone products with inaccurate and blatantly false information about silicones to scare you.

Historically, the biggest problem with silicone based dressings are the solvents used to dilute them to make them cheaper. Not all silicone based products are created equal and there is nothing wrong with using them. If they didn't last long or weren't safe to use, they wouldn't be used in silicone caulking on buildings or in many kitchen products and utensils or as breast implants.

Richard

 

Mothers Back-to-Black worked for me - took off the wax I accidentally got on the trim... Used the Turtle Wax Black Box for the rest of Scarlet. *don't flame me - I'm a newbie*