What should be applied to the fender flares around the wheel wells, bottom of door sills and bottom of front & rear bumpers? Armor All, Tire Wet, ???. Will the stuff I use on the tires be okay to clean up the flares?

 

I use Stoner (I think that's the name). They're the one with "Invisible Glass" from Murrarys. They have a trim spray that's great with tires too. Treats it with just a semi gloss (unlike dripping wet look of Armourall...Ugggh).

 

303 Aerospace Protectant will protect the black plastic from damaging UV rays and extend its longevity - the opposite of Armor All, which will make it look shiny in the short term but brittle and faded over the long term. You can get 303 at most boating shops, plus places like EMS, L.L.Bean, etc.

 

I use the same tire wet from Polyglaze. It looks black and a bit shiny and lasts a lot longer than the "protectants". I was getting tired of doing the set and wheels every week - the Polyglaze has lasted a month and still looks new. Do be prepared for a bit of time to get it right (you'll need a paint brush) and I advise some rubber gloves as the process is a bit messy.

Cheers

 

For all black plastic, rubber, and vinyl exterior parts on my MINI I apply and wipe off Zaino 16 Perfect tire gloss.
It's excellent for the wheel flares and for the rubber floor mats.

 

for all the black trim i use a good silicone spray. try not to spray paint , just spray close and use rag to wipe everywhere. its beads up and protects rubber and plastic, Tim

 

After having attended a detailing clinic by Meguiar's, I'm now sold on using their Trim Detailer. It's inexpensive and easy to apply. You can use their sponge applicator, or I even use those blue workshop paper towels. It gets the dirt off of them, and keep them a very deep rich black.

 

In addition to applying it to the tires, I also use Meguiar's Endurance High Gloss tire gel (purple goo) on the flares and side sills, as well as the bottom front and rear lips. It leaves a nice look and lasts a fairly long time but is somewhat messy to work with - recommend gloves when applying it. The Zaino Perfect Tire Gloss, as minihune suggested works great too.

I plan to have my flares, side sills, and front/rear lips gloss professionally painted gloss black to match the roof and mirrors as it's been a real pain to keep the plastic bits clean.

_________________
'03 Cooper S JCW Pure Silver/Black - PP, CWP, Space Cloth, Fogs, 16" R90s, K&N, 35% tint


'02 S2000 Spa Yellow/Black - HKS exhaust, OEM hardtop, Infinity rears

 

mother's back to black works wonders for me

 

I like Vinylex, keeps the flairs looking black while not oily and shiney and has great UV protection. I only need to apply every 8 - 10 washes.

Is anyone else experiencing "abrading" of the flairs and rocker trim from sand used on the roads ? This is my second winter and the wear is pretty extensive especially in front of the flairs on the rear wheel wells.