Cleaning exterior painted plastic (W201/W124) - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

pentoman · #1 04-20-2008, 01:00 PM

The plastic on the outside of my 190E really seems to pick up dirt badly

I've waxed the car with meguiars and metal came up great. It seems to be discoloured and yellowy in areas - both the metal (above license plate area) and more so the plastic cladding, what is the yellowing from? I bought some turtle wax 'intensive' bug, tree sap and tar remover which did a great job on removing discolouration and tar, especially the yellowed metal, but still the plastic clings onto lots of crap and has a yellowy urine tinge to it, see the attached pics, I've spent about 10 hours on the car in total, removing rubber trims cleaning and protectanting, doing the wheels, cleaning moss off all around, removing door mirrors to get at moss and dirt showing through from under there. This plastic is a shame though

pentoman · #2 04-20-2008, 01:27 PM

Also if anyone has any ideas on how they think it looks let me here them.

I used Meguairs Gold Class liquid wax which did a fine job but the vehicle is not looking amazing, merely 'clean'. I just read in other threads that preparation before waxing is the key so..... help

I didn't do any preparation bar washing and tar/bug cleaner. The reason is because I suppose it's a silver car and thus doesn't show any blotches swirls or paint damage (unlike my 199 blue black 190E which showed everything) so it didn't occur to me. But judging by the state of the rest of the car it probably has all of those things and I guess I didn't look hard enough. However I can't see any!

BoomInTheTrunk · #3 04-20-2008, 09:47 PM

yes preparation is the key no matter what color. Ever notice a old white car that looks really bad, it doesn't look like new, well its called oxidation.I cant really tell from the pics given but it sound like either oxidation or surface rust from salt. If it were me i would get my self a machine. Here are a few on the internet that i would suggest, If it were me i would get one of these with the pads.

http://www.autopia-carcare.com/pcdepot.html

This website has videos and everything of using them and how to use them and even before and after. if used correctly you can have a brand new looking car. This type of machine is one where you really dont have to worry about burning the paint. just read up on this site you will be pleased by the results.

pentoman · #4 04-21-2008, 02:49 AM

Thanks, unfortunately due to cost & space restraints of living in a shared house I've had to rule out the purchasing of machines at this stage in my life (I'm only 25 after all, plenty of time left for that!). Was the machine suggestion for this finish, or for the bugs left on the plastic panels, or both?

However perhaps some 'paint cleaner' or 'polish' or both is what I need before my wax?

johnathan1 · #5 04-21-2008, 03:15 AM

Looks like oxidation to me.

Here's what you do: Wash with dish soap (to remove wax), clay bar entire car (to remove surface contaminants), use a polish/cleaner (like Meguiar's Scratch-X/ColoRX, or Zaino Z-PC) those can both be applied by hand but will require lots of elbow grease, then you should wax the entire car.

Your paint will look like new.

Dee8go · #6 04-21-2008, 08:49 AM

Thanks for the link, Boom. I'm now seriously thinking of adding a polisher to mu vast collection of power tools. I used to assume that swirl marks were the result of using polishers. I've always polished and waxed everything by hand and never had any swirl marks. I've never gotten a finish as good as the ones I'm seeing from the Porter Cable and others.

pentoman · #7 04-21-2008, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnathan1

Looks like oxidation to me.

Here's what you do: Wash with dish soap (to remove wax), clay bar entire car (to remove surface contaminants), use a polish/cleaner (like Meguiar's Scratch-X/ColoRX, or Zaino Z-PC) those can both be applied by hand but will require lots of elbow grease, then you should wax the entire car.

Your paint will look like new.

Thanks - is the oxidation on the yellowy parts of the plastic panels do you mean? Or is it on my metal? How can you tell from the photos? Can plastic oxidize??

I saw scratch-x and considered it... can I do it on the plastic panels? 'sacco panels' I think they're called after the guy who came up with them..

thanks

Russell

johnathan1 · #8 04-21-2008, 02:17 PM

The yellowish parts could be oxidation...try some scratchx on them, and I think it should help quite a bit.

The plastic parts are painted, just like the rest of the car, and should be treated the same as you would the hood, or fender.

Dee8go · #9 04-21-2008, 02:33 PM

Why would the paint weather differently when it's on plastic than when it's on aluminum or steel?

pentoman · #10 04-21-2008, 05:34 PM

Local store has scratch X so easily gotten. Will the scratch X do the speckles visible in the close ups do you think or shall I look elsewhere for that?

johnathan1 · #11 04-21-2008, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dee8go

Why would the paint weather differently when it's on plastic than when it's on aluminum or steel?

Sometimes the manufacturer will put a "flex-additive" in the paint that will be applied to plastic body panels, and I would imagine this could affect the durability of the paint in the long run... but I think the real reason, is that for some reason, people don't wax painted plastic panels on cars, they think that it doesn't need to be waxed at all?

I've even come across a few professional auto detailers that follow this line of thinking. That because it is a plastic panel, waxing it will somehow "damage" the paint. Complete rubbish.

Not sure why they think that, but I think that's one of the main reasons you always see faded bumpers, and painted plastic parts... people tend to just wax the painted metal panels. :\

Quote:

Originally Posted by pentoman

Local store has scratch X so easily gotten. Will the scratch X do the speckles visible in the close ups do you think or shall I look elsewhere for that?

I would think it should, but you will have to try it to be sure.

pentoman · #12 04-22-2008, 07:08 AM

Alright scratchX it is. I might also get Meguiars Step 1 (paint cleaner) and Step 2 (Polish) because I just went straight from wash -> wax which might explain the lack of spangle to the finish.

Wish it wasn't silver!!!

Dee8go · #13 04-22-2008, 09:32 AM

It never ocurred to me to NOT wax any painted surface on a car. That makes sense, though. Also, the additive to make the paint more flexible makes sense. I guess it would tend to crack as it gets older and the panel flexes. The trunk lid of my Lincoln is plastic. You never know where you'll find plastic in a car these days.

MBeige · #14 04-22-2008, 12:52 PM

I hope you're enjoying them, I wish the ones in the 300TE were half as nice as the ones you have.

pentoman · #15 05-01-2008, 07:12 AM

I have now not driven the car for 3 weeks, fitting in cleaning each evening and weekend when time allows. The battery went flat from listening to the radio!

The tar cleaner is working wonders for the shine - the whole body has tiny black specks and removing these makes it shine beautifully. However it is extremely time consuming, taking probably more than 1 hour to do the top half of one door. I am just using a soft cloth and Turtle wax tar cleaner and actually removing most of the tar spots with my thumbnail after softening with the solution. Can I not use a more abrasive cloth to remove the tar specs? What should I look to buy if so?

Perhaps I should actually get a polisher - will it get rid of the tar specs? I don't have a problem with swirls or the shine once the tar is gone.