Exterior Black Trim Staining

[Willywonka]

Hi, new member here, asking IF anyone having same issue with BLACK window trims on V-Class NIGHT EDITION I believe it’s called, The trim is being stained by washing chemicals, (so I was told) and wondering if anyone knows how to restore, correct, remove stains as very unsightly. I have tried washing etc but no improvement and I don’t want to use abrasasive materials incase of removing black finish entirely…, any help or advice appreciated.(apologies about pic quality)

 

[SmartAmg]

Welcome, it's almost certainly been caused by, those hand carwash places, they spray some crap on your car, with a pump hand sprayer, before washing your motor, and it causes what's happened to yours, it happened to one of my cars once, never went to one again, if you MUST go to one, ask them not to spray it first. As for restoring it, I never got mine back to what it was, but did get it better, using a good quality rubber trim restorer, hopefully someone will be along with a better solution.

 

[Blobcat]

Welcome, it's almost certainly been caused by, those hand carwash places, they spray some crap on your car, with a pump hand sprayer, before washing your motor, and it causes what's happened to yours, it happened to one of my cars once, never went to one again, if you MUST go to one, ask them not to spray it first. As for restoring it, I never got mine back to what it was, but did get it better, using a good quality rubber trim restorer, hopefully someone will be along with a better solution.

A lot use hypochlorite at a very strong %

 

[Willywonka]

Welcome, it's almost certainly been caused by, those hand carwash places, they spray some crap on your car, with a pump hand sprayer, before washing your motor, and it causes what's happened to yours, it happened to one of my cars once, never went to one again, if you MUST go to one, ask them not to spray it first. As for restoring it, I never got mine back to what it was, but did get it better, using a good quality rubber trim restorer, hopefully someone will be along with a better solution.

Hi, appreciate the repl, tho maybe didn’t explain properly, this isn’t rubber…, it’s where you have chrome strips running under the windows, but mine are black finish, not chrome…so I don’t think rubber restorer would would, but as Saigon really appreciate the respones..

 

[SmartAmg]

Ah, right, in that case what about trying a good cutting polish, failing that, if it's really bugging you, either wrap them, or even get them sprayed.

 

[Willywonka]

Ah, right, in that case what about trying a good cutting polish, failing that, if it's really bugging you, either wrap them, or even get them sprayed.

Was thinking about getting them sprayed as they are really bugging me, takes the look of her completely, thanks again …

 

[richlumb]

I have the night pack and mine were exactly the same when I bought it, I used meguiars ultimate compound (as it doesn’t stain your rubbers like other compounds) my DA polisher where possible and by hand on the rest, then the usuall polish and seal. They still good after 2 1/2 years ! nothing else touched them, took a lot of elbow grease and about 2 hours or work but came up like new.

 

[peterws1957]

I'm sure there was another post with the same problem recently. As others have said it's a chemical reaction to the trim finish, whether it's ordinary chrome, stainless or a black finish the results are the same. I suspect it's used by car washes and valeters employed by dealers to wash their stock. richlumb appears to have solved the problem.

 

[Willywonka]

I have the night pack and mine were exactly the same when I bought it, I used meguiars ultimate compound (as it doesn’t stain your rubbers like other compounds) my DA polisher where possible and by hand on the rest, then the usuall polish and seal. They still good after 2 1/2 years ! nothing else touched them, took a lot of elbow grease and about 2 hours or work but came up like new.

Thanks for the reply, I’ll have a go at your suggestion at the weekend, weather permitting as having spoken to Mercedes re problem, approx £200+vat per side is a non starter, ta again .

 

[richlumb]

2 years since I did mine and several thousands of miles later my trims started to look stained , quick rub down with Meguiars ultimate compound by hand and they came back up like new !