Faded Plastics: How to restore?

[Brian]

I picked up a machine for a great price that had been sitting in the sun way too long over the summer and the plastics are all faded (the machine is supposed to be red, but some parts are almost white).

What's the best / easiest way to restore the plastics? I bought something called "Plastic Renew" ( http://www.properautocare.com/plreformoat.html ) which I'm about to try -- but I'd hate to try it and find it made things look worse. =)

What have others done to solve this?

 

[PhantomCat]

Does this renew come in colors? Couldn't find on the site if it did.

If it does, it looks to be a better option than paint...due to the paint possible not sticking or if you rub a tree might crack and flake.

I am a body man at a local shop and we can some times use a heat gun to make white stressed marks on a plastic bumpers go away with the use of heat. You have to be careful and not get it to hot though

The wife has a 1M Cat and the side panels have had a few white marks in the plastic from pulling off the primary...used the heat gun method and got rid of the marks. Just don't know if it will work for fading.

Glenn

 

[sledneck_03]

ive used the plastic renu on my dirtbikes, but i had some scuffs....you sand paper the plastic smooth with multiple grits and the plastic renu is a clear coat. It made the plastic look new and shiny you can even use it on your hood to make your hood nice and shiny. follow the instructions on the application because you have to use the blue paper roll to not leave lint and if you go to thick it will leave smears and lines

harsh detergents will remove the clear coat but you can apply it again and again after you do the sanding job, i didnt have to but i applied it every spring on the bike and it made it look like new every year

 

[Brian]

I decided to give the blow-torch thing a try... and WOW! It was like spraying on a fresh coat of paint. I can see that there is definitely a technique to this (mine looks a little sloppy).. but it certainly looks better than it did before.

The other stuff will go back in the box for now... I tried it on a small area of the 4-wheeler (half-heartedly, I didn't go to all the work it said I needed to) and it didn't shine up as well as I was hoping. I'm gonna save it for a really tough project.

Thanks for the suggestions!

 

[PhantomCat]

Your welcome...glad it helped

 

[89sandman]

if your lazy armorall, reapply as necessary

 

[knee deep in it]

i did a thread on this a few months ago. I tried out a few products and took a bunch of pics. I think the information will help.

http://www.snowestonline.com/forum/showthread.php?t=159825