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I finally got around to trying it.
My '08 Cr-V looks really good except for the trim. The trim used to be black and over the years just looks like a washed out grey. I tried a couple of spray-on products and they worked, but only for a few weeks.
I had been hearing about using a heat gun to make it black again and today I tried it.
Works great! I was always afraid of blistering the paint but it turned out that was never an issue. The heat gun turned the trim black again. It was sort of like painting, but slower. You can see the trim change as you go along.
Anyone tried this?............ How long did it last?
If I get a few months out of it, that'll be fine. It wasn't hard to do and I know I won't hurt the paint.
It's a short term fix and may cause long-term damage.
The heat draws oils out of the plastic to the top, which is what gives it that darker appearance. Unfortunately, it won't last long, and this process dries the plastic out which will make it prone to prematurely cracking.
I've done it before on non-automotive plastics and have seen this exact thing occur.
Like others have said, this will lead to brittle plastics. I personally use Ammo Frame Pro Trim Coat for my plastics on my Nissan Frontier. I have not used Cerakote and Solutions finish, but I've heard they work as well. I applied Ammo to my Frontier shortly after I picked it up last July and the trim still looks new.
I've been trying to figure out something to use for the body panels on my Honda Element. I've tried Back to Black but it doesn't last long, the next wash and it's gone.
I've been trying to figure out something to use for the body panels on my Honda Element. I've tried Back to Black but it doesn't last long, the next wash and it's gone.
The heat gun worked well on our 08 CR-V, but I don't know for how long. Our car is kept inside, so maybe it'll last a while.
Based on multiple warnings, I won't try it again because the plastic can get brittle. If I have to re-treat it, I'll go with one of the many dies, tape the trim off and apply according to directions. As you said, the spray and wipe applications are very temporary.
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