Chrome has a weird finish that I can scrape off with my fingernails

[Pyrotik]

Pic attached for reference. How would I be able to remove this?

 

[Pyrotik]

I’m wondering if it’s old wax from previous owner… hmm..

 

[RedCal]

Could be... but there are more than a few people who have those bits oxidizing and looking spotty and discolored. KIA has replaced a lot of them under warranty. You can clean them up with some cleaner wax, or light metal polish, but they will need to be coated with a wax, sealant, or something to help prevent it's return

 

[AtomicGTL]

Mothers aluminum polish works great. But after a wash it kinda comes back again.

but honestly if I were you, Id just wrap it. Problem solved and looks way better than the chrome.

 

[MerlintheMad]

At this point, as I watch the merest beginnings of this on the rear ends of my dark chrome window trim pieces, it seems to be a clear coat issue. Some car washing products, plus a lot of sun baking, causes this spotting/discoloration to occur faster. My car is under a carport all the time that it isn't driven; and rarely sits for very long out in the sunlight. So, I'm hypothesizing that, over time, the clear coat on bare metal breaks down faster than clear coat on paint. When you try and clean the spots and other discoloration off, you of course burn through the clear coat to the metal and produce a "solution" of sorts: but as noted, the problem will return. I'm likely to pursue a wrap also, if/when this gets ugly enough to be noticeable from six feet away.

 

[Pyrotik]

At this point, as I watch the merest beginnings of this on the rear ends of my dark chrome window trim pieces, it seems to be a clear coat issue. Some car washing products, plus a lot of sun baking, causes this spotting/discoloration to occur faster. My car is under a carport all the time that it isn't driven; and rarely sits for very long out in the sunlight. So, I'm hypothesizing that, over time, the clear coat on bare metal breaks down faster than clear coat on paint. When you try and clean the spots and other discoloration off, you of course burn through the clear coat to the metal and produce a "solution" of sorts: but as noted, the problem will return. I'm likely to pursue a wrap also, if/when this gets ugly enough to be noticeable from six feet away.

We’ll see I can use my fingernail and scrape it off which is odd.
When you guys are saying wrap it, what does that mean?

 

[JSolo]

Change car's appearance in a non permanent way.

Should I Wrap My Car? | Edmunds

Vinyl wraps are a great way to mix up the look and color of your car without committing to a more expensive and more permanent paint job.

www.edmunds.com

 

[AtomicGTL]

We’ll see I can use my fingernail and scrape it off which is odd.
When you guys are saying wrap it, what does that mean?

Chrome delete.

Could pay someone to do it if you arent precise.

Example; Matte black/Gloss etc

 

[MerlintheMad]

If I can't find a suitable wrap to match the other dark chrome areas closely enough, I'll likely go with gloss (piano) black, to match the other black areas. Running up both sides of the windshield, the triangular areas by the side mirrors, the bottom of the side mirrors and the B pillars (and the little separation "pillar" between the rear windows and the "D" shaped glass), are all in close association with the dark chrome window strips: so wrapping these in gloss black should look perfectly natural: at that point, you begin to wonder if wrapping all of the dark chrome that is left would be a smart and cool looking idea (the "chrome delete" that @AtomicGTL referred to).

I'm still playing around with how to get rid of the spots/hazing/discoloration. Today I tried toothpaste (Colgate "Great Original Flavor" ): it may have possibilities. But the right strip along my hatch window was worked over quite heavily before with Meguiar's rubbing and polishing compounds, and then covered in cleaner wax: the toothpaste seems ineffective on that piece, while fading the light discoloration areas on the forward two window strips. I'm suspicious that if the issue is attacked with other chemicals first, and/or has wax applied, the toothpaste won't phase it. But if the first thing you do is rub with toothpaste you might get good results. Of course, my situation is very slight, just beginning: an issue severe enough to scrape off with a fingernail isn't likely to respond to such a light cleaner as toothpaste.

This evening, I bought Meguiar's PlastX to try out. This might be "using the wrong tool for the right job": I just have to be careful to keep it on the strips and not get it on the paint, because it is not a product intended for use on paint. Anyway, I'm sure that I'll try it, probably tomorrow. Stay tuned.

 

[StingertimeNC]

I took all that trim off and painted it with gloss black spray paint. holding up well. I did wrap the two [pieces on the drivers side doors, but it was a pain in the arse! spray painted the rest of them. while they are not exact matches (wrap looks best) from a few feet away you would never even give it a second glance. well worth it, super easy..

 

[andre11x]

I had the same issue less than 6 months after getting the car. Florida sun baked it I guess. I just plasti dipped mine in black, it came out well and is holding up so far. (6 months) After it comes off I think I'll get them replaced under warranty if I can and then re-dip them to try and prevent it from happening again.

 

[5tinger]

The Stinger's exterior trim pieces are of questionable quality.

 

[AtomicGTL]

The Stinger's exterior trim pieces are of questionable quality.

Yeah happened to me as well.

I wrapped it carbon fiber and holds up well.

 

[JSolo]

The Stinger's exterior trim pieces are of questionable quality.

Maybe it's a special intended design? It is consistent across the entire trim piece?

 

[MerlintheMad]

Maybe it's a special intended design? It is consistent across the entire trim piece?

Snake skin.

 

[MerlintheMad]

This evening, I bought Meguiar's PlastX to try out. This might be "using the wrong tool for the right job": I just have to be careful to keep it on the strips and not get it on the paint, because it is not a product intended for use on paint. Anyway, I'm sure that I'll try it, probably tomorrow.

Okay, PlastX does not do anything beneficial for this spotting/hazing crap on the dark chrome window trim pieces: it really must be only for plastic stuff. So, with all of my cleaning and rubbing efforts (spread out over several months and occasions) I have managed to make the rearmost pieces that run alongside the hatch window lighter than the two that go over the door windows and down alongside the windshield. In a fit of "cut to the chase", I went over all six pieces with Meguiar's polishing compound, then finished up with Meg's paste cleaner wax - this is to hopefully retard the return and worsening of the discoloration: but I am looking more resignedly at gloss black wrap to match the piano black already on the car.

 

[Pyrotik]

Okay, PlastX does not do anything beneficial for this spotting/hazing crap on the dark chrome window trim pieces: it really must be only for plastic stuff. So, with all of my cleaning and rubbing efforts (spread out over several months and occasions) I have managed to make the rearmost pieces that run alongside the hatch window lighter than the two that go over the door windows and down alongside the windshield. In a fit of "cut to the chase", I went over all six pieces with Meguiar's polishing compound, then finished up with Meg's paste cleaner wax - this is to hopefully retard the return and worsening of the discoloration: but I am looking more resignedly at gloss black wrap to match the piano black already on the car.

Yea it sounds like wrapping or painting them is the best option right now. But I have the black car and I’m afraid to put black on black. The white stingers with black chrome looks awesome and well worth it.

 

[MerlintheMad]

Yea it sounds like wrapping or painting them is the best option right now. But I have the black car and I’m afraid to put black on black. The white stingers with black chrome looks awesome and well worth it.

Well, piano black pieces on Black Pearl already are black on black, and it looks good to me. As I was polishing and waxing the (once-upon-a-time darker) dark chrome it finally occurred to me that their presence is a bit weird anyway: with all the touching piano black areas (B pillar and smaller rear divider and the end borders on the windshield and the triangles beside the mirrors), why did the designers think that putting in chrome would look good? Actually, it is arguably out of place. As a design "flourish" it is what it is: I'm used to it. In it's pristine, dark condition, it looks almost black in any subdued light anyway, so, might as well go all the way gloss black.

 

[5tinger]

Maybe it's a special intended design? It is consistent across the entire trim piece?

I certainly hope it's not intended. As it looks awful. It's happening across both roof trims.

 

[MerlintheMad]

I certainly hope it's not intended. As it looks awful. It's happening across both roof trims.

The more you shoot that the worse it looks. I could not, would not, put up with that for a day: I'd have the pieces off and stripped to the bare metal if nothing else (a la @rocket23 's solution, which in his pics look really good).