Tarnished Window Trim - What Worked for Me

[StingerVetteMan]

So I had the dreaded window trim that looked like crap! Amazing on a car only a year old. Funny thing, my previous car a 2020 Volvo V60 I had the same issue which Volvo basically gave me the finger. I guess Kia gets their trim from the same place Volvo does!

Well after reading tons of posts and everyone claiming this works, or that or this, I decided to give it a try. Figured if all fails I take my chances at the dealership.

So first tried Chemical Guys Light Metal Polish. Found it totally useless in my case. So the other product that seemed well received was Flitz. Also read someone having good luck using the Mr. Clean eraser.

So got a tube of Flitz and a box of the HDX (Home Depot) heavy duty erasers and gotta say that worked! Took a bit of elbow grease but the trim cleaned up nicely. Way better than how it previously looked. Hopefully it will stay that way for a while. May hit it with some wax too.

 

[billy_vk]

Looks good. I had a customer get them replaced somehow under warranty on hid telluride. We ppf wrapped them before they installed them. Hopefully that prevents it in the future. I had another customer tell me that it was caused by the detergent content at the automatic car washes and they did not replace them under warranty on a 2022.

 

[Transmetal]

Looks good. I had a customer get them replaced somehow under warranty on hid telluride. We ppf wrapped them before they installed them. Hopefully that prevents it in the future. I had another customer tell me that it was caused by the detergent content at the automatic car washes and they did not replace them under warranty on a 2022.

I take my car through an automatic wash but only the driver side of the car is affected. And that's on the 2nd set of trim. Car got hailed on so the original set was replaced by the body shop.

 

[777David]

Your trim looks great - thanks for sharing. Mine stays in the garage and I don't use automatic car washes. The trim is now starting to tarnish and not look good any longer. May have to try this or ask the dealer about it and see what they say next time I'm in there for something.

 

[Stanger21]

@StingerVetteMan
Thanks for posting this, I've done the magic eraser thing in the past but just used it with water, didn't occur to me to pair it with metal polish instead. Gave it a go today and the results are much better than using the pad wet. I used it to work in some Gtechniq M1 all metal polish, results are great so hopefully it lasts.

 

[StingerVetteMan]

@StingerVetteMan
Thanks for posting this, I've done the magic eraser thing in the past but just used it with water, didn't occur to me to pair it with metal polish instead. Gave it a go today and the results are much better than using the pad wet. I used it to work in some Gtechniq M1 all metal polish, results are great so hopefully it lasts.
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Glad it worked out. I didn't even use water. I cut up pieces of the eraser and used that with some of the Flitz on it. We'll see how long it holds up. I hit all the trim with some NuFinish Polish and Sealant. Hopefully that helps under the Florida sun! So glad I have no chrome trim on my Corvette, just the exhaust tips!

 

[Transmetal]

Can anybody confirm or deny that any of the black chrome trim is actually metal?

Reason I ask is that I already have this product:

Cleans up the exhaust tips on the truck really nice, would this work on the trim pieces as well?

 

[Snicklefritz]

Yes they are metal. That should work to get the stains off but "brilliant shine" you should expect the dark quality to get lighter. Let us know how that goes.

 

[Aero_Tech]

I used Autosol to polish mine and then ceramic coated them. Two years later they still look new.

 

[TJMIA]

Bookmarking this I have the same issue, thanks for the tip!