Exterior & Interior Trim help.

[kanabro]

I need to get a product(s) for the trim on my Passat, exterior & interior.



On the exterior, there's two main types of trim:
-black harder trim (matte finish) in between the windows on the doors & on the lower part of the grill (near fog lamps), not sure if it's plastic or some material coated on the metal.
-black plastic material (matte finish) on the bottom part of the car, below the doors & below the front & rear "bumpers"



In the interior, there's 3 different types:
-black vinyl material (matte finish) on the top part of the dash where the air vents are. It's almost a dense foam-like material, hard, but I can make it flex a little if I push hard enough.
-black & grey plastic material (gloss finish). It's right below the above dash material (black) and also all down the center instrument panel/radio/shifter area (grey)
-hard tan vinyl material (matte finish) all around the rest of the interior - glove box area, bottom part of seats, door panels, etc..

The products I've been looking at are the:
-Gold Class vinyl/rubber protectant
-Exterior Trim detailer
-NXT Tech protect

Not sure what the differences are, or which I need.
Any help would be appreciative.

Also, I have the NXT metal polysh,
can I use this on the chrome materials in the interior (shifter, door handels, etc)?
how can i tell if they're actually chrome/metal, or just a chrome-looking plastic (which I'm guessing it isn't safe on)?

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Exterior & Interior Trim help.

-black vinyl material (matte finish) on the top part of the dash where the air vents are. It's almost a dense foam-like material, hard, but I can make it flex a little if I push hard enough.


-black & grey plastic material (gloss finish). It's right below the above dash material (black) and also all down the center instrument panel/radio/shifter area (grey)

-hard tan vinyl material (matte finish) all around the rest of the interior - glove box area, bottom part of seats, door panels, etc..

The products I've been looking at are the:
-Gold Class vinyl/rubber protectant
-Exterior Trim detailer
-NXT Tech protect

Not sure what the differences are, or which I need.
Any help would be appreciative.


For your interior, pick up a spray bottle of Quik Interior Detailer and use this to wipe down and clean all these surfaces. It also contains a light amount of UV protection and by itself on new materials will maintain their new appearacne.

Quik Interior Detailer

Pick up the Gold Class Vinyl/Rubber Protectant for use as an actural dressing for the vinyl.

For all of the exterior rubber, plastic trim as well as the rubber gaskets around doors and such, get this,

Gold Class Trim Detailer


Also, I have the NXT metal polysh,
can I use this on the chrome materials in the interior (shifter, door handels, etc)?

how can i tell if they're actually chrome/metal, or just a chrome-looking plastic (which I'm guessing it isn't safe on)?

It's likely chrome plastic, and for this just clean with the QID and then wipe dry with a clean microfiber.

Apply these with either a clean foam applicator pad or a clean microfiber and after allowing each dressing product to penetrate for a few minutes, wipe off any excess.

[kanabro]

Re: Exterior & Interior Trim help.

Mike, thanks for the help.

What would someone use the NXT Tech Protect for, does it perform differently?

Is the Exterior Trim detailer(aerosol can) the same product as the Gold Class Trim detailer (spray)?

Last question, since you don't suggest using the NXT All Metal Polysh on the interior, is there something else I can use to get scratches out of the chrome area around the shifter (seem to be light surface scratches, not deep at all)?

Thanks.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Exterior & Interior Trim help.

Mike, thanks for the help.

What would someone use the NXT Tech Protect for, does it perform differently?

It's just a different formula for interior surfaces, same catagory as the Gold Class product, just a different formula, both clean, condition and protect, both are very different in formula though, the only way you'll know which one you like is to try both or ask for opinions on this forum.

We can't post personal opinions on our products, so we'll let our members do that.

Is the Exterior Trim detailer(aerosol can) the same product as the Gold Class Trim detailer (spray)?

More or less, we don't know the exact formula as that information is only known by our chemists, we're supposed to keep the discussion focused on the performance of a product not the ingredients. That said, both product work great, the areosol is good for hard to reach areas like vents and grills while the hand applied product give you the ability to really work the product into the material to whatever level it can be worked into the material. Remember, most dressings for plastic are topical because plastic doesn't absorb very well. (not our fault, blame the plastic)

Last question, since you don't suggest using the NXT All Metal Polysh on the interior, is there something else I can use to get scratches out of the chrome area around the shifter (seem to be light surface scratches, not deep at all)?

Thanks.

Um... no.

Here's an article we wrote on the topic, remember, the Information Station is your friend!


What it means to remove a scratch out of anything...


In order to remove a scratch out of anything, metal, plastic glass, paint, etc. You must remove material around the scratch until the surface is level or equal to the lowest depths of the scratch or scratches.

The below diagram if for paint, the the same thing applies to just about an surface material or coating.



In essences, you don't really remove a scratch, you remove material around a scratch.

Then the big question is, is the material or coating workable, as in can you abrade small particles of it and leave behind an original looking surface. For example, some things you can abrade, (remove the scratch), but you can never completely remove all of your abrading marks, thus you can't really fix the problem, all you can do is exchange one set of scratches of a different set of scratches.

The next questions is, how thick is the surface material you're working on or the coating. You are limited to what you can do by the thickness of these to things, (surface coating or surface material), and whether or not this surface is workable.

Sometimes you don't know what you can so until you try. It's always a good idea to test your choice of products, applicator materials and application process, (By hand or by machine), to an inconspicuous area. If you cannot make a small area look good with your product, applicator and process, you will not be able to make the entire surface look good. It's always a good idea to test first and error on the side of caution, versus make a mistake you cannot undo.

[kanabro]

Re: Exterior & Interior Trim help.

Let me reword my 1st question, as I think I wasn't being clear in what I meant.

What I was asking about the NXT Tech Protect was, how is it different than the GC product? How would they compare?
Is the NXT product for someone looking for a higher shine, etc..?

Anybody else, feel free to chime in if you've used either product.