Odometer reset button restore trick

[tpj71mach]

The black plastic surround on my trip odometer reset button was white and chalky looking, and I have noticed in other member's dash pics from time to time. I have tried armor-all, and cleaning with polish but nothing seemed to restore it to a nice black finish. I saw it again today when I swapped out my steering column, with no steering wheel blocking the view. I remembered a product that I bought for the Xterra that I bought for my son when he was in high school. It is made for all of the textured black trim on the outside of vehicles. One of my employees told me about it when I asked how he kept all of the trim on his Chevy Avalanche (famous for all of the black textured trim turning chalky) looking new. I tried it and it turned out looking really good. I thought I would mention if anyone else has this issue. It works really well for any black textured bumpers or trim also, I added a before and after of the Xterra I used it on, for example of how it really brings the plastic trim back to life.

 

[TheDude]

Thanks for sharing. I haven't tried this one but a bunch of other similar products, some decent and some bad so good to know of a good one.

In the end I keep going back to Penetrol for stuff like this. I've been using it for years and it works wonders on all sorts of plastic parts. Once I got to know what it's good at and what it's not I've used it on all sorts of things. A silver SUV I picked up a couple years ago had a clear coat chalking up on the bumpers and mirrors. Used this and wasn't perfect, but made that flaw basically disappear. Wiped down those bumpers and black running boards etc on that thing last summer and they still look great. I'll probably apply again in the spring or summer. Can work good on oxidized headlights and things like that as well.

I've had cars with crappy paint that was beyond really buffing out (let's call it patina) and basically wiped down the whole car with it and it would have a decent shine that lasts. My old fishing boat had just a wrecked gel coat and was about impossible to keep a decent finish on, so wiped it down with Penetrol and it would have a decent shine that lasts for months even in the sun and salt water. A little goes a really long way. I've been using the same 1qt can of the stuff for probably 15 years.

My rule of thumb for using this is if the part looks good wet, Penetrol will probably help, but I always try in a discrete area before going all in as it can be pretty tough to get off.

Edit for anyone interested, this is the stuff I'm talking about https://www.homedepot.com/p/Flood-Penetrol-1-Qt-Clear-Paint-Additive-FLD4-04/100130893