The very word "Trim" is often associated with a general state of neatness. For instance, we may describe something as being trim and proper or we may go to the barber for a trim. This association has been carried over to the automotive world, and the trim of any vehicle is the final statement in overall presentation. Most trim and molding is made of vinyl or rubber, and can dry out or crack without simple maintenance. Instead of replacing your moldings or allowing them to fray at the edges, look below to unveil the secrets of proper trim care.

To read more about how to take care of your trim click on Trim & Molding Care. You will find some helpful tips and a few products that will maintain or restore your trim if need be.

 

I got good results with the Einszett rubber care stick on the door seals and rubber window trim. It doesn't really work for hard plastic trim. There's two kinds of plastic trim, the pebble textured kind like on the review mirrors, cowl, and so on and then the smooth plastic like the body side moulding (Discovery 1) and the hard window trim. I've found the "black" treatments from Mother's or Meguiar's work reasonably well and last up to a month, but require the plastic to be in good condition and not have any wax or compound in it. I see Superior has a product "Forever Black" that permanently re-dyes black textured plastic, but it's indicated not to work on smooth plastic. The smooth plastic is where I really need the help. The oil-based treatments like peanut butter, back-to-black, and ultimate-black don't work. Some of them I haven't seen for sale new either. I wonder if I should sand and paint them black. For example, the molding across the door on Discovery 1.