I Want My Car Door Handles Black Again!

[Ornery]

This sucks! We've had the car for about a year and a half, and it's been polished about 5 times. The wax was removed from the handles using a paint prep product for that purpose. Pure silicone applied, and the dull finish comes back in about a month. I've also used 'Mother's Back to Black' and Black Magic Trim & Tire Shine'. Am I going to have to paint these black, or what? Some kind of dye?

 

[StageLeft]

Paint, or replace with a maxmia.

 

Painting black would certainly take care of the problem permanently, but I've always had good luck with Back to Black. Not sure why it's failing you.

 

[Ornery]

From what I've read, there's a point of no return. I'd like to find something easier to apply than paint, though.

 

[geno]

Hit Autozone or your local "got it all" auto store and look for a can of Trim Paint in a spray can. The mirror housings on my Shelby (well, any Dodge Shadow really) are made out of plastic and originally had the same kind of finish your door handles *should* have. I pulled the mirrors, threw a few coats of the trim paint on and they look brand new, and the paint leaves the same kind of texture that was originally there too.

I'm redoing the mirrors and trim on my project car this weekend, I can let you know a brand name that works well once I do the paint job.

Here's the best Pic of the sideview mirror housing, imagine it originally looking all oxidized and dull like your door handle is

 

[iamwiz82]

There is a product out there that will give help with the problem, as long as it is not too far gone, but I cannot remember the name of it for the life of me. Any auto parts store should have it. It's similar to a wax for trim pieces.

 

[Ornery]

That finish looks great, geno. I'd hate to have to mask it all off, or remove them to paint it, though. As you can see, it isn't exactly a classic restoration.

A wax, or polish sounds more like what I'm looking for, wiz. I'll call the local auto parts stores and see what they recommend.

 

[Quixfire]

Get one of those new paint sticks and just rub the paint on with it's tip.

 

[Ornery]

That'll be my last resort, Kyle. We have to run a few errands today, so I'll stop at NAPA on the way back.

 

[Vic]

You might be past the point of no return for this, but have you tried Murphy's Oil Soap? Many years ago, I worked in a detail shop where we had this same problem with those Ford black door handles, and Murphy's soap would work great in permanently removing the wax residue (of course, that was while the wax was still fresh, but I figured you might want to give it a shot if you hadn't already). The best thing overall was to mask off the door handles before waxing...

 

[Demon-Xanth]

Sharpie?

 

[Ornery]

I'll try it, Vic. The car is a 1999, so it was waxed by others before me. I just use a car polish and apply it by hand, being careful not to get it on this trim. I used Ditzler's 'Acryli-Clean', but it doesn't seem to have had any effect.

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Black vinyl dye. Damned if I remember the brand name, but if you put that stuff on, it will stay black for the next twenty years. (Okay, the next year.)

Edit - "Forever Black" is what you're looking for. Do not get that stuff on your hands, clothing, or any part of your car except that which you want to be dyed.

- M4H

 

[Amused]

Am I the only one who read this title as, "I Want My Car Door Handles Back Again!" ??

I was thinking, who would steal door handles???

 

[Cal166]

+1

I have a Black Maxima! You should get one too.

 

[geno]

Thanks Ornery, it looks brand new up close, I also redid the wiper shroud and wiper arms while I was at it, and this was 2 years ago and it all looks brand new! If it's a last resort situation, paint it up, just mask it off and throw a few coats on there I can relate to not wanting to mask it all off, if you notice my door handles in the pic I showed you...well, you get the idea

 

[Ronstang]

Originally posted by: Amused
Am I the only one who read this title as, "I Want My Car Door Handles Back Again!" ??

I was thinking, who would steal door handles???

Yup, score another dumbass here.

 

[JoeKing]

sand em and get em painted. Have you tried to buying replacements or scavanging the junk yards?

 

[Crazymofo]

Originally posted by: Ronstang

Originally posted by: Amused
Am I the only one who read this title as, "I Want My Car Door Handles Back Again!" ??

I was thinking, who would steal door handles???

Yup, score another dumbass here.

Yup I score two. I actually once wanted to steal some door handles... of course I never would but some rangers had painted handles while mine had ones much like the OP and I hated them.

 

[Ornery]

No dice on the Murphey's Oil Soap.

Nobody around here seems to carry "Forever Black". I'll see if I can order it somewhere...

 

[Nebor]

Get a BMW 325i.

 

[Ornery]

Hah, I found it! Thanks to this young kid at AutoZone, who clued me in on Stoner Trim Shine. This stuff is worth three times what I paid for it in time savings alone! It's been on my wife's car for over a week, through a couple thunderstorms, and it still looks perfect. Image from this morning. Text on old photo.

 

[Ornery]

• Hey! IMO, This is VERY important!

 

[NutBucket]

Originally posted by: Ornery

• Hey! IMO, This is VERY important!

Autozone eh? Looks like a project for the weekend. Thanks!

 

[Ornery]

Weekend project? Pffft, takes two seconds to spray on, and it's done! I can't believe the quick, quality results. Seems too good to be true, but the stuff is as advertised... amazing!