How can "mud guards" discoloration be fixed?

[KRUZNBY]

After washing my car yesterday, I got to wondering if there is someting to treat the mud guards with to restore their original color? Currently they are a faded gray color. Unfortunatly, I don't have a good picture of the fading. I assume they were originally black or dark gray. It looks like a lot of people take them off. I don't mind keeping them on and looking as stock as possible.

So, anything I can can use to restore the original color?

[Adikt]

try some of that wet tire shine stuff, not sure if it works but its worth a shot

[Mr1der]

hit them with a thin coat of spray paint, it'll help but probably have to be redone every now and then.

[MainEvent212]

they make a "bumper coating" that's for re-spraying OEM black plastic, it's kinda weird lookin, but it looks as if it'll work fine for what you need

[GrubyFngaz]

I use the wet tire shine stuff on mine and it looks great. Looks brand new again.Josh

[KRUZNBY]

^ That sounds like a simple solution. I'll give it a try next time. Any brand you recommend?

[flyfishz]

Paint mer restore em with the bumper retore paint or vinal panit. they will look good as new

[GrubyFngaz]

I like Eagle One Personally, but I think they are all about the same.Josh

[Soy]

I have a few products that do the trick on anything plastic, rubber, or vinyl...

-----Mother's BACK-TO-BLACK®

As your ride's exterior ages, rubber, plastic and vinyl exterior hardware of all colors will dry, crack, flake and deteriorate. This oxidation can be stopped and reversed with Mothers® Back-to-Black®, our favorite auto-care concoction. This trim treatment is great for all sorts of exterior hardware in all colors-bumpers, molding, louvers, window trim, vents, seals, skirts, door handles, wiper arms-anything that's plastic, rubber or vinyl. Apply Back-to-Black® to sun-burnt plastic, rubber and vinyl to revive the factory-new sheen, then re-treat that exterior hardware regularly.

#06108, 8 oz-----

Another good one is called "Black Chrome" I forget who makes it... probably turtle wax.

Both of these products are made specifically to restore black or dark surfaces, and to deep penetrate (don't go there) rubber and plastic, to bring back a decent finish. The first few times you use it, make sure to glop the product on there fairly thick, and let it sit for about 1/2 an hour before buffing and removing the excess - that way it will have the best chance of soaking in and bringing back the shine. Personally, I've let it sit overnight before, came back in the morning, buffed, re-applied, buffed, and everything looked new... and this was on an '88 accord with black rubber bumpers that had been in Phoenix its whole life.... seriously, the bumpers looked grey when I started, and were jet, glossy black when i finished.

Just my 2c

James

[KRUZNBY]

Well, I finally tried Mother's BACK-TO-BLACK® and it worked like a charm! I went from faded gray to black in no time. It also worked well on the plastic and rubber around the mirrors.

[Soy]

Glad to hear the stuff worked for you... not that I thought it wouldn't - I swear the stuff is like a new bumper in an bottle.

James

[cory2081]

Yeah, Back to Black is great stuff!! I use it on my mudguards as well as my trim. Works great and lasts alot longer than regular tire shine stuff.