I know this falls under "cosmetic" and not really "tech", but posting a question in the Cosmetic/ appearance section is an exercise in futility.

My question is: Is there a way to restore the black bumpstrips on the sides of my car? The sections on the doors are no longer smooth and glossy. They have a rough texture, and they've got wax and polish smeared on them. They look like crap. I've tried a toothbrush and soap. I tried sandpaper, but nothing seems to help.

Anyone been able to make these things like new again?

 

i would just paint them

 

Sem makes a bumper paint that looks pretty good on the front lower valance, so it should look good on the sides. I think im going to use some filler and fix the dings on mine then paint them

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Boosted Chemist &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Sem makes a bumper paint that looks pretty good on the front lower valance, so it should look good on the sides. I think im going to use some filler and fix the dings on mine then paint them</TD></TR></TABLE>
Make sure you use plastic filler.

To the OP...yea painting them is the only way to go. I am getting ready to do mine myself...you can check out my build thread. I am sanding them down tonight.
https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=1875145

 

dont paint. I have seen painted ones that peel in a few years and look like hell. go to http://www.griotsgarage.com and look at their bumper and trim conditioner. I used it and it works awesome. it is like a black dye that works wonders. I first used charcoal starter fluid to clean off all the wax and stuff. cleaned twice, and two applications of this conditioner worked awesome. looks brand new. I cant believe i havent ever seen anyone on here use their stuff. I firmly believe it is the best stuff out there. it is all i use and worth the price tag. I have their buffer, polishes, waxes, towels, clay, speed shine, a ton of junk. give em a try and check out their website. you will atleast learn a ton about auto detailing.