Bumper discolouration - what does it mean? Is it is big issue?

BargainHunter09

Hi,

Does anyone know what discolouration of bumpers means on a user car - is this something which can be re-coloured (please excuse non-techie speak) or is it something to be worried about?

Will try to find example onilne. The car otherwise appears to be in very good shape for it's age/price etc but just wondered if anyone knew more about this than me before I do anything more.

Thanks,

BH09

dazzadub

if its a black plastic bumper its an easy fix.

back to black spray but if its to bad then go with a hot air gun over it, not to long in one place where itll melt but enuff heat to restore its original colour.

if its a painted bumper youll prob need a good polish or respray

BargainHunter09

Thanks dazzadub, the bumper is/was black and the discolouration is pretty similar to this...



Is it something to worry about (sign of a faulty something-or-other) or just normal wear and tear discolouration?

dazzadub

yes, back to black brings that up nice, give it a good wash, and scrub when completely dry go over with back to black.

or try the heat gun bit first, the plastic has a toxin in it which when heated brings back to colour.


quick test.

rub your finger over the faded area and when it gets hot you should see a colour change

cheekychappy

Autoglym Bumper Care (bumper snot) is your friend.

Shoshannah

Another vote for the Autoglym, it's brilliant for bringing up all the black bits.

It is normal for black bumpers to fade like this...never understood why it's worse on some cars than others though.

jase1

On an oldish car like this I'd say this sort of thing is a plus -- it'll knock its value down but doesn't affect the running of the motor in any way.

jazzy

Polish can also cause this problem, especially after rain. I had the same problem with my car and the culprit was Autoglym Super Resin Polish. Try using a wax/polish which states that there is "No white residue"

Hammyman

Peanut butter does a great job too.

Strider590

This is caused by the loss of the plasticiser in those plastic parts, it will be "Phthalates" of one type or another. It's a chemical which does not adhere/bond to plastic and gradually over time "sweats" out.

It has the consistency of oil/grease and will be removed by harsh household cleaning products (like fairly liquid) which are designed to remove grease, thus leaving the plastic looking dull and brittle. Even cheap automotive products will do this.

Imagine a sponge full of water, you squeeze one corner and when you let go the water is replaced by water from the rest of the sponge.... Well when you wash the surface of the plastic, more Phthalates sponge over from underneath until eventually there's hardly any left and it takes literally months/years to do this.

There is no way to add this back into the plastic, once it's happened you can only keep dressing over it.
Hell of a good sign that previous owners didn't look after it though!

datostar

I used black boot polish, the type in a plastic bottle with a little sponge on the end. Did a great job and it lasted well. Be careful not to get any on the paintwork.