How to get the Bumpers on your Car Back to Black

Do you need to get the bumpers on your car back to black? Have they faded to a horrible dull grey color? With so many different products on the market which is the best way to get them back to that deep showroom blackness?

You’ve probably seen references to them all; protectants, detailers, and bumper dressings, all designed to transform the look of your car bumpers and car trim back to new.

The problem with many of these products is that they make your trim look great on first application but will only tend to last a matter of weeks before they fade away and you then have to re-apply to get that car back to black look again.

What Causes Car Bumper Fading?

The primary cause of car bumpers fading from black to gray is prolonged exposure to sunlight and UV radiation. Car bumpers are typically made from plastic materials, such as polypropylene or polyurethane, which are susceptible to UV damage. Over time, the ultraviolet rays from the sun can break down the chemical bonds in the plastic, causing it to lose its color and become faded.

UV radiation causes a process called photodegradation, which essentially breaks down the polymer chains in the plastic material. This degradation affects the pigments within the plastic, leading to a loss of color and a change in appearance. Black pigments tend to be more vulnerable to UV damage compared to other colors because they absorb more light energy.

Other environmental factors, such as pollutants, dirt, and chemicals, can also contribute to bumper fading. Exposure to harsh cleaning agents, abrasive materials, or extreme weather conditions can accelerate the fading process.

The main cause of fading is bleaching from the sun’s UV ray. Many of the car back to black products available will therefore also contain chemicals and conditioners that provide additional protection from these UV rays, but again if they are not giving a longer-term fix to the initial fading then they are mainly only preventing further dulling of the greyness.

Best Long Lasting Car Back to Black Products

From the hundreds of car back to black products available on the market there is only a handful that really provide more permanent, longer-term solutions. These actually bring long-lasting deep showroom blackness back to your faded bumpers and trim.

Four of the most popular and respected of these are:

Forever Black Bumper & Trim Kit
$17.99
  • Forever Black Bumper & Trim Kit
  • Permanently dyes all textured black plastic, rubber and vinyl with the same polymers that the manufacturers use
  • Bumper and Trim Reconditioner will only adhere to porous plastic, rubber and vinyl
  • Protects against UV damage
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The more recent:

CAR GUYS Plastic Restorer
$16.97

✅ Results That Last! – Are you tired of wasting time and money on plastic restorers that claim to last long? They always look great in the beginning.. only to fade after a few days, or maybe a month if it’s decent! Our product will renew, seal and protect any interior/exterior surface and WILL LAST.. for several MONTHS! Stop purchasing cheap junk with false claims, our product will out last all of them!


✅ Survives Rain! – Does this sound familiar? You spent all that time perfectly applying a new product and it looks great! Wow, you finally found the one! BUT… after the first rain-fall you look in disgust at yet another crappy product that left ugly streaks down the side of your beautiful vehicle... STOP THE MADNESS! Our product repels water and stays looking good for several months! Never again will you feel that disappointment!


✅ No More Oily Mess! – Do you hate all the oily, greasy gel dressing products that stay wet and never fully dry? That describes about 90% of the plastic and trim restorers on the market today! Well lucky you! We made a product that will restore and leave a great finish, but more importantly, it will completely dry to the touch! No more ruining your detailing towels and supplies with cheap oil based products!


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02/11/2024 09:17 pm GMT

As well as the highly-rated:

Cerakote Ceramic Trim Coat Kit
$16.88
  • 2 YEAR GUARANTEE! - You read it right! We'll come right out and make a guarantee that nobody else will. Cerakote Trim Coat is a CERAMIC coating that will last 2 years!
  • DOESN'T WASH OFF! - Lasts up to 200 washes of your vehicle!
  • RESTORES AND PROTECTS YOUR TRIM - Unlike other cheap products that give you a temporary greasy shine until they wash off, Cerakote Trim Coat will actually restore AND protect your trim.
  • NO MORE GREASY MESS! - One Cerakote Trim Coat Kit comes with a pair of gloves and 10 individually packaged, pre-moistened wipes. It's simple, you follow the instructions, open a pack and start wiping.
  • IT'S SCIENCE - The trim Coat is a CERAMIC based product that brings out the pigments and bonds to your plastic. That's science.
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02/12/2024 03:14 pm GMT

And the ultimate professionals choice:

Würth Plast-PT Black Plastic Bumper Dye
£69.99 (£933.20 / l)
  • Wurth Plastic Dye Plast-PT makes faded plastic and rubber parts look like new.
  • This is a permanent dye and not just a dressing.
  • Wurth Plast PT recolours your bumbers, vinyl and fabric soft-tops, interior plastic trimmings, rubber parts, water hoses and running boards etc.
  • Get your car & truck bumpers and trim back to black.
  • Solvent free. 75ml.
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02/11/2024 10:02 pm GMT

All of these contain pigments that permanently restore and re-color the sun-faded trim on your car back to black.

The Forever Black even contains an additional UV screen for future protection against fading once the blackness has been restored. And the beauty of these products is also that they do not take too much more time or effort to get stunning, like-new results you are looking for. So long as your bumpers and trim are free from dirt, grease or previous dressings, you can have newly coloured bumpers in 5 to 30 minutes.

The Forever Black even comes with its own cleaning solution to help with the preparation and the Wurth Plast-PT contains a special dual cleaning and application sponge to help remove dirt and grease and then make application easy.

This is also the only time that I would also be prepared to use a solution of household dishwashing liquid anywhere near my car as they are really effective at stripping away dirt and grease. Make sure however you don’t get the dishwashing solution on your paintwork as it will also strip off your wax protection.

Car Back To Black In 4 Simple Steps

To get the deep black color that you desire, the steps you need to follow are really very simple and straightforward:

1) Simply remove all dirt and grease from your bumpers and trim

2) Ensure the parts to be re-colored are dry

3) Using either a supplied applicator or a sponge applicator pad, evenly apply a coating of your chosen product across the surface or your bumper or other trim.

4) And that’s it. In 5-30 minutes, depending on what you are treating, your trim will have a long-lasting deep rich blackness to it.

You may find that with some older with extreme sun bleaching that a second coat may be required one the first has dried but providing no dirt or grease has been allowed to settle on it then it’s simply a case of directly applying on top of the first coat.

And it’s not just bumpers that these products can be used on, depending on your choice they can also be used on rubber parts and hoses, door handles, side trim, mudguards, interior plastic trim, running boards and even some soft-tops!

Additional Tips On Keeping Your Car Bumpers Back To Black

Here are some additional tips for maintaining your car bumpers once they are back to black:

    • Park your car in the shade whenever possible. This will help to reduce the amount of UV rays that your car bumpers are exposed to.
    • Wash your car regularly. This will help to remove dirt, grime, and other debris that can build up on your car bumpers and accelerate the fading process.
    • Regularly apply a protective coating to your car bumpers. This will help to shield them from UV rays and other environmental factors that can cause them to fade.

By following these tips, you can keep your car bumpers looking black and shiny for years to come.

So if your trim is looking a little faded hopefully the above will help you in your choice of products to help get the bumpers and other parts on your car back to black again.

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