C4 Permanent trim restorer by Gtechniq

[Harvey]

Got this in a small box last week. It cost me £18.75 + vat

http://gtechniq.com/shop/3s-for-cars/exterior-coatings/c4-permanent-trim-restorer/

C4 Permanent trim restorer. yes the bottle is that big. it's a two pence coin.

http://i1168.photobucket.com/albums/r499/harveysr/6B1E6475-E82E-4C7E-A98F-076840C5A5F3-7290-00000EE520B01FE3_zps144aaa0d.jpg (http://s1168.photobucket.com/user/harveysr/media/6B1E6475-E82E-4C7E-A98F-076840C5A5F3-7290-00000EE520B01FE3_zps144aaa0d.jpg.html)

S60 windscreen scuttle panel before,I did remove it as I put some other treatment a couple of weeks ago which needed to be removed first,it needed to very clean.

http://i1168.photobucket.com/albums/r499/harveysr/D4215DB1-FD00-418C-BD01-CF1F80D864CE-7290-00000EE39E6C8908_zps6f2b3551.jpg (http://s1168.photobucket.com/user/harveysr/media/D4215DB1-FD00-418C-BD01-CF1F80D864CE-7290-00000EE39E6C8908_zps6f2b3551.jpg.html)
http://i1168.photobucket.com/albums/r499/harveysr/D92EDB1E-3B21-4455-842B-D722533302C0-7290-00000EE42734878B_zpse621b527.jpg (http://s1168.photobucket.com/user/harveysr/media/D92EDB1E-3B21-4455-842B-D722533302C0-7290-00000EE42734878B_zpse621b527.jpg.html)

After

http://i1168.photobucket.com/albums/r499/harveysr/9C3D9FCD-2F76-41B3-93B1-9E2F3A727992-7290-00000EE5635523A4_zps0aff2bc0.jpg (http://s1168.photobucket.com/user/harveysr/media/9C3D9FCD-2F76-41B3-93B1-9E2F3A727992-7290-00000EE5635523A4_zps0aff2bc0.jpg.html)

http://i1168.photobucket.com/albums/r499/harveysr/885892AA-FC6A-4255-9C88-399EC832410D-7290-00000EE5D389C727_zps12282ea2.jpg (http://s1168.photobucket.com/user/harveysr/media/885892AA-FC6A-4255-9C88-399EC832410D-7290-00000EE5D389C727_zps12282ea2.jpg.html)
http://i1168.photobucket.com/albums/r499/harveysr/F9E9FEE0-75C6-44F3-A317-689BD7B3DC6A-7290-00000EE95264B6E2_zpsf647b578.jpg (http://s1168.photobucket.com/user/harveysr/media/F9E9FEE0-75C6-44F3-A317-689BD7B3DC6A-7290-00000EE95264B6E2_zpsf647b578.jpg.html)

I did give the wipers arms covers a coat as well
http://i1168.photobucket.com/albums/r499/harveysr/6246BDC3-151F-43AD-B4D1-4C3FFEB393C6-7290-00000EE9B1CDEB9C_zps476a15d8.jpg (http://s1168.photobucket.com/user/harveysr/media/6246BDC3-151F-43AD-B4D1-4C3FFEB393C6-7290-00000EE9B1CDEB9C_zps476a15d8.jpg.html)

I must say very happy with the way it turned out. OK I know the car needs a wash but it needs to be left for 6 hours or so to let it go off 100%.

The next thing to do is the washer jets, I did wipe the tops off which changed them a bit.

[graemewelch]

looks good. was the scuttle easy to remove. what about your mirrors. are they fully colour coded

[Harvey]

Just removed the wiper arms ,then it's 6 plastic rivets.

[iancho]

Great job mate... looks like it's just come out of the showroom :smile:

[Harvey]

Great job mate... looks like it's just come out of the showroom :smile:

They say it's good for 2 years.

[Gold 'N' Brown]

That's a really impressive product. Think I might get a bottle myself.

Seems expensive for such a small bottle, but looking at the demo video on their site it seems to go a long way for a very small amount per application. And it looks so quick and easy to use.

I was talking about Plasticare on another thread a few days ago. That stuff is great value at ~£11 a bottle that will go a very long way. But.........I just did my V70 trim with it this week ,and in terms of ease of application it's a hassle, and the C4 looks much better. With the Plasticare you have to be careful as it's a dye, so rubber gloves and painstaking masking is a must (I used almost a whole roll of expensive blue detailing tape). And on the V70 I found that whilst it works well on the textured trims, it wasn't so good on the smoother section of the rear bumper (by the boot) and was difficult to get even, and also hadn't fully cured 24hrs later (wiped my finger over it and got residue). So it's not a perfect product, although very good.

So in comparing the two, I think ~£20 is not so bad for the C4 when it looks so easy to use, seems to give a really nice finish, and won't need constant re-application like other trim products. But of course the proof will be in the pudding.

[volvokid]

I like this harvey. You say its only rivets for holding the panel on, are they reusable? im going to do this.

[MoleT-5R]

Like the review of this product, it would appear to be the ideal solution to my T5-R's plastics and not a dye and should look good for at least 2 years what could be better, think I'll be getting some

[Harvey]

I like this harvey. You say its only rivets for holding the panel on, are they reusable? im going to do this.

They are reusable they are the ones that you push the pin out with a pin punch or the likes,just looking forward to see just how long it will last, looking around on the net it does have very good feed back.

[volvokid]

Cool im definitely going to do this. Im fed up putting megs all season dressing on it, its not the easiest thing to cover evenly. How come you didn't use a permanent dye?

[Harvey]

Cool im definitely going to do this. Im fed up putting megs all season dressing on it, its not the easiest thing to cover evenly. How come you didn't use a permanent dye?
Funny you say this I did get some Plasticare dye black orderd up but then I found the C4 on one of the detailing sites and it did look good so got some aswell ,it just looked a lot easier to use.

[volvokid]

Im sure ive seen it on the net before. Yeah I think it would be easier to apply than a dye. Did you get an applicator pad with it?

[Harvey]

Im sure ive seen it on the net before. Yeah I think it would be easier to apply than a dye. Did you get an applicator pad with it?

The bottle of Plasticare dye comes on its own.

http://i1168.photobucket.com/albums/r499/harveysr/D40A72BC-7F4B-45A7-9D29-4D4E7675406B-7290-00000F838F05D356_zps28867182.jpg

Just went out to the garage and looked at the scuttle panel and it looks even better now.:shockedbi

[volvokid]

Ah well I ordered it. Also went for rain repellent too as im almost finished my other stuff. Ive got plenty os isopropyl alcohol to degrease the plastics. Should be giving my car its first polish next week.

[Harvey]

Ah well I ordered it. Also went for rain repellent too as im almost finished my other stuff. Ive got plenty os isopropyl alcohol to degrease the plastics. Should be giving my car its first polish next week.

Will be interesting how you get on,keep us updated.

[volvokid]

Yeah will do. I will do my trim on the rear bumper and probably the fog light grills. Hope the rain repellant is good too.

[Harvey]

Yeah will do. I will do my trim on the rear bumper and probably the fog light grills. Hope the rain repellant is good too.

My fog lights grills are still looking like new as they are quite new. Yet an other £50 to volvo.

[volvokid]

Yeah I was lucky I didn't need to give volvo anymore of my cash for that one. I do want to get the front end painted at some point though so volvo will be getting an order for a new bonnet grill. Lucky the previous owner had head light protectors on from new so they are almost like new.

[graemewelch]

my headlights are realy hazy. need to wet flat them and give them a good polish. as soon as i get home im going to try the plastic dye on the c5 first. thats my test car incase gose wrong

[volvokid]

my headlights are realy hazy. need to wet flat them and give them a good polish. as soon as i get home im going to try the plastic dye on the c5 first. thats my test car incase gose wrong

Does your S60 still have glass headlights?

[Gold 'N' Brown]

Just removed the wiper arms ,then it's 6 plastic rivets.

Any chance of a pic of the rivets and how they fit? Mine is missing all of them.

[Harvey]

Any chance of a pic of the rivets and how they fit? Mine is missing all of them.

As you asked.

These two hold the end bits of trims on smaller one at the top.

http://i1168.photobucket.com/albums/r499/harveysr/6CCCD337-1903-49C3-BF94-5E0F0C5E27E1-7559-00000F8C86427465_zps9461f362.jpg

This one is along the scuttle panel next to the rubber seal.
http://i1168.photobucket.com/albums/r499/harveysr/C666014F-3FEC-4819-B5D5-E0938DBE0E03-7559-00000F8BDB51E038_zps1343930c.jpg
http://i1168.photobucket.com/albums/r499/harveysr/B7969D96-3B8B-404C-990E-F07A385341B9-7559-00000F8C58F1D8B7_zps536f6bee.jpg

Just need to be careful when you push the pin in that it doesn't get lost.

[Gold 'N' Brown]

Thanks very much :B_thumb:

[FoxyJack99]

A much cheaper trim solution is this Cherry Blossom Black shoe Restorer

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Cherry-Blossom-Shoe-Polish-Shine-Ready-Wax-Sports-Black-footwear-Restorer-/171657391461?pt=UK_Clothing_ShoeCare_Shoe_Care_LE&hash=item27f793ed65

its a bit laborious to put on as you need two coasts but it lasts for ages - I used it on my Korando and my Freelander with good results

Very tempted to get some C4 for my XC70 though

[MIKESC70T5]

I used the C4 over 12 months ago and it still looks as good as the first day I put it on. I also use there tyre dresser and alloy wheel coating products.

I just looked at the shoe polish link you put up, lol, are people really sad enough to have sell secondhand shoe polish, " only used once " !!!!!!!!!

[Harvey]

:
I used the C4 over 12 months ago and it still looks as good as the first day I put it on. I also use there tyre dresser and alloy wheel coating products.

I just looked at the shoe polish link you put up, lol, are people really sad enough to have sell secondhand shoe polish, " only used once " !!!!!!!!!

I can say the same here it still looks good to me (yes I know I don't have the car any more but I did swap over a number of parts from the S60 to the V70 like you do and this was one of them due to a windscreen fitter made a mess of it on the V70 ) :biggrin:

[volvokid]

Just ordered more C4, the product lasted almost 2 years! Very good stuff and really easy to use.

[kmb]

My Plasticare black has now lasted nearly 6 months, turned badly faded white/light grey bumpers back to original colour, although does require careful application as mentioned here.

[volvokid]

Did you get any streaking with it? I've seen a few of these types of products badly applied. The C4 is very easy to use.

[AcidicDavey]

Another thumbs up for C4 here, great product.

I only used it on one car (MK3 Golf GTi) but boy did it do a good job!

[volvokid]

The alloy wheel product is even better, I Did it the same time as the C4 and it was still beading up until last month when the garage messed up my alloys so they needed refurbished. I will be going to polished bliss to buy from the gyeon range these products look mad so want to give it a go on the paint and wheels this summer when it gets its detail.

[kmb]

Did you get any streaking with it? I've seen a few of these types of products badly applied. The C4 is very easy to use.

The way to avoid streaking with Plasticare is to apply using a dabbing motion with a small piece of cut sponge, the instructions suggest this but are not very precise, also takes a couple of coats.

[kmb]

Not great pic but, before and after Plasticare (one coat plus a few days of rain) went on to apply second a couple of weeks later which has given a lasting even colour, but haven't got a picture:

http://i1257.photobucket.com/albums/ii507/kballard1974/20141026_103347_zpsda3a3296.jpg

[http://i1257.photobucket.com/albums/ii507/kballard1974/20141227_121303_zps4ba0ff4e.jpg

[MoleT-5R]

Just used the C4 trim restorer at the weekend with some fantastic results, I have some further tests for it on my olive T-5R, but if the results are as good as the Guls front bumper I will be happy, as I prefer this to bumper die finishes I've seen done.
http://i1218.photobucket.com/albums/dd411/moleadrian/The%20Gul%20854/DSC_0335_zpsz2r44gjm.jpg (http://s1218.photobucket.com/user/moleadrian/media/The%20Gul%20854/DSC_0335_zpsz2r44gjm.jpg.html)