silver Trim

[ilunn]

E class convertible. The trim is not in best of condition so wondering what my options are, Will it polish with something like chrome cleaner or is it plated so i stand the risk of removing the finish altogether.

 

[OldskoolRS]

I had something similar, though not quite as bad as you example. I believe it's caused by car washes using traffic film remover and leaving it to dry on the car. I was able to improve mine by using a mild compound/polish then putting sealant on afterwards. There is still a slight trace of the marks but it's much better now.

You can see the before and after here; I'd just used a microfibre cloth and some Poorboys SSR2 (or might have been some Menzerna fine polish I also have). I did the bottom section first and the vertical piece is untouched in this photo from a few weeks back. I've done the whole car since and let my DA go over the trim while buffing the paint as well which further improved it:

 

[br1anuk]

My E Class convertible is exactly the same, there was a thread on here saying its UV light damage and you can't bring it back.

 

[ilunn]

Thanks Guys. Does anyone know if the trim is aluminum? I will search for the tread ref UV light, but the possibility of the "traffic film remover" sounds plausible.