Anodised aluminium

[BenzBoy]

I was out on a run today and a fellow with a BMW520i expressed some concern about how to repolish the anodised aluminium trim around all fours windows. The trim is watermarked and milky and it does not clean off. My advice was to make a claim under warranty. In my experience of a W116 the trim starts to go milky after 30 years - not after 18 months as is the case here.
Any comments?
Regards,
Brian
Ps: I am cured of wanting a 520i - grey duco with matching grey interior = bland and grey.....

 

[motec 6.9]

Tell him to but a VW . But after all the talk about this subject to the best of my knowledge no one has come up with a satisfactory solution they are temporary at best.

 

[BenzBoy]

Tell him to but a VW . But after all the talk about this subject to the best of my knowledge no one has come up with a satisfactory solution they are temporary at best.

On a 2013 model the owner should not even have to think of a solution ......
Regards,
Brian

 

[motec 6.9]

Yes but I doubt he will get a satisfactory solution . From the dealer as the problem would be in the quality of the trim fitted. Which means they may replace under warranty but then he is on his own once it runs out.

 

[SEL_69L]

To restore that bright alloy trim to new:
1. Buy a spray can of clear coat.
2. Cut a piece of rag, about 60 cm square.
3. Spray a small amount of clear coat onto the folded rag and CAREFULLY wipe it over the alloy trim.

There were posts relating to this problem on TK three or four years
ago.
I discovered this method of treatment after a member accidently sprayed some WD40 onto some milky trim of his W116, and in the attempt to wipe it off, noticed that the thin film of WD40 very greatly improved the appearance of the trim. Unfortunately, after a couple of weeks, the WD40 had completely evaporated, and the poor appearance of the trim returned.
So, I figured that something clear and more permanent could do the job of WD40 for a much extended period, and soI experimented on the alloy trim on my car as indicated in the paragraph above.
VOILA!

NOTE: Be very careful that you do not get ANY wet clear coat on any paint work adjacent to the trim. If you do, damage to the paint will result.

A couple of years after I discovered this method of treatment, I found the MB offered a product that works in exactly the same way as clear coat sprayed onto a small piece of rag, which is then wiped over the alloy trim.

 

[motec 6.9]

Thanks David I remember the posting just could not remember if there was ever a solution found that worked.

 

[Oversize]

I will experiment on some of mine and try soda blasting off the car, followed by polishing and a professionally sprayed clear coat. I'd suggest re-anodising will fail since any process will be inferior to the original MB process which didn't last. The other option is to bead blast and paint them all black (AMG style)....