preserving plastic rear quarter windows

maxgreenwood · Post by **maxgreenwood** » Sun Jul 03, 2011 1:08 pm

does anyone have any tips for preserving the finish on the rear plastic quarter windows as fitted to some BXs. Mine are in good shape and i'd like to keep them that way.

When i worked in a Hi Fi service dept. we had this amazing foam stuff which we used to polish transparent (acrylic?) turntable lids and it got rid of all scratches and they came up like new. I wondered if something similar might work for anyone with crazed rear quarter windows.

Like I say mine are pretty shiney. Is regular washing and turtle wax a good thing for them?

bxzx16v · Post by **bxzx16v** » Sun Jul 03, 2011 1:59 pm

If the plastic is scratched/swirled try meguiars plastX for removing any imperfections . If the plastic is is good condition already just use a good wash routine ie , pre rinse with hose/pressure washer and use two buckets one with shampoo in and one for rinseing , useca good quality lambswool mitt or microfibre noodle mitt , dip mitt in shampoo bucket and clean one panel at a time , rinsing out the mitt in the clean rinse bucket before dipping in the shampoo bucket , this should reduce any chances of scratches and swirls from a dirty wash mitt , also using a different mitt for the bottom half of the car will help too as this is where the majority of dirt etc accumulates follow this by sheet rinsing the shampoo of with a watering can with the rose removed or an open ended hose turned to a steady flow , this will aid with drawing the water of if there is a decent level of protection/wax on the paintwork , leaving less to dry using a drying towel , there's a link here to a great forum/website which might be of interest , but be warned it can get adictive , http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/forum/vie ... php?t=9118

Mark

pmh · Post by **pmh** » Sun Jul 03, 2011 8:42 pm

>> but be warned it can get adictive , http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/forum/vie ... php?t=9118 <<

I have not got the time to read it, let alone follow the instructions!

bxzx16v · Post by **bxzx16v** » Sun Jul 03, 2011 11:08 pm

Thats just what the wife thinks , but I may possibly have the cleanest Zx16v in the country

Mark

toddao · Post by **toddao** » Mon Jul 04, 2011 8:10 am

Max wrote.

When i worked in a Hi Fi service dept. we had this amazing foam stuff which we used to polish transparent (acrylic?) turntable lids and it got rid of all scratches and they came up like new. I wondered if something similar might work for anyone with crazed rear quarter windows.

Do you remember the name of that stuff Max. I've got some pretty heavy scratching on my turntable lid but I think it's probably too far gone.

As for that car cleaning forum - unbelievable, just goes to prove there's a forum for everything probably even for helpless addicts of certain 80s French cars!

Post by **Tim Leech** » Mon Jul 04, 2011 9:37 am

The later ones are made of different stuff it seems to the earlier cars and last much longer, all 3 of my cars have them yet the Mk1 even though it was a very well looked after car needed new ones as they had gone opaque (I still need a drivers side btw)

You can machine polish some of the imperfections out with a mop and some G3 but dont go mad as you could over do it. To preserver mien I polish them with normal car polish and it seems to keep them in good order.

Also clean the INSIDE of them with normal spray window cleaner/paper and you may be amazed at how filthy they get and people forget to do that bit, WATCH for sharp edges on the surrounding plastic though (wear gloves).

maxgreenwood · Post by **maxgreenwood** » Mon Jul 04, 2011 10:52 am

Thanks for the tips guys, and laceration avoidance advice Tim, that's exactly the kind of thing i would do and i don't like it when my Citroen draws blood.

Do you remember the name of that stuff Max. I've got some pretty heavy scratching on my turntable lid but I think it's probably too far gone.

Todd, that's what you would have said about many of the ones we restored. I'll try and find out the name of it for you.

Philip Chidlow · Post by **Philip Chidlow** » Mon Jul 04, 2011 11:17 am

I've seen this stuff used...

http://www.bayplastics.co.uk/plasticpolish.htm

kermit the frog · Post by **kermit the frog** » Tue Jul 05, 2011 4:06 pm

I think i will wash my car as i have allways done as it will take me less time than reading the car cleaning forum topic.

Oh Damn it's raining again

Kermit

Post by **mat_fenwick** » Tue Jul 05, 2011 4:38 pm

kermit the frog wrote:Oh Damn it's raining again

Look on the bright side - it's saved you the bother of washing it!

kermit the frog · Post by **kermit the frog** » Tue Jul 05, 2011 5:25 pm

Thanks Mat
The only trouble is the rain these day's seems to have more dirt in it than it used to have so the car is worse after it has rained.

Kermit