Forever Black VS Kiwi shoe Dye Contest on XC Trim

[brbevil]

Forever Black - WINNER - This stuff is amazing! I have the silver XC with the blueish trim all around. It was severely faded and I would bring it back to life every 3-4 months with 303 Protectanct which made it look great but was not long lasting. After reading the message boards I decided to test two products on my own car - Kiwi Shoe Dye and Forver Black. I did a small 2x2 section on the front bumper with Forever black and another small 2x2 section on the rear with Kiwi at the beggining of summer to see how long each would hold up to the rigors of the South Carolina sun. Both held up great however Forever Black is a Winner in two areas - ease of application and gloss. The Kiwi polish was foamier and left a high gloss shine that evenutally dulled but was not as attractive as Forever Black. Forever Black went on smoth with very little bubbling and left a great satin black finish that really complimented the appearance of the care. Remember Silver with black interior and now black trim. Looks really nice and aggressive when I finished entire car. Rain, heat , cold and sun have not affected product at all. I did need to put on two coats for a nice smooth finish. Word of warning when wet Forever black looks streaky and freaked me out. But once it soaked into the plastic and dried it looked fantastic.

[ifnt420]

Is Forever Black actually black?
Or is it just a clear protectant?

[BillAileo]

It is not black.

[brbevil]

Forever Black is a dye the penetrates the plastic. Mother Back to Black is not a dye and only lasts a few weeks. Forever Black has lasted since March of last year 08. Highly recommended.

[tomclick]

What should I use if I have blue trim? As previously mentioned, Mother's Back to Black last only a few months before another application is needed.

Thanks
Tom

[brbevil]

I had the blue trim also. 303 Protectant worked great for about 2-3 months. I really wanted something more permanent so I switched to Dye last summer. I was curious about Kiwi and Forever Black. Both had good reviews so I applied both to small sections of my car - front and back and then just waited to see what happened.

The dye actually soaks into the plastic changing the color so there is no going back to blue. I really like the way it rejuviated the look of the car and on my car the black and silver look really awesome.

[tomclick]

I dye my blue trim to black trim.....to gain the long-term effects and more permanent gloss, less maintenance and maybe even better over all look? Interesting thought.... Let me mull this one over and I will let y-all know and put up some pics if I decide to go black. But you know what they say, once you go black... er a never mind:rolleyes:

BTW, I'll bet your silver with (now) black trim looks awesome. Does anyone have any pictures of a XC Nautic-blue where they have change the trim from blue to black?

[Lincoln]

Black goes with everything.

[tomclick]

Let's compare original blue with an approximation of brbevil's idea to use the Forever Black dye.

So I took an existing picture and did a quick-n-dirty selection on just the blue trim and changed it to black to approximate what my car would look like with black trim... what do you think?

brbevil, does the hue/lightness of the black conversion in the second picture look close to your dye job? Lighter/darker?

Original blue trim
http://home.comcast.net/~account_5/_DSC9283sm.jpg

"Photoshop-ed" in black trim
http://home.comcast.net/~account_5/_DSC9283Black%20Trim.jpg

[kamiar]

Tomclick,

I want to know what mod did you do on your exhaust, it looks very nice, do you have more pic of the car from rear showing the exhaust.

[tomclick]

see EuroSport Stainless Steel Sport Cat Back Exhaust System - V70 XC/XC70

Here is a closer crop of the image on the EuroSport page at the bottom...
http://home.comcast.net/~account_5/exhaustCrop.jpg

I took it to a local mechanic that I have been using for years for stuff I can't do (as in he's got a lift and I have a floor jack). If I ever get time I am going to have him cut/weld the pipe so as to swivel the last bend right at the rear differential to it sits a bit more "tucked up." Otherwise it looks pretty good, sounds good and adds some HP/torque . EuroSport says they have the 3" downpipe and race-cat to fit this car as well, so that is next. Since I have the BSR Stage 2 ECU upgrade I will have to custom-tune after installing the downpipe. I should be right around 300hp by this time... Turbo is next...

HTHs

[kamiar]

Thanks for info... but the link doesn't work!

What is the BSR Stage 2 ECU upgrade? will this increase the HP? can i get that on a stock MY04 and how?

[tomclick]

Sorry, I embedded the link incorrectly...

Here is the company: http://www.eurosporttuning.ca
Here is the direct link to the XC70 cat-back 3" exhaust:
http://www.eurosporttuning.ca/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=EST02&Product_Code=VLE-375-104&Category_Code=VL-V70-en

and here is the link to the RICA PPC Stage 2 "Power Pack which includes the air intake, cat-back exhaust and ECU upgrade sold by EuroSport Tuning (they no longer offer BSR http://en.bsr.se/)
http://www.eurosporttuning.ca/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=EST02&Product_Code=VLE-960-232&Category_Code=VL-S60-en-kit-25t

call them they are realy nice guys!

Don't hesitate to ask if you want more clarification.

[tomclick]

Somebody cancel this guy's account.

[dcandmc]

Sorry, I embedded the link incorrectly...

Here is the company: http://www.eurosporttuning.ca
Here is the direct link to the XC70 cat-back 3" exhaust:
http://www.eurosporttuning.ca/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=EST02&Product_Code=VLE-375-104&Category_Code=VL-V70-en

and here is the link to the RICA PPC Stage 2 "Power Pack which includes the air intake, cat-back exhaust and ECU upgrade sold by EuroSport Tuning (they no longer offer BSR http://en.bsr.se/)
http://www.eurosporttuning.ca/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=EST02&Product_Code=VLE-960-232&Category_Code=VL-S60-en-kit-25t

call them they are realy nice guys!

Don't hesitate to ask if you want more clarification.

Same XC70 pictured on Eurosport's web site and your avatar?

[tomclick]

EuroSport wanted to use my some of my XC70 photos.

[chawk]

What should I use if I have blue trim? As previously mentioned, Mother's Back to Black last only a few months before another application is needed.

Thanks
Tom

Tom, did you ever try Forever Black on your blue trim? I have an '02 XC70 Ocean Race with faded blue trim and I am trying to see what others have done.

I also read about using a heat gun to restore bumper/trim color. Has anyone tried that method?

Thanks,
Chad

[tomclick]

Nope never tried it but plan to!

[OKCXC70]

Or, here's an idea: Line-X Xtra in blue. Here's a photo on a jeep bumper.

[lexefx]

did you ever try Forever Black on your blue trim? I have an '02 XC70 Ocean Race with faded blue trim and I am trying to see what others have done.

I have a blue04 with blue trim, and ForEverBlack made them look wicked! Darker than before.

I'd mask very well with painter's tape- takes 2 coats, and be ready to destroy a toothbrush - it helps to help even it out in crack and crevises, like around headlight wipers.

Be gentile withe the applicator tip sponge it can tear off easily.

Alex

[chawk]

Nope never tried it but plan to!

Ok...I finally had some time to work on the car last weekend and I may have discovered a seemingly magical solution to the faded trim problem. After reading about some ATV owners that were using heat guns to restore the color in the plastic fenders on their 4-wheelers, I decided to take a shot at this approach before taking the leap to Forever Black on my blue trim.

Holy cow! I cannot believe it actually worked! I used a $19 heat gun from Northern Tool, set it on high (500 degrees), and slowly went over all the trim while moving in small circles. You could instantly see it working as the plastic heated up and the oxidation vanished. It only took me about two hours to do the entire car, and as you can see from the pics, the trim looks and feels brand new.

Note that I did NOT use any liquid treatment on the trim for these photos; they are before and after the heat gun treatment only. I will probably use something to shine them up eventually, but I wanted to see how they would hold up after the heat gun treatment alone. I will post back in a month or so with an update.

[VICIII]

That looks great...

[jnelsonxc70]

Let's compare original blue with an approximation of brbevil's idea to use the Forever Black dye.

So I took an existing picture and did a quick-n-dirty selection on just the blue trim and changed it to black to approximate what my car would look like with black trim... what do you think?

brbevil, does the hue/lightness of the black conversion in the second picture look close to your dye job? Lighter/darker?

Original blue trim
http://home.comcast.net/~account_5/_DSC9283sm.jpg

"Photoshop-ed" in black trim
http://home.comcast.net/~account_5/_DSC9283Black%20Trim.jpg
I like the black trim look!

[brbevil]

I need to get some pictures up of my ride since I have made some recent modifications. But your photoshopping was perfect.

BTW my most recent mod was the mechanical boost gauge from a subaru. Small gauge the stick off the steering column on a small stalk - Looks killer.

[Ozzie]

Forever Black - WINNER - This stuff is amazing! I have the silver XC with the blueish trim all around. It was severely faded and I would bring it back to life every 3-4 months with 303 Protectanct which made it look great but was not long lasting. After reading the message boards I decided to test two products on my own car - Kiwi Shoe Dye and Forver Black. I did a small 2x2 section on the front bumper with Forever black and another small 2x2 section on the rear with Kiwi at the beggining of summer to see how long each would hold up to the rigors of the South Carolina sun. Both held up great however Forever Black is a Winner in two areas - ease of application and gloss. The Kiwi polish was foamier and left a high gloss shine that evenutally dulled but was not as attractive as Forever Black. Forever Black went on smoth with very little bubbling and left a great satin black finish that really complimented the appearance of the care. Remember Silver with black interior and now black trim. Looks really nice and aggressive when I finished entire car. Rain, heat , cold and sun have not affected product at all. I did need to put on two coats for a nice smooth finish. Word of warning when wet Forever black looks streaky and freaked me out. But once it soaked into the plastic and dried it looked fantastic.

X2 [thumbup] [thumbup]
Did all my trim on an 05 silver XC70 with Forever Black this weekend. The result is well worth the 3 hours labor with the small applicator that came on the bottle.

Next time, I'll use a small sponge and wear gloves.. On the plus side, it did wash right off my hands.

Oz

[jae101]

3 Coats of Forever Black turned my grey plastic bumpers a splotchy grey. 2 Coats of Kiwi black shoe die (over that crap:) made my grill look better than new. AND, it has lasted WEEKS longer than the splotches left by the other product. Just wear gloves while applying and wipe the excess off right away. If you smear it on paint or chrome and let it dry, you will have to use rubbing compound to completely remove the shoe die. It works that good!

[Ozzie]

Did you use the forever black cleaner on the bumpers prior to the dye?

[Jerrymcc]

I've used Black Again and Forever Black, both from IPD...The Forever Black is a pain...I started with Black Again back when I had the 1977 245 and it has come in several different containers and several different formulas over the years...I've had it as a clear, heavy liquid and as a white cream...It works for awhile, but does not last here on Long Island...My XC is Nordic blue and the bumpers are blue, so I would not use Kiwi black...

What has worked best for me on the XC is Vinylex which I apply with a small Scotch Brite pad, the sponge side, not the "scrubber" side...It only lasts about 6 months, but that's 3 months better than the Black Again...I am going to try Meguiar's Natural Shine Protectorant now because Pep Boys were out of Vinylex...

[StuntmanMike]

As I posted in the '08+ forum the other day:

(IMO THIS is the way to go, forget all those oily greasy treatments that wear off in a few washings or attract dust)


I would paint it. I had the same problem with my Jeep, a '97 Grand Cherokee. It's very common for the plastic cladding and bumpers on the '93-'04 CG's to fade and become a dull gray. Painting has become a very common solution on all the Jeep boards that I frequent.

I recently redid mine, the first coat lasted about 6 years before it needed a repaint. The first time around I used Dupli-Color "Bumper Black", it's a flat, almost black (more like a very dark charcoal) paint made for plastic bumpers.

With a few hours of prep and masking it went on very easily, and looked great and lasted quite a while. And it was actually all the scratches and door dings that made me want to do the recent repaint, not a fading of the color.

The product I used this last time is called "Fusion" by Krylon, and comes in a wide range of colors and is made for plastic. The prep is minimal, I gave it a good wash, sanded down the dings, then went over the whole surface with a scotchbrite pad to slightly scuff the surface for better paint adhesion, then washed it again and wiped it down with a cloth and laquer thinner. ( Make sure you clean it very thoroughly if you've used Forever Black, shoe polish, or any of that other crap on it). I used lots of painter's tape and newspaper to mask it off, and aluminum foil works great for masking tricky areas where it's hard to tape the paper.

I used 4 cans to do both bumpers and all the side cladding, and I kept going around with light coats till all the cans were gone, adding extra coverage on the higher wear areas, such as behind the wheels and the front bumper. It was very easy, and the results were fantastic. Also, I used satin black, which looked great since my Jeep is black. I would suggest the satin over the flat, the flat gives it a dull look, IMO.

All in all it took me maybe 3.5 hours.

I'm actually in the market for a 05-'07 XC70, and I'm sure this is one of the first things I'll do to the car, depending on color. DEFINITELY if a get a black one, the black would look amazing with the satin Krylon'd cladding, since on all the black ones I see the cladding appears very fading looking when compared to the black paint.

I know the thought of taking a rattle can to your car probably sounds horrifying, but trust me, it's easy and the results are well worth the effort.

[1marcus4]

Watching all the youtube videos on bumper restoration, ShowRoomNew seems better than Forever Black in a couple of areas, one being the life of the application.

Kiwi Polish and Kiwi Dye are two separate products, yet they are both referenced here when referring to the Forever Black versus Kiwi comparison. It is difficult to have any faith in someone's outcome when they not exacting with regard to the products, their characteristics, etc. I may try this one!

But ShowRoomNew seems on top now, that is, if you don't like the idea of heat gunning your bumper.

[shreddr]

Ok...I finally had some time to work on the car last weekend and I may have discovered a seemingly magical solution to the faded trim problem. After reading about some ATV owners that were using heat guns to restore the color in the plastic fenders on their 4-wheelers, I decided to take a shot at this approach before taking the leap to Forever Black on my blue trim.

Holy cow! I cannot believe it actually worked! I used a $19 heat gun from Northern Tool, set it on high (500 degrees), and slowly went over all the trim while moving in small circles. You could instantly see it working as the plastic heated up and the oxidation vanished. It only took me about two hours to do the entire car, and as you can see from the pics, the trim looks and feels brand new.

Note that I did NOT use any liquid treatment on the trim for these photos; they are before and after the heat gun treatment only. I will probably use something to shine them up eventually, but I wanted to see how they would hold up after the heat gun treatment alone. I will post back in a month or so with an update.

frickin brilliant! I am doing mine today!

[JRL]

I will take 2-3 hours on an XC
I tried this on a small section of a trim piece on another Volvo, it does work but takes a LONG time to completely cover/do everything

[shreddr]

I did it today, it probably took about 5-6 hours, but it looks like brand new. I will post pics.

[atbspinner]

Are you talking about Kiwi shoe dye like the polish or the Kiwi leather dye? The leather dye lasts about 1 year or so when I apply 2 coats using the built in foam applicator and it only
takes me a couple of hours. Very simple and worth the time.

[Au_xc70_03]

I hope to try in the spring on my trim. After i see pics from this.

[slione]

I did it today, it probably took about 5-6 hours, but it looks like brand new. I will post pics.

Eager to see your results! I want to try this in the spring when it's a little more pleasant to be outside. What temp setting do you use?

[StuntmanMike]

I'm curiuos too, I'm interested to see how this actually looks.

I imagine it's difficult to get a uniform color using the heat gone, I can see it looking splotchy.

I plan on just painting them dark grey come spring. I've had good luck painting the plastic cladding on my Jeep, it should work the same way on the XC.

[giorgio]

I use a product for shoe's , good for 2 or 3 month :http://www.calzanetto.com/
This is the results :
http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/9509/rad1xc70.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/689/rad1xc70.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

[perkinscl]

Getting ready to work on my cladding, I bought Tuf Shine Black Restore Kit (http://www.detailedimage.com/TUF-SHINE-M50/Black-Restore-Kit-P546/), I'll post some pictures afterwards.

While searching the internets, I came across a pretty widely recommended product by the Chevy Avalanche club called Restore Refinisher. The AV has a lot of black turned gray cladding like ours. Unless I missed it, I didn't see any recommendations here for this. Most of these folk are saying it lasts about 18 months.

Here is the product: Restore Refinisher (http://therightcarstuff.3dcartstores.com/)
And a ton of reviews & how to's: Refinish Restorer Before/After pics (http://chevyavalanchefanclub.com/cafcna/index.php/topic,101061.0/all.html) (pic intensive, don't open on phone unless on wifi!)

After reading about this Refinisher, I'm thinking about buying it and pushing the Tuf Shine to the back of the garage cabinet!