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just got these a few weeks ago and I'm having a tough time keeping them clean - I hate to use anything TOO heavy duty or I feel like it will scratch them up.
The issue is mainly around the rim where exhaust moisture and black crud get baked on and won't come off easily.
Looking for something to clean then seal them to prevent the backed on crud from coming back.
If it was just 1 or 2 tips I could deal with it --- but having 4 is a pain!
If in severe condition I use a cheap metal/chrome polish and 0000 steel wool or you can use Autosol metal polish with great results, Autosol leaves behind a protective film coating. Check out the video below using Autosol metal polish on oxidized headlights.
I'd recommend polishing with a metal polish like Optimum Metal Polish and then coating with 22ple VM1. This ceramic coating will help protect better than a traditional wax or sealant, but the tips will certainly still require regular maintenance. They should be washed at least once every other week when you are washing your vehicle, and if they get particularly dirty throughout daily driving, use a black microfiber towel and quick detailer to wipe them off every other day or so. Routine maintenance will ensure the black build up does not get so bad that you are required to polish them so often.
Spray paint them with a smoke colored paint. Then the "stain" will just look like more of the same. If you don't like it, you can use lacquer thinner or acetone and take it off. You can do it on the car, just mask the surrounding area. Not hard. I did it on my GS350. Looks better too, IMO. Takes about 5 minutes per side. Just do light coats, three or four of them until you get the darkness you want.
09-22-15, 08:23 AM
any tips for my tips?
