Ironman88

Here's a summarization of the process that I followed (steps listed sequentially.) I am a maniac about the quality of the finished product. Others may be satisfied earlier on in the process. My object was to remove all of the micro-hazing after the significant scratches were polished out.

Note: To those that may be critical of all of the steps outlined below - that's ok. I have experimented with the process using different products and fewer steps. But to my eye, the steps outlined below with the products listed, yielded the best results. If you can produce results that you like using less steps - great.

Additional Note: Rather than carry out all of the steps below - if your intent is to use a PPF over your trim, you can probably do so even with the trim being somewhat scratched. The PPF will hide almost all of those scratches.

Here's the process and materials that I used:

1) Mask around the trim piece that's being worked on. I like the Kamoi tape because of the way that it can be easily applied around the curves and contours. Plus it leaves zero residue when it's removed.
Product #1: Kamoi Masking Tape:

2) I like the Rag Company "The Miner" microfiber polishing cloths. It's the right nap / density and very high quality.
Product #2: Rag Company "The Miner" microfiber 70/30 polishing cloths:

3) I use a dampened microfiber cloth to dab the surface of the trim to remove any of the granular dirt / dust prior to doing the next step

4) Using P21S Gloss Enhancing Paintwork Cleanser on the microfiber cloth, I thoroughly clean the surface of the trim piece. Then buff it off and do it again.
Product #3: P21S Gloss Enhancing Paintwork Cleanser:


5) The actual polishing takes place using Rupes Uno Pure Ultra Fine polish. I apply this by hand using a clean microfiber cloth. (The Piano Black trim is pretty soft - this is the reason for using the Ultra Fine polish.) Depending on the degree and severity of the scratching on the trim, you may have to repeat this step several times. (I use an LED light to evaluate the progress as I go with this.)
Product #4: Rupes Uno Pure Ultra Fine Finishing Polish:
6) This next product will eliminate the majority of the ultra-fine hazing that is left after using the previous polish - Meguiar's Mirror Glaze Clear Plastic Polish. I apply this using very very light pressure on a clean microfiber cloth. I repeat this step again after buffing off the product.
Product #5: Meguiar's Mirror Glaze Clear Plastic Polish:

7) With that step completed, I reapply the P21S Gloss Enhancing Paintwork Cleanser. It contains an even finer abrasive that restores the high gloss to the trim piece making it look like new. (That product is listed above).

8) If you're going to ceramic coat the trim piece, it would be important to use a safe IPA product in order to remove any polish residue so that the Ceramic coating properly bonds with the trim piece material. I like CarPro Eraser. It should be applied to a microfiber cloth and then very lightly used across the trim piece.
Product #6: CarPro Eraser:
9) To protect the finish, I like GTechniq Crystal Serum LT. Easy on, easy off. This product won't prevent future scratching from hard use / abuse, but it will significantly reduce scratching that could be caused from cleaning the piano black trim in future.
Product #7: GTechniq Crystal Serum Light:

Needsdecaf

nobody wants this crap.

The reason it's called "piano black" is that Mercedes, who I believe originally had this as a trim, made it the real way...out of lacquered wood ala a grand piano. That stuff wouldn't damage as easily. Other automakers thought "we can mimic mercedes with cheap black plastic that's even easier and cheaper to create than fake wood" and bob's your uncle we're now at peak piano black, having had it migrate to the OUTSIDE of the car where you can't help but scratch the crap out of it no matter how careful you try to wash the car. Porsche even charges you extra to install gloss black on your car, something I find galling being old enough to remember in the 90's that gloss black plastic door handles and mirrors meant you were too poor to buy the LE trim on a car which came with painted mirrors and door handles and instead you got the base trim that also came with the rubber wheel and the wind up windows.

retom

Many manufacturers charge extra to finish interior and exterior components in plastic "piano black". Not only Porsche.
It's a trend and people buy it. There is a lot of other nonsense that people pay for and car manufacturers make good money off of.
I agree with you, black finishes used to be associated with cheap versions of cars. Today it's the other way around.
But I disagree with you that no one wants this crap. What to do if people accept it and pay for it, because when there is demand, there is supply.

Chris-911

Is there an option to change this material? I don’t see it in the online builder. After my experience with the fragility of this stuff, if it can’t be changed it would be a deal killer, which would be sad.

ThomasWShea

i assume what we have is just glossy black plastic. at least it can be polished back to its original glossy state. it would be nice if it was real lacquer over wood, but that would not allow for the cost savings...

johnstoy

I bought the xpel 2024 interior kit mentioned in this other thread:
https://rennlist.com/forums/cayenne-...erior-ppf.html
but have to admit I'm nervous to have it installed - if I don't like it I've heard that removing PPF from plastic can damage the plastic. I like the pictures of the interior black plastic covered in matte PPF from that thread, but have the same concerns. Maybe I'll try ironman88's process, but that is kind of intimidating too. I wish this plastic had come with a decent clear coat on it or something to keep it from scratching so easily.

ThomasWShea

the center console area in certain sunny conditions can reflect light right into my face. so far my solution is to just set my triangular maui jim sunglasses case over the spot where the glare is, so far this has work perfectly fine, and it has only occurred about 3 times since i've had my car. at first i was worried that with all the shinny trim there would be all kinds of glares, really it is just that center console area, and it has only been 3 times that it was annoying - not enough for me to pursue a solution.