Ruined window line trims

[Gmick]

Hi all, local hand car wash washed the car few weeks ago and quite blatantly sprayed the car with something way way too strong. Went back and had it out with them but whilst they deny they did they did admit to having a big bottlenkf acid which they use to clean alloys, but only if you ask for it!! 

 

Anyways, the chrome around all the window trims is ruined and the replacement trims alone are £900! 

 

Does anyone know if there are any ways to fix it? I've suggested wrapping them black but the wife don't like that, she likes the chrome 🙄

 

It looks severely pitted, but the car is only 2 years old with 19k on clock. 

[Steve Q]

Welcome to the forum Mick, you'll find the members on here are a friendly and helpful bunch 🙂

sorry to hear of your issue and it's quite common for these car washers to use acids and the like. 

its worth you trying chrome cleaner and polish to try and improve it. Alternatively you could ntry to get second hand sets on eBay or breakers yards. 

cheers

Steve

[Magnet]

Hello Mick,

I too am sorry to hear of this problem, and if there is going to be any benefit from this very unfortunate experience, it's going to be a warning to other owners to think twice about using such commercial car wash facilities. Yes, I know the current thinking that 'I'm not going to waste my time washing the car when I can get it done for me for £5/10'.

So owners sit there wasting their time on their mobile phones while waiting to have the car cleaned! 

I have commented on here so many times about the adverse affects of cleaning chemicals (and lances)  used by these establishments, that I am now even boring myself! They will take the skin off your hands, and can all these operators calculate a dilution rate of say 10/1?? 

In terms of your issue and its rectification? As I see it, these trims are aluminium and are finished by polishing them, and then the shine is sealed in by lacquering - I think. I believe you have ended up by the lacquer coating being degraded by the acid, leaving the actual aluminium surface subject to further localised attack by the chemical. Rectification would now be to repolish (to a level below the pits) and then repeat the (two part) lacquer coating. Practical without removal??? Might be worth taking advice from a local specialist vehicle preparation business incase they can offer some beneficial process. 

The question that now remains is :- if this chemical has resulted in this damage to the trims, what (as yet unseen) damage has it done to the surrounding paintwork lacquer coating? 

Repeating myself, I think your very unfortunate experience might make others think twice about getting others to wash their cars.

Good luck with getting this sired out.

Kind regards,

Gareth.

p.s. Might be worth adding around the smaller seconhand car sales sites, since these sites often know good car preparation set ups.

[niedzial1983]

If you dont wanna wrap them black , wrap them polished aluminimum. 

That trim is very delicate and i dont think you can do anything with it 

[Colin13846]

Hi Mick

Thats bad news re your experience of using one of these car washing outfits. Have a look at this link and maybe it will inspire you!

https://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=27