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Ceramic Coatings
Trim coating is already included in the Geex Armor and Geex Elite packages alongside the paint.
Learn moreTrim Restoration in Jacksonville, FL
Gray plastic, brought back to black.
Door handles, mirror caps, window trim and bumper accents restored rather than dressed — then coated, so Florida sun does not undo it in a month.
- Restored, Not Dressed
- Sealed Afterwards
- Satin Stays Satin
- Quoted From The Car
What it actually is
You cannot clean trim back to black.
Faded trim is not dirty. The material itself has changed — which is why washing it, scrubbing it and wiping something greasy over it all fail in slightly different ways.
Faded trimWhy it happens, and what actually fixes it
Why it goes gray
UV breaks the surface downThe plasticizer that keeps trim black migrates out under sun and heat
Washing speeds it upDetergents strip what is left of it, a little at a time, every wash
It is not dirtThere is nothing sitting on the surface to remove — that is why cleaning does nothing
What brings it back
Restored, not coveredThe trim itself is brought back rather than hidden under a gloss
Then sealedA coating locks it in, so the sun is not undoing the work by next month
Matched to the finishSatin trim stays satin. Nothing on this car should end up looking wet
A dressing sits on the surface and looks excellent for about two washes. A restoration changes the trim, and the coating over it is what makes the difference last — which is the entire reason this is two steps rather than one bottle.
Restored first
The plastic is brought back before anything is applied over it. Skipping this is why most trim treatments last a fortnight.
Then coated
A protective layer over the restored trim so UV, detergent and road film are working against the coating rather than the plastic.
Built for this climate
Florida sun is what did the damage in the first place. Anything that is not UV stable is just a slower version of the same problem.
No greasy finish
Trim should look like trim — matte or satin, not wet. A shiny finish sheds in streaks and picks up dust within days.
Scope
Where it goes, and what it will not fix.
No flat price on this one. A set of mirror caps and a truck with gray trim on every panel are not the same job.
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Where it goes
- Door handles and mirror caps
- Window surrounds and pillar trim
- Bumper accents, grilles and lower valances
- Arch trim, cowl and roof rails
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What it fixes
- Gray, chalky fade across the surface
- Patchy trim where previous dressings wore off unevenly
- Water spotting and detergent staining on plastic
- Dull arch and bumper trim beside good paint
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What it will not fix
- Trim that is physically cracked, warped or lifting
- Deep scratches and gouges in the textured surface
- Trim that has previously been painted over
- Anything better solved by replacing the part
Quoted from the actual car — how many pieces, how far gone they are and whether anything has been dressed or painted before. Exterior plastic and trim dressing is also part of The Complete Geex, and trim coating is included in Geex Armor and Elite.
Restore or dress
One of these lasts past the next wash.
Both make gray trim look black on the day. Only one of them is still black in three months.
Restoration and coating
Two steps, and it holds
Changes the trim itself rather than covering it.
Sealed afterwards, so UV and detergent hit the coating first.
Even finish — no patchiness as it wears.
Matched to the original, matte or satin rather than glossy.
Takes real preparation, so it is not a ten-minute job.
vs
Trim dressing
One bottle, and it walks off
Cheap and instant, which is the appeal.
Sits on top of trim that is still faded underneath.
Washes off, and unevenly — that is where patchy trim comes from.
Usually leaves a wet-looking shine that collects dust.
Can sling onto paint and glass on the first drive.
Doing the paint anyway? Trim coating is already included in the Geex Armor and Geex Elite ceramic packages rather than being a separate line.
Explore ceramic coatingThe process
Strip it back, bring it back, seal it.
Most of the work is in the first step, and most failures come from skipping it.
01 / Clean
Everything off the surface first
Old dressings, road film and detergent residue all have to come off. A restoration bonding to last year’s dressing is a restoration that lifts with it.
02 / Restore
The plastic itself
The trim is brought back to an even black rather than covered. Panel by panel, checked in daylight, because patchy trim is worse than faded trim.
03 / Coat
Sealed against the sun
A protective coating over the restored trim so UV, detergent and road film are working against the coating instead of the plastic.
04 / Cure
Left alone to set
The coating cures indoors before the car goes anywhere. You get aftercare for the first week, which mostly means leaving it alone.
Questions
What people ask before they book.
If yours is not here, call the shop. We would rather answer it than have you guess.
Why does my trim keep going gray again?
Because whatever was put on it was a dressing rather than a restoration. A dressing sits on the surface and washes off. The trim underneath is still faded, so as soon as the dressing goes, the gray is back — usually patchier than before.
How long does it last?
Far longer than a dressing, and how much longer depends on where the car lives and how it is washed. A garaged car hand washed with pH-neutral soap holds it a long time. A truck parked outside all summer will need it looked at sooner.
Will it look shiny?
No, and it should not. Trim is matte or satin from the factory, so that is what it goes back to. A wet-looking finish is the giveaway that something was dressed rather than restored.
Can you fix trim that has been painted before?
Usually not well. Paint over textured plastic behaves differently to the plastic underneath, and restoring it means dealing with the paint first. We will look and tell you honestly whether it is worth it or whether the part should be replaced.
Does it work on arch trim and lower bumpers?
Yes, and those are usually the worst pieces on the car because they take the most road spray and the most detergent. They are also the ones people notice against clean paint.
Can it be done with something else?
It usually is. Exterior plastic and trim dressing is part of The Complete Geex, and trim coating is included in the Geex Armor and Geex Elite ceramic packages.
Related services
What usually goes with it.
Trim is rarely the only thing on the list.
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Headlight Restoration
The other thing that ages a front end. Yellowed lenses sanded, polished and UV sealed.
Learn more03
Exterior Detailing
Exterior plastic and trim dressing is part of The Complete Geex, alongside the full wash and decontamination.
Learn moreBook
Show us the worst piece on the car.
We will tell you whether it comes back, how long it will hold, and what it costs — before anything is booked.