Quick Verdict
Let’s be honest here, reviewing a product that’s designed to restore black plastic isn’t very difficult. You apply it, and you can quickly tell whether or not it worked. To test the Meguiar’s Ultimate Black Plastic Restorer, I took our donor Hyundai Venue and, after a wash, took a look at the black plastic trim by the windows, which is the kind of surface this product is made for.
The funny thing is, looking at the car, the trim doesn’t look terribly faded despite the Venue having to sit outside all day long, though the car is barely two years old. Once I applied the Ultimate Black, though, I could instantly tell the difference anyway. The real question with a product like this is never whether it works on day one, but how long the result holds up, and that’s where the answer depends on where your car spends its time.
Back in Black
For those unfamiliar with it, Meguiar’s Ultimate Black Plastic Restorer is a hand-applied cream for non-painted exterior plastic, vinyl, and rubber trim, sold in a 12 oz bottle as part number G15812. Meguiar’s builds it around what it calls UV clear coat technology, which is meant to protect the trim from fading while restoring a rich, dark finish.
The company says the formula is non-greasy, dries fast, and won’t streak or smudge, even when the treated surface gets wet, and it’s aimed at everything from bumpers and moldings to door handles, mirror housings, and windshield cowls. Meguiar’s also sells an aerosol version, but the product tested here is the hand-applied cream.
Trim Level
The window trim on the Venue was the test bed, and this close-up photo shows exactly where I applied the product and where I didn’t. Even on trim that hadn’t visibly faded, the treated section looks noticeably darker and richer next to the untreated section, which is about as clear a result as you can ask a trim product to produce. I also found that the product serves as a good way to generally freshen up the trim on a vehicle, leaving it looking clean and new again.
There’s really nothing complicated about applying it. I used a microfiber towel I had lying around, put a small amount of product on it, and worked it into the trim. It spreads easily, so you don’t need to load up the towel or use much product to cover a decent-sized area. I didn’t have any trouble getting an even finish, and because the product isn’t runny, it’s easy to control where you’re putting it. That also makes it a little less stressful when you’re working around painted surfaces or glass compared to something that wants to drip everywhere.
Spread Thin
It’s a very easy-to-apply product that spreads nicely, and you don’t really have to use much of it to restore the finish. I personally didn’t see much of a difference applying more than one coat, so there’s no reason to keep stacking product on hoping for a darker result. Though, your mileage may vary on this depending on how faded your surface is.
Considering how little you need, a bottle should last you for quite a while, even if you’re treating every piece of trim on the car. It’s very much like tire shine in that sense: a small amount does the work, and overapplying only wastes product.
Fade to Black
The biggest question with these products is always durability, and I do recommend reapplying it every few weeks depending on how often your vehicle is outside. It’ll eventually fade if your car is outside in the sun all day, and the Venue is a pretty demanding test case for that, since it never sees a garage.
Meguiar’s says the finish lasts for weeks and withstands washing and rain, and that is basically what I’ve seen, with the caveat that weeks on an outdoor car and weeks on a garaged car are two very different scenarios. Reapplication is quick enough that it’s not much of a burden, especially since you’re using so little each time.
Trim and Proper
Most importantly, this product isn’t runny and doesn’t leave behind any sort of oily residue. That’s the trait that matters most to me in a trim product, and Meguiar’s non-greasy claim held up on the Venue.
If your trim has started to fade, this is an easy product to recommend, and even on trim that hasn’t, the before-and-after is immediate. Just go in knowing that on a car parked outside, you’ll be reaching for the bottle again in a few weeks, and thanks to how little you use each time, that same bottle will be around for a lot of those touch-ups.
Meguiar’s Ultimate Black Plastic Restorer is widely available at auto parts retailers and direct from Meguiar’s. The 12 oz bottle is sold as part number G15812. This review is based on product provided by Meguiar’s, tested on the exterior trim of a Hyundai Venue that is parked outdoors around the clock. Meguiar’s had no opportunity to view this article before publishing and no influence over its contents. While Tunerzine has affiliate partnerships, these do not influence our editorial content. We may earn a commission for purchases made through links on this page.
GalleryPhotos by Jason Siu
