Gtechniq C4 Permanent Trim Restorer Reviews
Professional Detailer Reviews
If you are wanting a product that is extremely easy to use that will darken and protect your trim for years, not weeks or months then you will certainly want to give Gtechniq C4 a try.
Customer Reviews
Do not buy this product! I have used Gtechnig products in the past and always been extremely satisfied with them.
Unfortunately this is not one of them!
Scrubbed all the trim as directed, applied the product as directed, looked fantastic!
Rained 2 days later, white water spots everywhere!
Applied another coat,water marks were still evident.
After another 2days all the trim began to chalk and turn white!
Stripped it off and spent $15 on Mothers and it's perfect! I advise you to do the same!!
Unfortunately this is not one of them!
Scrubbed all the trim as directed, applied the product as directed, looked fantastic!
Rained 2 days later, white water spots everywhere!
Applied another coat,water marks were still evident.
After another 2days all the trim began to chalk and turn white!
Stripped it off and spent $15 on Mothers and it's perfect! I advise you to do the same!!
Excellent product, really protects and does some restoration. Must have surface very clean for best results. Seems to last for some time.
I detailed a Jeep Wrangler being prepped for a trade-in that had severely sun-faded bumpers and fenders. They were so bad that there wasn't even any of the "tiger striping" visible. I had the Jeep for a few days as the owners were out of town. I used Solution Finish to restore the finish and Gtechniq C4 to seal it in. The owner was very impressed and they got a good amount in trade towards their new Wrangler, which I did a complete coating (CSL/EXO/C4) on.
I absolutely love this trim coating. The 15 ml size is the perfect size for my coupe that doesn't have alot of trim. Easy on/ Easy off!!
I love this stuff. Buying it again!!!
I love this stuff. Buying it again!!!
Great product. I used it on a extremely faded FJ Cruiser and it looked like factory afterwards.
I initially applied this to the trim on a Land Rover LR3 to see if it would actually work, and it has. It was applied to that vehicle on October 21, 2020 and, as of this writing, is still going strong. Also used on the windshield cowl and other trim on a Subaru SVX and, again, it has held up very well. My only complaint is that it goes fast; I usually end up wishing I'd gotten a larger bottle. But once it's on, it's on, and that is it. It does not wash off after two rains and never runs. Even though it costs more than normal trim shine products, it lasts much, much longer.
Having had a good experience with several other Gtechnic products, I wanted to give this a try on fairly new trim. I have a bed cover on the back of a 2021 Honda Ridgeline that is going to be up against quite a bit of UV exposure in the south. Honestly I was surprised how it was able to add richness to basically new trim, adding just a bit more darkness.
C4 is effortless to apply and allows for abundant working time. To help make the product go farther, I "procured" some of my wife's make-up pads. The don't hold as much product and that way you can keep the nice Gtech one for another day.
Similar to other's comments, I've tried a wide variety of trim products and cleaners. I especially like not having to remove the streaks that oil or silicone based products leave on the paint after it rains. Would have liked to have tried it on weathered trim. Using a Mr. Clean sponge on old trim works wonders for turning it black again. Make sure to tape the adjoining painted surfaces. Coating it with C4 at this point should make a big difference.
C4 is effortless to apply and allows for abundant working time. To help make the product go farther, I "procured" some of my wife's make-up pads. The don't hold as much product and that way you can keep the nice Gtech one for another day.
Similar to other's comments, I've tried a wide variety of trim products and cleaners. I especially like not having to remove the streaks that oil or silicone based products leave on the paint after it rains. Would have liked to have tried it on weathered trim. Using a Mr. Clean sponge on old trim works wonders for turning it black again. Make sure to tape the adjoining painted surfaces. Coating it with C4 at this point should make a big difference.
IT worked "ok" - 2007 Corvette ZO6, was recommended by the business that did the ceramic coating. IT did "black" most of the trim that I put it on, The front fender wells were definitely "grey" and after the application were a "darker grey". Second application made no difference. When compared to a spray on product that my mechanic gave me that e uses on his show and race cars (17.99) could tell no immediate difference.
It is my hope that the difference will be in the longevity of the product, vs the immediate result.
It is my hope that the difference will be in the longevity of the product, vs the immediate result.
I most recently used C4 on a 2019 Toyota Tundra and the owner was amazed at how the plastic trim looked! I see this truck on a monthly basis so I will be able to test the durability of C4. The application is super easy and the results are phenomenal! This is by far my go-to coating for exterior plastic trim.
Great Product! 15ml was a little small for our 2015 Jeep Cherokee but that's because there is a ton of trim. Worked wonders! Its been going on two months and looks great. Looking forward to the claimed up to two years statement.
This product is super easy to use! I first applied some Finish Solution to the faded outside black plastic trim at the bottom of each window, let it dry for a day and then applied the C4 to lock in the nicely restored finish. Will definitely re-order again.
First time using and it was simple. First I clean my trim with Gtechnics multipurpose cleaner. My trim was faded from the SoCal sun and after applying it looks brand new! Caution- make sure you wear gloves! Would give the product a 10 out of 10 for ease of use and final appearance.
Like all GTechniq products I've used I get great results. I have applied it to several vehicles from new to old. Its speciality a great product on old, faded trim to restore it to a new look. I also use it on other things like my hot tub cover to keep it looking new. I applied it to the cover nearly 3 years ago and it's still there protecting. I occasionally apply a quick spray of C2V3 as a booster and the cover looks brand new. Where other products would be long gone from sun and chemicals like salt and chlorine, this product is still there protecting your valuable possessions. It's worth spending your hard earned dough on this stuff.
Can't say enough good about this stuff. Used it on my 2005 x5 (which is basically in like new condition) to seal up all the black plastic trim that I KNOW will be fading in time. After applying, it appeared similar to a fresh coat of 303. HOWEVER, one rainstorm later and NO spots or tiger stripes!!!!! FINALLY. I have been looking for this product forever! I swear I'm gonna start putting it on everything. Kid's toys, tools, eyeglass frames, lol! Joking, but it's unbelievably easy to use EXCEPT for the the cleaning prep...which is a complete PITA on old trim pieces that have been soaking up silicone dressings for years. A simple IPA wipe isn't gonna cut it with a 15 year old part with a semi porous surface. I had to soak with tarminator and grease and wax remover (STRONG stuff) and just about everything other than diesel fuel and there is STILL silicone buried deep down in certain pieces. I don't think it'll matter too much though. And the fact of the matter is that this has done what other products haven't been able to do.
Let's face it, the goal of detailing for some of us it to spend as little time as possible on it. I want to get out there, wash, dry and do a quick vacuum and interior wipedown and pretty much be done hopefully within 30 minutes. So I am working on semi-permanent solutions for the time consuming areas like wheels, glass and trim. This one solves a HUGE problem with the trim!
my suggestions are similar to some others' - if possible, a easier prep process would be awesome. and Gtech....how about another couple of makeup pads in the package?! my wife's eye makeup remover pads left lint everywhere.
Let's face it, the goal of detailing for some of us it to spend as little time as possible on it. I want to get out there, wash, dry and do a quick vacuum and interior wipedown and pretty much be done hopefully within 30 minutes. So I am working on semi-permanent solutions for the time consuming areas like wheels, glass and trim. This one solves a HUGE problem with the trim!
my suggestions are similar to some others' - if possible, a easier prep process would be awesome. and Gtech....how about another couple of makeup pads in the package?! my wife's eye makeup remover pads left lint everywhere.
I have tried a few exterior trim products. Gtechniq C4 Permanent Trim Restorer has been working well so far. A little does go a long way. So far, so good.
Excellent Product!! can't speak for durability yet, but it made the trim look nearly new, on a 14yr old Cadillac we worked on last week, and the customer was thrilled. hopefully it lasts for a while too! Definitely looking forward to using it more!
In So Cal, the sun eats up black plastic and eventually turns ashy grey in color, even after a few years. Despite attempts to keep the plastic looking black with conditioners and such, my 2012 Ram 1500 Reg Cab Short Bed was getting pretty bad. Conditioners would look good for a couple weeks, but ran off after washing or rain and left oily residue streaks.
Application: One week ago, I gave 'er a good wash and prepped all the trim as instructed. Prepping the trim took the longest time. C4 is very easy to apply, few dabs on the supplied applicators (cotton make-up remover pads) and wipe it on. Wait 5 minutes, then lightly wipe over with microfiber cloth and clean any spots off the paint.
Results: As soon as C4 hit the ashy plastic, it turned dark matte black and was coming back to life! Finish stayed consistent and is a nice deep black without being glossy. I'm blown away with how good the plastic looks, like I went to the dealer and bought all new trim. I went through the whole 15ml bottle on my truck; Ram 1500 has a lot of plastic (bumper cap, bed caps, mirrors, windshield, front air dam, etc) and most of it is really textured, so the product didn't go quite as far as I expected.
Pros: Easy to Apply, Instant Results, and makes black plastic look like new
Cons: Should have bought 30ml for a truck (or any vehicle with lots of plastic trim), Should have done it sooner...
Application: One week ago, I gave 'er a good wash and prepped all the trim as instructed. Prepping the trim took the longest time. C4 is very easy to apply, few dabs on the supplied applicators (cotton make-up remover pads) and wipe it on. Wait 5 minutes, then lightly wipe over with microfiber cloth and clean any spots off the paint.
Results: As soon as C4 hit the ashy plastic, it turned dark matte black and was coming back to life! Finish stayed consistent and is a nice deep black without being glossy. I'm blown away with how good the plastic looks, like I went to the dealer and bought all new trim. I went through the whole 15ml bottle on my truck; Ram 1500 has a lot of plastic (bumper cap, bed caps, mirrors, windshield, front air dam, etc) and most of it is really textured, so the product didn't go quite as far as I expected.
Pros: Easy to Apply, Instant Results, and makes black plastic look like new
Cons: Should have bought 30ml for a truck (or any vehicle with lots of plastic trim), Should have done it sooner...
I bought a nine year old used car and wanted to restore the faded trim. The C4 did a very good job of bringing the black back to the faded trim without making it overly glossy. I only prepped a few areas as I didn't know how far the C4 would go. I still have 3/4 of the bottle left so I will be able to finish all the weatherstripping on my car. As long as the coating holds up durability wise I would say this is a very good value.
Great product - love all of Gtechniq's coatings. Can't speak on longevity as I just finished applying it to the black trim of my motorcycle.
Reviewed by Joseph S. on 10/21/2017
Would they buy this item again? Yes
I have tried all of the trim restorer products in an attempt to get the plastic trim on my 2006 Infiniti to appear somewhat presentable, with the bottom line being that it was so-so at best. Usually, the trim went back to looking cruddy after I washed my car. Tried this stuff here and was blown away with the result AND the durability. I'm reluctant to spend the kind of money they want for this trim product, but in this case it was well worth it. It's been 4 months now since applying it, and through all types of weather conditions and washing this product has held up. It is easy to apply, but the surface of the trim must be clean.
I have a dark grey metallic Subaru STi. I was getting tired of the whitish fins on the side where the side-view mirrors. The sun really took its toll on them. I bought this off a 25% discount sale from DI. I applied this and left it on for 5 mins. I wiped it off and applied another coat and left it on. I did that 3 weeks ago and I was amazed with the results. I thought it would fade off like all the other products do. I applied this 3 weeks ago and it looks brand new still. The water beads up on top of the surface after it rains. It is def an awesome product. I decided to do the entire door trim with it, some plastic pieces in the front grille area and the rear bumper area where I have black plastic. I still have half of a bottle left. This stuff goes a long way and it's totally worth the money. Some people see the price and say "That's too expensive..." which is true. If you have any sort of black plastic pieces that you can tell the sun took its toll on it, buy this. You won't be sorry.
I bought a bottle to use on my 2011 X5 and it brought all the trim back to better than new. It LOOKS GREAT. So good that I bought another bottle for my 2014 and 2016 vehicles. Pros: Easy to use. Cons: I can't find any. I highly recommend this product!
Product on my 2004 X3 for a few weeks old now. It did all that the claims said it would. If this withstands the test of time, it's the greatest stuff ever !
This stuff is crazy good. Prep work is key as in anything we use. Once the surface is properly cleaned, I use an applicator pad with a few drops of this and wipe it on, I let it sit for a few seconds and lightly wipe with a clean micro to eliminate smearing. The results are incredible and will add thousands of dollars in value to the vehicle.
Reviewed by Felix P. on 10/19/2014
Would they buy this item again? Yes
Pros of this product, id have to say that it is simple to work with and beads water. Cons are that if you do not wipe off the excess on the trim it will stay glossier than the rest. My experience using this was super easy. Used an applicator, gloves and an all purpose micro fiber towel. Nothing to fancy and my results were like new. The trim on my 2006 subaru sti was faded and just about 10 years old. I never really gave my trim much attention cause other products out there never really last. I must express prep is key when you apply this product or any other product. You must clean the trim very well to remove dirt oil grease or whatever is on the trim and then use an ipa to ensure it is clean. If your towel is coming up black you must keep cleaning this is not a cheap product and you want to do it right the first time so clean well and this product will do what it claims extremely well.
Applied C4 to the wife's new car on 12/28/2013. Very easy to use and A LITTLE GOES A LONG WAY!
Just be sure to clean the trim surface you are about to coat. I used an APC, 50:50, mix three times then a final IPA wipe.
Dries quickly once applied just follow the instructions. Will post in the future with results.
Update: The car has seen various winter weather along with road salt and the finish is still as good as just applied.
Just be sure to clean the trim surface you are about to coat. I used an APC, 50:50, mix three times then a final IPA wipe.
Dries quickly once applied just follow the instructions. Will post in the future with results.
Update: The car has seen various winter weather along with road salt and the finish is still as good as just applied.
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