Plexus for instrument panel

**ironchefwill** · 05-28-2004, 04:15 PM

I`ve read so many testimonials on Plexus for plastics. I sprayed some on to my instrument panel`s clear plastic and it seemed to have scratched. Aside from the scratches, it looks a bit hazy in some parts. I used a clean MF cloth.

Has anyone else had this experience?

--Will

**CrobarCars** · 05-29-2004, 08:58 AM

I am sorry you have had this experience. I have been using PLexus for 1 year and have had the opposite results. It has assisted in scratched lenses over the instrument panel and polished admirabley. May i ask what type of MF towel you are using? Retail purchased or a high grade towel. Not all MF towels are made the same. If you try the CD test you may determine if your MF towel is causing the scratches. RUb your MF towel on the back of a CD and see if it scratches the recoding area. Rubb hard attempting to scratch it. If it does leave abrassions then the MF towel has a very high probability to scratching your paint, plastics etc....
Could they have been there before and by polishing whatever you had there may become more noticeable and you need another application or the scratches were to large to "fill`?
I do not know if this helps....just trying to figure out why you got these results.

**ironchefwill** · 05-29-2004, 10:33 AM

Crobarcars,

Thanks for your thoughts. The MF towels were bought at Costco. I`ve been pretty happy with them (but then, what do I know?). I`ll try the CD test. I`ve applied Plexus to headlight covers with great results as well, I was just wondering whether the instrument panel plastic was a different material that wasn`t suitable for Plexus... I didn`t want to see the same scratches on my other cars. Plus, it`s something you have to look at every time you drive.

Thanks again!

--Will

**Dalton** · 05-29-2004, 10:34 AM

Originally posted by ironchefwill
I`ve read so many testimonials on Plexus for plastics. I sprayed some on to my instrument panel`s clear plastic and it seemed to have scratched. Aside from the scratches, it looks a bit hazy in some parts. I used a clean MF cloth.

Has anyone else had this experience?

--Will

I had the same experience with Megs Pastix. Crappy product in my opinion

**bigron62** · 05-29-2004, 10:55 AM

i use the costco towels with no problems at all .. i did cut off the little white tags

**ironchefwill** · 05-29-2004, 10:57 AM

Ditto on the little white tags. I`ll wait a few days to do another application (I already applied Plexus twice...)

--Will

**ironchefwill** · 05-29-2004, 11:01 AM

Originally posted by Dalton
I had the same experience with Megs Pastix. Crappy product in my opinion

Dalton,

I read about miracles with PlastiX on another site, so I bought a bottle and tried it. It worked OK on my hazed plastic headlamps but nowhere close to miraculous. I`ve also tried it on a rear plastic windshield on my Miata which was a bit messed up and didn`t get major results either. Left me wondering if I had applied it wrong or what not, but I followed manufacturer`s instructions to the "t".

Prevention is better than treatment?

--Will

**2hotford** · 05-29-2004, 02:01 PM

Hey,

For those using PlastX, be sure to work the product a LONG time until it is virtually gone! If you apply it, rub it in and remove you will get hazing as it has not been given enough time to break the micro Diminishing Abrasives down properly. I can not empahsize enough about working the product in.

The other key is a HIGH quality MF towel. As others have suggested, do the scratch test on a CD. If it scratches it, then it will probably scratch the delicate instrument cluster.

Here is a before and after of my gauge cluster.

Before:

After:

And here are the headlights of my wife`s car:

Before, a little road grime (photo taken Dec.31):

After (May25):

Here are the links:

http://www.showcargarage.com/forum/s...=&threadid=951

http://www.showcargarage.com/forum/s...s=&threadid=41

As to Plexus, I quite like the product. It does not seem to remove the scratches, but does leave a very durable coating/gloss.

Tim

**ironchefwill** · 05-29-2004, 02:06 PM

Tim,

Exactly how long did you work in the PlaxtX on your gauge cluster and on the headlamps? I worked PlastX on headlamps for about 3-5 minutes in small sections, just rubbing it in, quite literally. Some of the haze wound up on my towel, which was a good sign to me; but a lot of it was still "etched" into the plastic and I didn`t get it much clearer. I`m inspired to go at it again!

Yes, I like the gloss that the Plexus leaves behind. Better than new in some cases!

--Will

**2hotford** · 05-29-2004, 03:43 PM

Hi Will,

You need to work the product until it virtually disappears and then wipe off. Do not keep rubbing once the product is gone as this may re-introduce marring back into the plastic. Also, as I mentioned in the links, for the gauge cluster, this was done by hand. The headlamps were done with a PC, and a Meguiar`s W-9006 Finishing Pad.

Also, as I said, try the CD scratch test with your MF towel. If it scratches the CD, you will need to use a different towel as it may be causing some of scratches.

I hope this helps!

Tim