Spent Saturday morning fixing the rear bumper trim and it actually worked

I did the same thing on my wife's Highlander last fall, all the roof rails and the mirror caps had gone pale grey and every dressing I'd tried before washed off in two or three weeks. The prep step is what most people skip, and I used to be one of them. Wiping down with alcohol until the cloth stops picking up residue makes a huge difference in how well anything bonds. I learned that the hard way after a trim restorer peeled off in sheets following the first car wash.

Mine has been on for about five months now, including a snowy Ohio winter with road salt, and it still looks the same as the day I applied it. The water beads off the trim just like it does off my sealed paint, wich never happened with any of the spray dressings.

One thing I'd add is not to panic if the first application looks patchy while it's curing. Mine looked streaky for the first day and I almost wiped it off and started over. It evened out on its own. If a second coat is needed I'd wait a full day between them rather than piling it on wet, that's where I've gotten a tacky finish in the past with other products.

I'm a year into mine on the bed rails and rocker trim of my F-150 and it still looks factory, but my first attempt was a bust and I'd tell anyone to mind the weather. I applied it on a humid July evening with the garage door cracked open, and within a week I had cloudy patches where the finish never set right. Turns out moisture during the cure window was the culprit. I wiped everythign back down, waited for a dry stretch in the forecast, and redid it in October when the air was dry. Second time came out perfect.

One thing I'd add for anyone doing door handles or tight spots: tape off the surrounding paint. I got a few tiny specks on the clearcoat near the mirror caps and they were a pain to remove once cured. Nitrile gloves too, since it does not wash off skin easily. Also agree with the poster above about the alcohol wipe down. I kept going until my third microfiber stayed white, which honestly surprised me how much residue was still coming off after I thought it was clean. That step alone is prolly why my first try failed too, now that I think about it. Curious how yours holds up through winter. Mine survived a full Ohio winter with road salt and brush washes, so I'd guess yours will be fine.

Been fighting grey trim since the 90s when the only option was those back-to-black bottles that lasted one rain. I put a proper coating on my door handles and mirror housings two summers back and it's still holding. One tip from my own mistakes: mask off the paint around the trim before you start. I got some on the fender next to a door handle and didn't catch it till it cured. Took a clay bar and a lot of patience to get it off. Masking tape first, save yourself the grief.