Gtechniq C4 is the most incredible trim product I have ever seen!
11-07-2011, 07:25 PM
#1
Drifting
Thread Starter
Gtechniq C4 is the most incredible trim product I have ever seen!
I own four cars right now. One is a Ford Expedition and the other is a Hummer. Both of these cars have a ton of black plastic trim (cladding) all over. The amount of plastic trim on the Hummer is ridiculous! Being in the Arizona sun, plastic trim like this doesn't look good for very long.
I have tried every product out there to protect the trim and keep it looking new. Problem is they always wash off first time I wash the car. Believe this or not, I have tried Back to Black, Ultima Trim Guard, Black Wow, Aerospace 303, Forever Black, Trim Black, Poor Boys, and others I cannot remember right now. Again, it is really difficult to keep black trim from fading in Arizona so I have tried everything!
Well, I came accross a huge winner several months ago! It is called Gtechniq C4. First, the good is it is really easy to apply, dries hard and every review I have read states it will last 2 years. Yes, 2 years! It isn't greasy or oily like all other products. C4 goes on clear and dries in about 2 minutes.
Here is a link to the company:
Link Removed - non supporting vendor
The bad; it is really expensive! $55 for less than one ounce...ouch!
Back to the good. Even though it is expensive, I was able to do both the Hummer and Expedition with two bottles. Remember, there are few cars that have as much black cladding as the Expedition and Hummer. I would think you could do all the black trim and rubber on a Corvette 3-5 times with one bottle.
Gtechniq C4 is made overseas and for some reason cannot be sold in the Continental US. The only place in the US that I could find to buy it is in Hawaii at a place called, "PakShak." Here is a link:
Link removed - link to a non supporting vendor
The trick to applying C4; 1) Clean the trim real well. I used rubbing alcohol and went over the trim several times until no more residue transferred to the paper towels I was using. 2) Wipe the plastic trim off with a moist towel to remove any lint or paper towel dust left behind. 3) Apply C4 very, very thin. 4) Use a microfiber towel to lightly wipe over the trim immediately after applying C4. DO NOT LET THE PRODUCT DRY WITHOUT LIGHTLY WIPING OVER IT! It does not look nearly as good! Wiping over it removes all streaks and makes the plastic look like new once it dries.
Gtechniq states the C4 "crystallizes" over the plastic trim and creates a hard layer so it will not wash or rub off. I believe this since the microfiber towel I was using to wipe the C4 down became stiff when the product dried. Then, I couldn't wash the C4 out of the microfiber towel regardless if I used soap and water, rubbing alcohol, paint thinner or anything else. Nothing would break it down. It was that durable! Had to end up throwing the microfiber towel away. The same thing happened to the small cloth applicators that come with C4. They turned stiff in about five minutes!
Even stranger is the fact that I applied it on all of the flexible rubber trim around the windows and it made it all look new again, but the trim remained as flexible as it was before I treated it.
I have washed both my Expedition and Hummer several times since applying C4. It still looks like brand new! It doesn't look like it is treated with some type of greasy sealant, but looks brand new like it did when I drove the car off the showroom floor!
Here is are several You Tube videos that show how to apply C4. Interestingly, these are all videos made by separate end users like me and not the company that makes the product.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJLQvcWvIBk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVTMw...eature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acwE3vwhoRQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVTMwH-GWME
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpjA-KLsoQI
There are many more end users who posted You Tube videos about C4. Just do a search on You Tube and you can find them yourself.
Google "Gtechniq C4 reviews" and you will see there are hundreds of satisfied users out there, but almost all of them are overseas. I am yet to read a single negative comment anywhere!
I have tried every product out there to protect the trim and keep it looking new. Problem is they always wash off first time I wash the car. Believe this or not, I have tried Back to Black, Ultima Trim Guard, Black Wow, Aerospace 303, Forever Black, Trim Black, Poor Boys, and others I cannot remember right now. Again, it is really difficult to keep black trim from fading in Arizona so I have tried everything!
Well, I came accross a huge winner several months ago! It is called Gtechniq C4. First, the good is it is really easy to apply, dries hard and every review I have read states it will last 2 years. Yes, 2 years! It isn't greasy or oily like all other products. C4 goes on clear and dries in about 2 minutes.
Here is a link to the company:
Link Removed - non supporting vendor
The bad; it is really expensive! $55 for less than one ounce...ouch!
Back to the good. Even though it is expensive, I was able to do both the Hummer and Expedition with two bottles. Remember, there are few cars that have as much black cladding as the Expedition and Hummer. I would think you could do all the black trim and rubber on a Corvette 3-5 times with one bottle.
Gtechniq C4 is made overseas and for some reason cannot be sold in the Continental US. The only place in the US that I could find to buy it is in Hawaii at a place called, "PakShak." Here is a link:
Link removed - link to a non supporting vendor
The trick to applying C4; 1) Clean the trim real well. I used rubbing alcohol and went over the trim several times until no more residue transferred to the paper towels I was using. 2) Wipe the plastic trim off with a moist towel to remove any lint or paper towel dust left behind. 3) Apply C4 very, very thin. 4) Use a microfiber towel to lightly wipe over the trim immediately after applying C4. DO NOT LET THE PRODUCT DRY WITHOUT LIGHTLY WIPING OVER IT! It does not look nearly as good! Wiping over it removes all streaks and makes the plastic look like new once it dries.
Gtechniq states the C4 "crystallizes" over the plastic trim and creates a hard layer so it will not wash or rub off. I believe this since the microfiber towel I was using to wipe the C4 down became stiff when the product dried. Then, I couldn't wash the C4 out of the microfiber towel regardless if I used soap and water, rubbing alcohol, paint thinner or anything else. Nothing would break it down. It was that durable! Had to end up throwing the microfiber towel away. The same thing happened to the small cloth applicators that come with C4. They turned stiff in about five minutes!
Even stranger is the fact that I applied it on all of the flexible rubber trim around the windows and it made it all look new again, but the trim remained as flexible as it was before I treated it.
I have washed both my Expedition and Hummer several times since applying C4. It still looks like brand new! It doesn't look like it is treated with some type of greasy sealant, but looks brand new like it did when I drove the car off the showroom floor!
Here is are several You Tube videos that show how to apply C4. Interestingly, these are all videos made by separate end users like me and not the company that makes the product.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJLQvcWvIBk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVTMw...eature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acwE3vwhoRQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVTMwH-GWME
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpjA-KLsoQI
There are many more end users who posted You Tube videos about C4. Just do a search on You Tube and you can find them yourself.
Google "Gtechniq C4 reviews" and you will see there are hundreds of satisfied users out there, but almost all of them are overseas. I am yet to read a single negative comment anywhere!
Last edited by johnodrake; 03-12-2012 at 07:00 PM. Reason: Non supporting vendor links removed
Anyone know of a cheaper alternative that works like this?
11-24-2011, 11:24 PM
#3
Drifting
Thread Starter
That is what I originally thought! However, I can do my entire Hummer H3 with one bottle. The h3 is covered in black plastic cowling.
I figure I could get 3-4 C6 Corvettes out of one bottle.
I figure I could get 3-4 C6 Corvettes out of one bottle.
11-25-2011, 12:59 PM
#4
Former Vendor
Lasts for months, easy to apply and won't break the bank. It is NOT a permanent trim Restorer like the other product, but you can find some dye type products from Griots and Forever Black also.
03-12-2012, 02:36 PM
#6
Good stuff!
I've found that it is wasteful, if you use the supplied applicator, instead, I used .22 caliber cotton bore wipe! What happen is the supplied applicator is big, it absorbed an unnecessary amount, it will not absorb anymore because the C4 had cured after several application and you need to change to new applicator! Not the same with .22 caliber wipe, it is big enough to serve the purpose while not being wasteful!
Remember to apply it thinly, then there will be less to go over to even out! I purposely left one part without going over, and after a month, excess came off as thin clear plastic, but under the peeled area, C4 had penetrated and blended in with the rest.
Now, after three months w/many wash cycles, I can easily verify condition every time water contacts the plastic. After wash/dry, I no longer have to wonder whether I should reapply dressing on trims again!
I've found that it is wasteful, if you use the supplied applicator, instead, I used .22 caliber cotton bore wipe! What happen is the supplied applicator is big, it absorbed an unnecessary amount, it will not absorb anymore because the C4 had cured after several application and you need to change to new applicator! Not the same with .22 caliber wipe, it is big enough to serve the purpose while not being wasteful!
Remember to apply it thinly, then there will be less to go over to even out! I purposely left one part without going over, and after a month, excess came off as thin clear plastic, but under the peeled area, C4 had penetrated and blended in with the rest.
Now, after three months w/many wash cycles, I can easily verify condition every time water contacts the plastic. After wash/dry, I no longer have to wonder whether I should reapply dressing on trims again!
03-12-2012, 09:13 PM
#7
http://www.autogeek.net/wolfgang-trim-sealant.html
Lasts for months, easy to apply and won't break the bank. It is NOT a permanent trim Restorer like the other product, but you can find some dye type products from Griots and Forever Black also.
Lasts for months, easy to apply and won't break the bank. It is NOT a permanent trim Restorer like the other product, but you can find some dye type products from Griots and Forever Black also.
Does this stuff run at all ?? I tried "Back To Black" on some non vette door handle trim and after the first rain I could see it ran down the side of the truck. It worked great to make the trim look new again but with not the long term result I was looking for.
03-12-2012, 09:18 PM
#8
Drifting
Thread Starter
Yes, the key is to apply it very, very thin. Follow the instructions exactly and it works wonders! I have had my C4 on all of my cars for six months now and the trim still looks like brand new! The best part is when I get car wax on the trim...it doesn't stain the trim anymore. The dried wax simply wipes off with no "chalky" white residue being left behind!
The .22 cal pads are a great idea! I am going to try that next time! Thanks!
The .22 cal pads are a great idea! I am going to try that next time! Thanks!
Good stuff!
I've found that it is wasteful, if you use the supplied applicator, instead, I used .22 caliber cotton bore wipe! What happen is the supplied applicator is big, it absorbed an unnecessary amount, it will not absorb anymore because the C4 had cured after several application and you need to change to new applicator! Not the same with .22 caliber wipe, it is big enough to serve the purpose while not being wasteful!
Remember to apply it thinly, then there will be less to go over to even out! I purposely left one part without going over, and after a month, excess came off as thin clear plastic, but under the peeled area, C4 had penetrated and blended in with the rest.
Now, after three months w/many wash cycles, I can easily verify condition every time water contacts the plastic. After wash/dry, I no longer have to wonder whether I should reapply dressing on trims again!
I've found that it is wasteful, if you use the supplied applicator, instead, I used .22 caliber cotton bore wipe! What happen is the supplied applicator is big, it absorbed an unnecessary amount, it will not absorb anymore because the C4 had cured after several application and you need to change to new applicator! Not the same with .22 caliber wipe, it is big enough to serve the purpose while not being wasteful!
Remember to apply it thinly, then there will be less to go over to even out! I purposely left one part without going over, and after a month, excess came off as thin clear plastic, but under the peeled area, C4 had penetrated and blended in with the rest.
Now, after three months w/many wash cycles, I can easily verify condition every time water contacts the plastic. After wash/dry, I no longer have to wonder whether I should reapply dressing on trims again!
