DaveD

iTrader: (2)

My 93 WRX started to suffer from the dreaded fading dash about two years ago. It started off with just a small patch on the passenger side, before spreading across to the centre console, and a separate patch appeared next to the drivers side door.

A few weeks ago, it looked like this :






I'd looked at various products in Halfords and such, but all I could find were silicon 'shine' products - not what I wanted! I wanted something that would restore the dash, not make it shiney white!! I had even thought of using boot polish to get things back to black, but that didn't seem like a sensible solution.

Anyway, a few weeks ago this thread appeared, and mention was made of a Poorboys product. At £8 a bottle, I thought I'd give this Poorboys Natural Look stuff a go, since it claimed to restore the plastic, and not necessarily just make it shiney!

I ordered a bottle from Polsihed Bliss following the link at the top of this page, and the stuff arrived promptly (Thanks, guys! )

I started on the drivers side, and applied liberally to the white areas, lightly rubbing it into the dash. I found early on that rubbing too heavily can remove the top layer of the plastic, taking the texture of the dash with it! After several nights of applying the Poorboys, the area looked like this:


Encouraged, I moved to the passenger side, and after two lots of application, it had improved to this:




After a third application tonight, it looks like this:




This is obviously a vast improvement!!

However, I still don't think I'm 100% there. It is obvious in the light that there are duller areas on the dash where the plastic still hasn't fully recovered. I think I may still need to apply the Poorboys for a while yet to get the dash back to how it should be. So far I've used less than 1/8th of the bottle, so there's plenty left to use!

If the dash can't be fully recovered, at worst, I expect it may need a quick rub with the Poorboys on a weekly basis to keep it looking an even colour. I'll give it a month or so, and then update this thread to show how things are going. At least now I won't have to explain why half my dash is white when giving people a lift!!

Scoobyslammed

Thats a massive difference... my mate had a older classic and his dash was the same, I tried lots of stuff on it... but it never got anywhere near as good as that...

V4JDMSTi

iTrader: (2)

i did say about the PB stuff coat it on nice nd thick and let it soak in. couple more coats and all will be back to normal

DaveD

iTrader: (2)

mneame, it certainly seems to be doing it's job - just has to be seen to be believed!!

myblackwrx

iTrader: (1)

Well **** me thats fantastic me thinks i shall be ordering some (my dash isn't as bad as yours was Dave).
What did you use to apply the Poorboys?

V4JDMSTi

iTrader: (2)

stik it on with pretty much anything terry towel is a good start as it's got a bit of bite to get into the "veins".

give your dash a washdown first with a strong soapy water mix and then make sure you get rid of that with clean but damp cloths

joey_turbo

iTrader: (26)

This is un-believable. I had no idea classics dashes can go like that. I'll be getting some of that PB stuff, as I don't like a shiney dash anyway. But from seeing this white spreading stuff on a few threads tonight, it looks like it only happens on the pre-facelifts anyway.

myblackwrx

iTrader: (1)

What soap do you use in the mixture (normal soap bar or liquid soap).
Yes i know that may sound stupid but if i don't ask i won't know
Cheers

V4JDMSTi

iTrader: (2)

normal washing up liquid will do as it will strip any products you have previously put on there.

olliecampbell

iTrader: (3)

And the best part it smells great too

Rich @ PB

iTrader: (3)

Top thread, was hoping someone would show this product on this problem in action! Nice one.

muddy

Top result

Worst dash i've seen too...

swampster

iTrader: (1)

WTF makes the dash go like that anyway? Decent result from the Poorboys!

Someone ought to point StickyMickey from that previous thread over to this one!

myblackwrx

iTrader: (1)

Cheers

StickyMicky

i have seen it, but it still looks like it needs replaced IMO


i wouldn't be happy driving around in a dash that was 2 different shades, it bugged the hell out of me personally, so much so that i then started recolouring the plastic myself.

the plastic is damaged, it will only get worse in time, and IMO its just delaying the inevitable (when it gets so bad you want to swap the dash)

if this chap is happy with the result then good for him

if it were me i would just get the thing trimmed/flocked and make it "right" rather then "covered up"

its the old "do you bodge the dent in your wing, or replace it?"
i replaced my wing

the dash i have in storage at work is much worse then that one, its safe to say that as time progresses they do infact become more and more white, but like wacko jacko

V4JDMSTi

iTrader: (2)

trust me a few more coats and it will all be one shade. as long as you then look after the dash ie, each time you clean the outside of the car, do the inside as well, it'll stay one shade and not need replacing. it's the sun that'll cause the dash to go like that and the poorboys NLD has uv protectors in it, hence keeping it topped up will stop it going white again.