IS250 Exhaust Tips

[bobmc]

I've owned my IS250 for a month today! 

One of the things that's annoying me is the state of the exhaust tips. So today I set to work with some steel wool and some metal polish. I only managed to do one and that took me about an hour and a half. Even so, I'm not really happy with the results

This is what I started with

and this is after 90 mins of polishing by hand with steel wool and cloths

 

I will have to have a go at the other one tomorrow. 

 

[messi]

Try using Autosol. Works for me

[steveledzep]

That one looks a lot better Bob.

I had to do the same with mine.  I found a lot of it was tar deposits which came off with a solvent.  I finished off with fine wet & dry paper.

Very easy to keep the look as I attend to the tips every time I wash the car.

Can't understand people who neglect the cleaning, especially on a premium brand vehicle.

[bobmc]

1 minute ago, steveledzep said:

That one looks a lot better Bob.

I had to do the same with mine.  I found a lot of it was tar deposits which came off with a solvent.  I finished off with fine wet & dry paper.

Very easy to keep the look as I attend to the tips every time I wash the car.

Can't understand people who neglect the cleaning, especially on a premium brand vehicle.

It's a lot better but not as clean as I hoped it would be. What was the solvent you used?

 

[steveledzep]

I used a "tar spot remover" aerosol, white spirit or meths should do equally well.  Solvol Autosol is a good shout by Messi too.

[bobmc]

Yes, I looked at Autosol a few others, ended up with Meguairs NXT metal polysh. I did spray some WD-40 on before polishing, left for about 30mins before starting - didn't seem to do much. I've got some white spirit in the cupboard. I'll give that a try.

 

[rayaans]

Wheel cleaner works pretty well for exhausts too

[normski2]

On 5/1/2016 at 9:42 PM, bobmc said:

I've owned my IS250 for a month today! 

One of the things that's annoying me is the state of the exhaust tips. So today I set to work with some steel wool and some metal polish. I only managed to do one and that took me about an hour and a half. Even so, I'm not really happy with the results

This is what I started with

and this is after 90 mins of polishing by hand with steel wool and cloths

 

I will have to have a go at the other one tomorrow. 

 

I do mine every time I wash the car...so its usually once a week. Having said that they got pretty caked from a month in France. 

I found it was all tar spots. 

I've used White Spirit, Turps, Meths and Paraffin at various times and depending what I have in the garage.

If they are pretty spattered try soaking an old dish cloth (or the like) soaked with White Spirit and wrap the cloth around the tip for about 10 mins or so to get the tar softened. Put a drip catcher under so you don't spoil your driveway. You want a solvent that does not evaporate too quick. Wurth Industrial cleaner works a treat .... but evaporates stupidly fast.

I've always found it comes off pretty easy after the soaking method. You could use something like 0000 grade wire wool... but keep it fine grade. Then a chrome cleaner to get 'em shining.