Auto trim is an important component of your car's exterior that serves an aesthetic function as well as providing protection to the paintwork and other operational components such as the lights and windscreen. Some definitions also include things like the door handles, mirrors, antenna and grilles. Most trim on modern cars is made entirely of various plastics, however older cars relied heavily on rubber and chrome-plated metal. We'll have a look at each of the main types of trim you're likely to encounter, and a few ways to protect and maintain them.

What Is Chrome trim?

Chrome plated metal was the mainstay in automotive trim and is usually made up of a few layers of different metals - copper, zinc and then chrome itself. It was originally used to provide additional corrosion resistance, as well as hardness alongside its aesthetics. Chrome trim can be buffed up to a mirror finish, and with a little regular maintenance will continue to protect the metal underneath from corrosion. Despite being much harder than painted steel, it isn't too useful to protect against impact damage however. Because most OEM replacement trim pieces are long gone, in order to replace a chrome-plated piece, another replacement part needs to be painstakingly shaped, then properly plated to match the original finish. It is often an incredibly expensive exercise, so chrome bumpers are almost entirely retained for their vintage looks these days, and not their protective qualities.

The simplest way to ensure your chrome trim lasts, and looks the part is to polish it. There are many different types of metal polish that can be used to shine up chrome trim, and many of them have the added benefit of applying a protective film over the chrome - therefore increasing its lifespan and keeping it shiny for longer. Buffing pads and other polishing tools can be used to really gloss up your trim as well, whether powered by electricity, air or just good old fashioned elbow grease.

What About Rubber Trim?

Rubber is another material that used to be a mainstay in car trim everywhere, but has gradually been replaced with different plastics. That said, around windows, doors and other areas that need to be sealed up against the weather, rubber is often still used. Being that it is strong, flexible and durable, rubber is suitable for any kind of trim - whether cosmetic body mouldings or functional things like bumpers, washer jets or protective belting, for the most part it is only because of cost that plastics are used more commonly now. You can ensure that your rubber trim stays protected against the sun by applying protectant solutions. They'll often keep the rubber looking shiny and black, and prevent discoloration, and be sure to avoid accidentally applying polishes and cleaners that aren't suitable for use on rubber or plastics when you are detailing your paintwork too.

Plastic Trim

Whether it's black and flexible to replace rubber, or faux chrome around lights and grilles, the vast majority of trim on cars nowadays is made from plastic. Plastic trim makes a decent compromise between strength and durability, and a low manufacturing cost. It is also able to be painted, making it versatile in its application. Maintaining plastic trim is much the same as maintaining whatever material the plastic is being used in lieu of - painted plastic can be cleaned, polished and waxed in the same manner as body panels, and rubberised plastics used as seals can be treated with the same products as rubber. Over time and with constant exposure to the elements, plastic can become brittle and break fairly easily, however it is also often cheap to replace, and if replaced with second-hand parts, then mismatched colours can be over-painted to suit your car with very little fuss.

Vinyl

This isn't very common these days, but a fair few older cars came equipped from the factory with vinyl roof coverings. Now, you are far more likely to encounter vinyl wraps over the car in place of custom paint jobs, though the material is much the same. Vinyl on the outside of your car can be maintained and protected in the same way that you'd protect vinyl on the inside. This means that you can apply the same fabric conditioners and cleaners that you would apply to vinyl seats. It is usually all but impossible to repair damaged vinyl, and care should be taken that you don't apply harsh or abrasive polishes to any vinyl surfaces. If it does get ripped, scratched or otherwise damaged, a vinyl wrap on a panel will need to be replaced in its entirety - though luckily, it's usually not too expensive to do.

Removing Trim

When carrying out any bodywork or painting, it is important to remove the trim pieces correctly as most are held on by clips as opposed to bolts and other similar fasteners. For this reason, it's a good idea to use a specially designed trim removal tool instead of prying the trim off with something like a screwdriver. Trim removal tools come in a few different forms depending on what type of trim clips they are meant to remove, though all of them ensure that you minimise the risk of damaging the trim and the fasteners, or denting the panels that you're removing the trim from.