the mat black paint on my door pillars and around the windows is starting to fade and turn gray in a few areas. is there anything i can do to prevent this from getting worse?

 

Try using polishing compund " Available at any automotive store" it has a mild abrasive in it and may knock the faded paint down to fresh paint. And then spray with a matt clear. Also it may be worth a shot to try Back To Black its made by Mothers also available at auto stores.

 

thanks for the suggestion but i think the problem is the paint is literally starting to wear completely through to the gray underneath and i just want to know if i can stop it from progressing, can i wax this paint without making it become shiny?

 

If the parts are removeable the best bet would be to have someone local either paint or powdercoat them with a satin "matt" black and they would hold up for years.

 

the parts are not removable, i just want to know how to stop it from getting worse.

 

Your window and door trim were not matt black to begin with...they were satin black. Go ahead and try polishing it...if it gets a little sheen to it then it will look more like what it is supposed to.

 

Its a rubber based paint, IIRC.

Use armor all.

 

The black crap they put below the windows and all the way back on wagons may be rubber based but I thought he was referring to the trim around the windows and door pillarswhich isn't rubber based at all. Regardless, using ArmorAll on the exterior of a car is a lot like peeing in the ocean. Might make you feel better but doesn't really affect much. ArmorAll is water based and best used inside. Wax away! If you keep the car for any great length of time, repainting is the way to go. SEM makes an excellent spray paint called, interestingly enough, Trim Black. They also have a self-etching primer. Basically hit all the areas w/ a ScotchBrite, tape off what you dont want black and paint away.

 

thanks for the suggestions, i took swiftjustice's advice and waxed all of it, the trim stayed the same but the rest quickly became shiny and it looks much better, thanks!