Scratched aluminium interior trim - help!

[rcb27]

I've had the car for three days now and I've noticed this scratch on the brushed aluminium trim. I've covered around 300 miles with the other half in the passenger seat - we're not 100% sure how this has come about.

How are you finding this trim, is it prone to picking up scratches?

Don't think I have any options for polishing out the scratch given the brushed-look finish. Looking for a protective film for these trim parts now

Other than that, thrilled with my new toy! Photos and all that to follow...

 

[Inked]

Mine has loads of scratches all over the aluminium (I bought mine 6 months ago - was an ex demo car with 2800 miles on the clock). I was thinking of replacing the trim a piece at a time to spread the cost but haven’t got round to it.
Not like I notice it when driving so not been a priority.

I have thought about taking a scotchbrite pad to it to re-brush the finish in the same way I do with the brushed clasp on my Omega watches but I’m reluctant to try it in case it makes it worse (the watches are stainless steel and I’m not sure how the aluminium would take it)


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[SRB93]

Clear PPF application will be your best bet of protecting this bit of trim... I become a real **** in my car with passengers. All it takes is a watch buckle or bracelet.

 

[rcb27]

Thanks for the comments - seems this trim picks up scratches very easily.

I've put on some 3M All Weather tape for the time being while I get some PPF, a sharp knife and some courage!

 

[SRB93]

Thanks for the comments - seems this trim picks up scratches very easily.

I've put on some 3M All Weather tape for the time being while I get some PPF, a sharp knife and some courage!

it's a shame the material is so easy to mark.

 

[MOA4B9]

The brushed aluminium does scratch very easily, not with deep scratches but scuff marks. I'm going to try and wrap mine. There are so many options you can experiment with. I was thinking of carbon fibre effect but if you want the brushed aluminium look then just use clear vinyl to protect from scratches.

 

[1oldaudi]

it's a shame the material is so easy to mark.

You should try living with he piano black finish. Ive wiped the dust off with the most expensive plush cloth I could find. Still leaves slight marks. Ive started to blow off the dust now using my breath or wafting some card next to it.

 

[DohNut]

You should try living with he piano black finish. Ive wiped the dust off with the most expensive plush cloth I could find. Still leaves slight marks. Ive started to blow off the dust now using my breath or wafting some card next to it.

Partly why I've never seen the attraction of piano black trim.

Shame we can't get the open pore wood on s-line trim here in the UK.

 

[kmanmx]

Partly why I've never seen the attraction of piano black trim.

Shame we can't get the open pore wood on s-line trim here in the UK.

Exactly! the wood trims they have available in the US are really nice. I don't understand why they don't offer it here.

 

[cuke2u]

At least it is aluminium, which is a soft metal, not silver painted plastic...

 

[DohNut]

At least it is aluminium, which is a soft metal, not silver painted plastic...

Yep and I genuinely like it.

When the car goes in for its new car detail/protection I'll be asking the detailer if anything can be done to help preserve it, bar PPF.

 

[Riko0073]

Never had any issues with the aluminum trim on my previous S3, still looked like new when I traded in for my S4.

Carbon trim on the S4 and have to say I’m extremely happy with the look and quality of that and would tick that box again.

 

[rcb27]

At least it is aluminium, which is a soft metal, not silver painted plastic...

You have no idea the emotional rollercoaster this trim has been - from absolute delight on Saturday when I realised it was real aluminium and not painted plastic to sheer devastation when I discovered the scratch. Perhaps a little exaggeration there but you get the idea!

Shame we can't get the open pore wood on s-line trim here in the UK.

On seeing the scratch I did think it was maybe a blessing in disguise; an opportunity to upgrade to the open-pore woods. But eBay suggests well in excess of £500 for this so maybe not...

I've had a go at applying some PPF in-situ. Half of the tape looks perfect - the gloss finish is really not so bad. But from the other half its painfully clear I've never worked with PPF before.

I'm going to see how easy it is to get the rim off and try again, otherwise a professional will be needed!

 

[cuke2u]

You have no idea the emotional rollercoaster this trim has been - from absolute delight on Saturday when I realised it was real aluminium and not painted plastic to sheer devastation when I discovered the scratch. Perhaps a little exaggeration there but you get the idea!

Having had a car where the paintwork almost destroyed by a pdi then a dealership valet I fully understand...

 

[DohNut]

If it’s a light scratch and you cannot catch your finger nail on it I would have thought it could be corrected.

Whether you have the skill set/balls to try it yourself is another question. If it were mine I’d find a professional ask for advice then have a go myself before making a mess of it and handing it over to be fixed properly.

 

[cuke2u]

The was a audi-sport member that posted up a mark he'd noticed on his dash aluminium. The dealership had a go at it and made it worse because there might have been a protective coating on it...

 

[MOA4B9]

Trying to brush out the scratch yourself will make it look a lot worse. The scratch itself will be gone but a large area around it will have a different colour to the rest of the trim. The way to make it look the same is if you use the exact same brushes, use the same pressure and speed as was originally used in the factory which will probably be impossible to replicate. The other way to do it is to have the whole trim panel rebrushed but even then it might not match in appearance to the other original trim panels.

 

[coresme2]

Has anybody managed to fix the trim or work out how much it costs to replace/replaced it themselves? I picked up some friends from the airport and was horrified to notice giant scratches on it today...

 

[Ginge247]

Has anybody managed to fix the trim or work out how much it costs to replace/replaced it themselves? I picked up some friends from the airport and was horrified to notice giant scratches on it today...

It can be wrapped quite easily which seems to be the best and cheapest option.

https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink/to...9&share_fid=2376&share_type=t&link_source=app

B9 S4 aluminium interior trim scratches - replace or wrap?

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[christopher fry]

It's isn't going to be bare aluminium, aluminium oxidises to Matt chalky white, any aluminium look trim will be anodised or lacquered to prevent this. So it needs to be treated like paint not metal.

 

[monkeyhanger]

It's isn't going to be bare aluminium, aluminium oxidises to Matt chalky white, any aluminium look trim will be anodised or lacquered to prevent this. So it needs to be treated like paint not metal.

Pure aluminium oxide is transparent, absolutely colourless and relatively hard (hence aluminium oxide based lacquers on hardwood flooring). you don't see aluminum pans getting white stains on them.

The brushed aluminum trim looks completely uncoated to me on my A4. Could be refreshed, but you'd have to do the lot so as not to see a difference that looks worse than the scratch in the patina of the brushing size and directionality.

Alloy wheels, on the other hand, oxidise exactly as you suggest, hence "whiteworm" cosmetic corrosion when the protective lacquef layer is breached. Other metallic components of the alloy mix oxidise white, likely small % magnesium content.

 

[Ginge247]

Coming up to nearly a year since I did mine and I've had no issues at all

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[LuEi]

Has anybody managed to fix the trim or work out how much it costs to replace/replaced it themselves? I picked up some friends from the airport and was horrified to notice giant scratches on it today...

Hi. Sorry to bother, but I believe I have bought your car and I want to ask few questions. Would that be OK? I can not send private message as a new member. Hope it is OK with you. Thanks in advance.