DOES ANYONE KNOW WHAT THE RED STRIPE ON EF-EL XR ARE MADE FROM. AM NEEDING TO KNOW SO I CAN TALK TO 3M REP ABOUT WHAT CAN RESTORE IT BACK TO LIFE. AS OPPOSED TO REPAINTING OR REPLACING. THANKS

Hi buddy

Yeah they are a common problem with EF-EL cars
The rear ones on the wagon's are painted but those that go along the doors and front bumper I believe are not painted, just colored plastic

I have had excellent results on all of them using the following
(ONLY MENTIONING THEM FOR ADVICE, NOT SPAMMING)

Menzerna Intensive & Final Polishes with an edge classic 8 inch foam rotary buff pad at 600-1100 rpm, using the outside edge of the pad to restore gloss

P21S finish restorer by hand and alot of elbow grease

My whole process was
Isopropyl alcohol - remove any built up waxes, polish etc
Clay bar to remove contaminants like fallout
Menzerna machine buff
P21S
Vanilla moose and raspberry moose
Klasse sealant glaze

There are a variety of others but what I can recommend for you is to get someone to buff them or yourself, with a fine polish and move up the abrasiveness scale to a cutting compound (1000-1500 grit) if necessary.

I don't think the unpainted ones are porous cause all the protectants I have ever used don't seem to hold on and the stripes oxidise to pink again

the can buy the front and rear stripe for the bumpers in red and black and there rubber from 3M .we were supplying the stripes when we recoed the xr bumpers ,that was about a year ago not sure now.not sure about the doors but think there plastic .

thanks guys. will talk to the 3m rep tomorrow, and see what he says. maybe i just remove them and repaint them. surely he will have something to re-attach them that will hold. maybe even something to remove the old sticky stuff more easily than what others have said on the forums.