Car wash soap and water only on the lower plastic and wheels. But I do use a foam grout sponge to wash the plastic and wheels to keep my MF wash mitt from getting too dirty.
I've used Back-to-Black, and Adam's VRT. Back-to-black leave a greasy surface regardless of how many times I wipe it down. Plus the very first time it hit water, it runs like Tammy Faye Bakker's mascara. Adam's VRT is much better, but doesn't hold up well even if the car doesn't get driven/wet. I've used it on my tires and exterior plastic and both starts to fade/dry after a week of being parked in the garage.
My latest favorite is Chemical Guys GEL BLACK FOREVER TRIM & TIRE SHINE. Absolutely dry to the touch on rubber and plastic. leave a nice sheen on the tires that's "just right", IMO. Works equally well on plastic trim as well as tires. Apply it with a sponge, let it dry for at least 30 minutes and then wipe up any excess. Once you've driven a few miles, some may seep out from between the tire and wheel. Just wipe it up and you are good to go. In between wash, if I don't use any heavy cleaner on the tires, I just have to touch up using a thin coat on a sponge.
The ultimate test was when I bought a set of used tires/wheels off Craigslist for my DD Suburban. The tires have about 10K miles on it and I decided to flip the tires so the blackwall is on the outside. The sidewall was badly stained with dirt, brake dust and have a ugly whitish color once I cleaned them up. Apply CG Gel Black and the side wall looks as if they just rolled off a tire manufacture production line. Great stuff.
Francis
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