Just wanted to see if anyone has a proven black rubber bumper restore method. My car is far from perfect, but I’d like to have the bumpers back to black
I have found nothing restores, but this I found does a great job that lasts for several weeks if not months depending on weather…
Google “Black Again”
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Worth a try, on a sacrificial part, to see if it works.
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Interesting! I wonder how it would hold up
I have used Black Again on several cars both Jaguar and non-Jaguar. I’ve been very happy with it. I might never have used it on rubber bumpers, though, only plastic bumpers.
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I like stuff called, oddly enough, “Back to Black”. Made by somebody’s Mother. Seems to work on plastic and rubber. My cars don’t sit out in the sun, though.
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I have tried that on several other things, and a little on the bumper, but it seems to go back to grey fairly quickly, but stays shineyish. Not that I didn’t like it, just wanted to see what everyone else was using. Also as for the heat gun technique, I’ve seen that it can make the plastic brittle.
This would give a different finish…my HHR had scratches by cargo door…so painted the plastic bumper cover with a 3m hard finish undercoater…looks great and filled in scratches. .it has a look like fine sandpaper…probably not for rubber…would tire wet work
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I can highly recommend Autoglym Vinyl and Rubber Care. Use it on my XJ-S and other cars.
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I use Pristine Clean. Organic product for an organic part.
Does it restore the black, or just keep black things black?
Blackens the rubber and restores softness somewhat. Lasts, depending on weathering
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Same here, with Superblack, my '92. I did try Wipe New, which I have heard so many great things about, but only problem is I did not clean the bumpers beforehand (they HIGHLY recommend using Krud Kutter first, I had since learned 
) and it looks like the PO used some kind of cheap silicon or blackening spray on them. It just ended up making a mess. The only way to remove and try again is to sand or wool off the old dried W.N… They recommend 0000 steel wool for that job, but I could only find 000, so I bought it and will try it. This time I will use the K.K. and then W. N. again. Curious to see how well they turn out. 
btw, too bad some enterprising people haven’t come up with thin, rubber “facades” that are custom cut to fit over the existing bumper rubbers and adhere with either the strong 3-M emblem adhesive tape (heated by hair blow drier first) or a strong liquid adhesive. 
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brake fluid! I have had mixed results over the last 40+ years but always an improvement. works wonders on soft rubber where it can soak in, tends to lay on the surface of harder rubber and plastics but still restores some color and shine.
Not doubting, but doesn’t brake fluid break down rubber? Maybe that’s why it works though
Also, another question has been raised in this thread (for me) … is the bumper rubber supposed to be soft, hard, or what? Mine is hard, and was wondering if this is part of the “aging” process, same as the fading of black color … 
I would think it would be a different type of rubber. There are so many different types of them. I’d be surprised if it was the same material
Good question! I’d be curious about that too
I used paint thinner…
Gloves and all, soak it with a cloth, wipe and rub fast… Removes all the dead ruber and leaves a mat finish. Rubing with a dry cloth gives back the shine.
Very decent result, removed all the marks and the black is back.
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mineral spirits/oil based thinner or lacquer thinner? assuming oil based but never have that at the shop. will give it a try.
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