On the new F-150s, the trim surrounding the front grill is either painted with a matching color to the whole truck or chrome, like on the lariat or KR models. My question is, although I think it's painted chrome, is it actually metal or painted? Answering this question will tell whether or not it should be taken care of as if it was a clear coat paint finish, or if it's actually a metal part, so use a metal polish. Thanks for any help.

 

Treat it like paint. It's not as tough as chrome plated metal, but it's not as fragile as, say, polished aluminum. Clean it with soapy water and a nice clean microfiber sponge/towel/mitt. I use Lifter One bug and tar remover sometimes also on stubborn spots. I've been using TW ICE on my grille since it came out with great results. The Lifter One doesn't seem to strip the wax, er I mean sealant (ICE) too much.

 

Yep -- I definitely don't maintain this type of plastic "chromed" trim like I would a regular chrome bumper or wheels. I just clean it like I do with the painted areas, and wax and polish it in the same fashion....

 

As has been mentioned... treat it like paint.