Dashboard Care

[TwinCam]

I have found that Lexol leather care lotion does wonders for the dashboard. It keeps the vinyl moisturized and will reduce cracking. Please do not use Silicone based products as they actually promote the degradation of the vinyl and will lead to cracking. You may not have it happening now..but it will. You'll also notice alot of "fog" on the window, which is the chemicals released from the degradation of the vinyl.

[R4D30N]

you deserve your own tips and tricks section of the forums.

[Letitroll98]

Good lookin' out. I'll try it the next time I buff up the dash. I've used the Lexol cleaner and conditioner for the seats and like it better that competing products like Zimol, so why not try it on the vinyl.

BTW I like your tips, keep 'em comin'.

[hdewees]

I use Aerospace 303 - no silicone - you can get it at boat supply stores. Do not use armourall -

[JimW]

Agreed, AmourAll has ammonia..bad

I use a Meguiars spray product..its great!

[kobalt]

Never knew armor all includes ammonia - why in the world would they do that?

[omegaic]

Ammonia cleans gunk quickly, and it neutralizes acid.

[kobalt]

I always thought armor all was a protectant not a cleaner.

[TwinCam]

Be careful using some window cleaners, when you clean the inside of the window, don't get any on the dashboard....quite a few contain ammonia. Suggest window wipes.

[R4D30N]

or you could spray the paper towel down then wipe too if you're cheap like me

[Letitroll98]

Tried the Lexol on a test area to compare and it looks great. Low gloss sheen that looks much better than low gloss Armor All. Gives the vinyl an almost leather like appearence.

Now, how do you clean off the old Armor All? Do you have to?

[kobalt]

Letitroll98 - Where can I pick up some Lexol? Is it a spray, a bottle or wipes? I don't think you have to worry about cleaning the armorall off - that stuff eventually eveaporates over time, that's why people reapply it. A pass or two of Leatherique cleaner could not hurt though before applying anything else.

[Letitroll98]

Pep Boys. Cleaner and conditioner right on the shelf. Cleaner is Ok, but I think you could just as easily use saddle soap. However it's so much easier buying both right there than going down to the tack shop in Cowtown. The conditioner is great. My favorite by far.

[Aurora40]

Lexol makes a product specifically for vinyl and rubber called Vinylex. I would not use a leather product on vinyl as they contain oils and such for moisturizing hides, though it probably wouldn't hurt anything.

The hazing you see is usually from the product hazing off, not from your dash degrading. I get haze after using leather products on the seats, and that's pretty normal with a lot of products.

Edit: I should point out I've never used Vinylex. With Meguiar's #40, 303 Aerospace protectant, Pinnacle Vinyl/Rubber protectant, Poorboy's Natural Look, Meguiar's NXT Tech Protectant, and some others, I've just never felt compelled enough to try Vinylex, though I'd like to some day when I've actually used up all of something.

[TwinCam]

In regards to the Lexol and Vinylex...Aurora40 states that the Lexol has oils in it. Don't forget, the dashboard has a foam beneath the vinyl and if it dries and is not kept moisturized, it will degrade. It almost turns powdery. (Note to everyone) If you don't feel comfortable trying it, then by no means, don't.

[Aurora40]

I believe vinyl is non-porous. And I'm not sure oils will nourish foam. Not trying to criticize, just discuss.

[omegaic]

If vinyl is non-porous, then how does it dry out?

[Aurora40]

omegaic said:

If vinyl is non-porous, then how does it dry out?

I guess it depends on what you mean by drying out. And I'm certainly no vinyl expert. But I don't think it really dries out a whole lot, but it will degrade over time. Vinyl protectants mainly include UV blockers to help prevent degradation and color fade. Some have a light cleanign ability. But none really absorb in and change the material afaik. It looks darker because it is now coated. As the vinyl protectant wears off (you can also clean it off right away and see the effect), that darkening disappears.

Paint is also non-porous. Some people claim it can dry out and paint polishes can push some oils back into the structure of the paint. I've no idea if that's true or not, but most glazes/polishes that work on the oil principle (vs leveling/removing some paint to expose a fresh surface) tend to only last a finite period of time. IMO they don't actually change the paint but rather enhance the surface of it (which is perfectly fine as it makes it look really great).

Just thoughts. I mainly use vinyl products for the satiny look and the UV protection, and also the new-car smell they impart (especially #40). I think the interior would last fine without them though (especially with Solar-Ray glass all over), just not be quite as clean or satiny all the time.

[omegaic]

A little preventative maintenance now means less stuff to fix in the future.

[oldsauroraman1]

Aurora40 said:

Lexol makes a product specifically for vinyl and rubber called Vinylex. I would not use a leather product on vinyl as they contain oils and such for moisturizing hides, though it probably wouldn't hurt anything.

The hazing you see is usually from the product hazing off, not from your dash degrading. I get haze after using leather products on the seats, and that's pretty normal with a lot of products.

Edit: I should point out I've never used Vinylex. With Meguiar's #40, 303 Aerospace protectant, Pinnacle Vinyl/Rubber protectant, Poorboy's Natural Look, Meguiar's NXT Tech Protectant, and some others, I've just never felt compelled enough to try Vinylex, though I'd like to some day when I've actually used up all of something.

Where do you find these products? Esp. The Meguiars #40? Thanks!

[Aurora40]

OldsAuroraMan1 said:

Where do you find these products? Esp. The Meguiars #40? Thanks!

You might be able to find Vinylex or #40 at a Pep Boys or similar place, it sort of depends. Vinylex is from Lexol, so a place that sells Lexol may be able to get it? You might find 303 at an RV/Outdoor store. Most of the others you'll probably have to go online.

Also, I do now have Vinylex...

[oldsauroraman1]

Aurora40 said:

You might be able to find Vinylex or #40 at a Pep Boys or similar place, it sort of depends. Vinylex is from Lexol, so a place that sells Lexol may be able to get it? You might find 303 at an RV/Outdoor store. Most of the others you'll probably have to go online.

Also, I do now have Vinylex...

Thanks for the reply and information. Do you like the Vinylex better than the #40?

[Aurora40]

Hmm, it depends... Vinylex seems to be slightly glossier and is possibly a better cleaner. I think I'd be more likely to use #40 on my dash than Vinylex. But Vinylex would be great on exterior plastic trim, mouldings, probably convertible tops, etc. However if all I had was Vinylex (or #40), I'd still be perfectly content. They are both nice products. #40 has more of a chemical leather/new car smell, while Vinylex has a mild smell of new plastic.

I actually tend to use 303 Aerospace Protectant on my dash and door panels now. I like the finish it leaves. I also got a 16 oz of Pinnacle V&R with a kit, and I love how that stuff smells and the matte finish. So I'll probably alternate with those two on interiors. I also got some Wolfgang V&R protectant that I've yet to try out... Here's an outdated shot of my leather and vinyl products:

[oldsauroraman1]

Aurora40 said:

Hmm, it depends... Vinylex seems to be slightly glossier and is possibly a better cleaner. I think I'd be more likely to use #40 on my dash than Vinylex. But Vinylex would be great on exterior plastic trim, mouldings, probably convertible tops, etc. However if all I had was Vinylex (or #40), I'd still be perfectly content. They are both nice products. #40 has more of a chemical leather/new car smell, while Vinylex has a mild smell of new plastic.

I actually tend to use 303 Aerospace Protectant on my dash and door panels now. I like the finish it leaves. I also got a 16 oz of Pinnacle V&R with a kit, and I love how that stuff smells and the matte finish. So I'll probably alternate with those two on interiors. I also got some Wolfgang V&R protectant that I've yet to try out... Here's an outdated shot of my leather and vinyl products:

Excellent reply! So you are using the Lexol on your leather seating?

[Aurora40]

OldsAuroraMan1 said:

Excellent reply! So you are using the Lexol on your leather seating?

Sometimes... I use the Lexol leather cleaner for sure, it works great. I like the Lexol conditioner, and it makes the seats softer. But I don't like the smell as much. It smells ok. But Pinnacle leather conditioner smells freaking awesome. It smells like a leather store. So I mainly use it, or Pinnacle leather cleaner/conditioner to just touch it up.

The Pinnacle makes the leather feel very slick, which I don't like so much. The idea is that if it's slick, then you won't wear on the leather as much when you move around on it. But I prefer a soft feel, I just can't get enough of the smell!!

[oldsauroraman1]

Aurora40 said:

Sometimes... I use the Lexol leather cleaner for sure, it works great. I like the Lexol conditioner, and it makes the seats softer. But I don't like the smell as much. It smells ok. But Pinnacle leather conditioner smells freaking awesome. It smells like a leather store. So I mainly use it, or Pinnacle leather cleaner/conditioner to just touch it up.

The Pinnacle makes the leather feel very slick, which I don't like so much. The idea is that if it's slick, then you won't wear on the leather as much when you move around on it. But I prefer a soft feel, I just can't get enough of the smell!!

Your taste in interior car scent is excellent. New car smell with leather. Just as it should be.

Now WHERE do I get the "PINNACLE" leather conditioner?

[Aurora40]

OldsAuroraMan1 said:

Your taste in interior car scent is excellent. New car smell with leather. Just as it should be.

Now WHERE do I get the "PINNACLE" leather conditioner?

Just so you set your expectations, Pinnacle is also near the pinnacle of price... But they make nice stuff. Unless you live in Florida near one of these stores, I think you'll have to go the online route:

www.pinnaclewax.com/leathercare.html
www.autogeek.net/leathercare.html
www.properautocare.com/leatcarprod1.html
www.premiumautocare.com/leathercare.html

The Pinnacle cleaner/conditioner is also nice, with the same smell. However, the smell is a lot milder than in the conditioner. You can smell it if you smell the bottle, but in the car it is pretty mild. Still a nice product and doesn't leave a slick finish like the conditioner does (and it's cheaper). The cleaning ability of it is mild.

[oldsauroraman1]

JimW said:

Agreed, AmourAll has ammonia..bad

Jim:

Today I called the Armor All folks at 1-800-222-7784. NO Alcohol in ANY product EXCEPT their GLASS WIPES. There is no ammonia either in their cleanig wipes or other products.

Where did you hear that they had Alcohol?

Well, Well Well!!! Armor All Emailed me today and guess what!!! The fellow I spoke with on the phone failed Chemistry! Look at this:
"Thank you for contacting The Armor All Products Company.

The ARMOR ALL Cleaning Wipes contains propylene glycol ether, isopropanol
and surfactants. I hope this information is helpful.

Again, thank you for contacting us.


David N. Mills
Product Specialist

004509975A
"

Last I checked, ISOPROPYL is Alcohol! There you have it Jim! YOU ARE RIGHT!

[oldsauroraman1]

Did anyone else get the Leatherique "Rejuvinator" and "Pristine Clean" for their leather seats and use them? I noticed the posts from a few months ago regarding these products.

[oldsauroraman1]

Aurora40 said:

Sometimes... I use the Lexol leather cleaner for sure, it works great. I like the Lexol conditioner, and it makes the seats softer. But I don't like the smell as much. It smells ok. But Pinnacle leather conditioner smells freaking awesome. It smells like a leather store. So I mainly use it, or Pinnacle leather cleaner/conditioner to just touch it up.

The Pinnacle makes the leather feel very slick, which I don't like so much. The idea is that if it's slick, then you won't wear on the leather as much when you move around on it. But I prefer a soft feel, I just can't get enough of the smell!!

UPDATE/REPORT! We got the PINNACLE "Concours" Kit straight from the folks at Pinnacle and used it today since we had such beautiful weather here for February - 50's.

WOW! What an AWESOME combination of aroma for the Aurora! Cleaned with the Vinyl/Leather Cleaner both leather and Vinyl. Cleaner works good on vinyl, BUT using it to clean the leather is so, so.

The Leather/Vinyl Protectant is indeed VERY nice! Leaves a very nice, quality look, matte finish and GREAT aroma!

The leather conditioner is just FANTASTIC! I highly recommend it! It really brought back the life to the leather in its looks and feel. Yeah, its slippery, but I kinda like that for ease getting in and out of the car. Best of all, you can plaster it on and the leather just soaks it up big time! And it does'nt look like it is plastered on either. It just does an excellent job and leaves the leather in great shape and fills the car with the rich aroma of high quality leather!

Overall, we are very pleased!

But . . .

I would prefer something a little stronger though for cleaning. The L/V cleaner is mild. ANY suggestions? As I posted already, has anyone used the "LEATHERIQUE" besides "Omegaic?"

THANK YOU "AURORA 40!!!"