1997 Dash Freshen Up Question

[Jack's GTS]

What is the best way and best product to treat the plastic dash with? I have the black interior with the grayish dash. I don't want to shine it but just to give it an overall looking satin look.

Thanks

[swexlin]

Adams Super VRT. Best stuff around.

[Jack's GTS]

Thanks.

[Vprbite]

I personally like "LVR" from turbo wax. The owner of the company is great about customer service and tips and tricks. And I use that. Though, meguires makes a product that works pretty well as long as you don't pour it on that is easy to find in stores if that's important to you.

Like any of these products, use sparingly and put it on your microfiber (not the ultra fluffy ones...they just soak up product) instead of the car, then apply. I personally stay away from Armor All. When I worked at a car wash a long time ago I learned that it is water based and therefor when it goes on your plastic and the un hits it, it evaporates off leaving film on your window and taking moisture from the plastic with it. Thereby causing you to need it more and more, though it's actually speeding up the destruction of your dash.

Good luck detailing. I am sure you are fine with probably any of the high end products around here.

[Jack's GTS]

Thanks.

[Chorps]

I personally stay away from Armor All. When I worked at a car wash a long time ago I learned that it is water based and therefor when it goes on your plastic and the un hits it, it evaporates off leaving film on your window and taking moisture from the plastic with it. Thereby causing you to need it more and more, though it's actually speeding up the destruction of your dash.

I'd stay away from Armor All too.

http://articles.latimes.com/1995-05-...or-court-judge

Judge Paul M. Bryant Jr., siding with the Aliso Viejo-based maker of car care products, blocked former Armor All research manager Pritam S. Dhaliwal from using his lawsuit to reveal what the company considers to be trade secrets.

In his lawsuit, Dhaliwal said he found in tests performed by him and others that Armor All Protectant caused tire walls and vinyl surfaces in cars to break down and crack more rapidly than they would without the treatments. In addition, he said, Armor All Tires Foam could reduce braking power by weakening the tread of worn or used tires.

True or not, I think there's a ton of better products out there and without controversy.

[Junkman2008]

If you want something that doesn't attract dust OR doesn't make your dash look like a grease pit, you want to stay away from 99% of what they sell on the market for interior dressing. You say that you want the satin look. With that in mind, I would recommend Gary Dean's Infinite Use Detail Juice. It comes in concentrate so you will dilute it in a separate bottle for the purpose that you want to use it. It also has a host of other uses depending on the mixture you create, including it's most notable use and that would be as a detail spray. Read all about it here.

[Jack's GTS]

Thanks Junkman!

[Junkman2008]

Wow, I wonder what juicy info was sealed by that judge. I haven't used Armor All since the early 80's. That stuff is brutal on your interior.

[Vprbite]

I have been telling people what I said in my earlier post since I was about 16. You would be surprised how many people call me a flat out liar for saying that too. I tell them I can prove it. Just look at the 1/16 inch of film deposited on your windshield one day after application. But people see how dry and whited-out the plastic is and after one wipe with armor all and they are thrilled at how good it looks. One week later it looks like hell and they think "imagine how bad it would be if I didn't take care of it" and then they keep going, speeding up the destruction of their parts. And out here where our tires get dried out and die within 4 years anyway, that stuff is wildly dangerous on tires. A cracked dash is ugly, but it won't kill you like a dried out tire will.

I used to say that you needed something silicon based (well, I like a lot of things silicon based but that is a different story) but these days there are other options. Just stay away from water based for the reason I said above. I would also say, stay away from any "miracle" product that claims to undo decades of sitting in a junk yard. I have no doubt those things make your bumper look great immediately but they will leave it feeling slick and greasy and will dry up leaving streaks and it will be just as bad as before.

What I do is take a quality product (I like the company Turbo Wax, Junkman recommends that product deans and I know he uses a lot of Adams stuff, so you have options...all quality products.) and my regimen is this. Place an appropriate amount...not globs and globs, not penny pinching... product on a clean microfiber folded into a quarter of its size, rub it into the dash being sure to get even coverage as you want that satin look to be all over, not just in spots. Since your towel is folded into fourths, you can turn it over in case you have too much or to help spread the product evenly. But use one side for applying, the other for making sure you get even coverage and no build up. Repeat until you get even coverage. Same process on door panels, bulkhead, all that. This method should get the look you want and dry it so that you don't go do drive it and stain your sleeve on the door panel cause you left too much goop on there.

*****also just something I do that you may find helpful. I use specific color coded microfiber for each duty. And the box in which they are stored is labeled to that effect. Orange towels for leather. Green for plastic/vinyl. Blue for windows. White for removing wax but only ever used once and after that they are used on the engine compartment. I know it's probably super anal of me but this way products never get mixed up and you don't end up with a leftover amount of vinyl cleaner on your window or whatever. Anal, I know, but even while you are cleaning you don't have to remember which product is on which towel because it can only be one thing.


Happy detailing!

[Junkman2008]

... Junkman recommends that product deans and I know he uses a lot of Adams stuff, so you have options

FYI, I haven't used or recommended anything from Adam's in about 3 years.

[Vprbite]

FYI, I haven't used or recommended anything from Adam's in about 3 years.

Sorry. My mistake. I will make a mental note. Like I said I have been really happy with Turbo Wax products. But, there are a number of quality products out there. I never used to care for meguires but their professional line I think has some definite good stuff in it. And their cleaner wax which you can get at most auto stores is pretty good I think too.

Sorry about the confusion Junkman. Note made.

[Junkman2008]

No harm, no foul.