How to protect the interior!?

[CubeDog]

Hey everyone,

Im picking up my black 300C today! I wanted to know if any of you have recommendations of preferred products you use for the fabric, rubber, and leather in the car that I can apply to keep it in great condition? Scotch Guard? any specific brands you guys recommend for the leather? and the fabric?

Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[roaringmouse]

I protected my interior with 303 High Tech Fabric Guard when I picked up my C in January. So far everything looks great.

You can read about it here:
http://www.303products.com/main.php...age=fabricguard


A few places that sell it:

http://www.topoftheline.com/303fabprot.html

http://store.yahoo.com/autopia/303-30616.html

http://www.autogeek.net/303fabricguard.html

[jjs]

Originally Posted by CubeDog

Hey everyone,

Im picking up my black 300C today! I wanted to know if any of you have recommendations of preferred products you use for the fabric, rubber, and leather in the car that I can apply to keep it in great condition? Scotch Guard? any specific brands you guys recommend for the leather? and the fabric?

Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2 biggest suggestions not needing cleaning products...

1. get/keep a second vehicle for pets
2. kennel/board/keep out back all kids (saves wear and tear on the second vehicle as well)

[C-Man]

I used Scotchguard on my carpet. I am currently using 303 protectant for the dash, doors and such. For the leather I use the Pinnacle Leather Cleaner and Conditioner, but I have since read that it's better to have a separate cleaner and conditioner because is more effective.

[marlinspike]

I, along with the great majority of the euro car crowd, am a big fan of Lexol products. Lexol cleaner and conditioner for the leather (best applied using the cotton sponges sold by lexol) and vinylex for the interior vinyl. Also, if you are not garaging the car, get one of those window sunshade things (and get one that has a relective surface, not one of those ones that are just a piece of cardboard), those will help mounds.

C-Man, how do you like the pinnacle stuff? In another thread you mentioned Klasse, here you mentioned pinnacle, looks like you are using the only two brands I haven't tried but want to try, but am too engrained in my own brands to actually try.

[dynodon]

Keeping things clean is the key. With leather, as dirt works its way into the fibers, it acts like little razor blades and starts tearing the fibers. This is where cracks in leather happen quicker than they need to.

As a supporting vendor I will mention I offer Lexol products at a discount price, and they are recommended by most leather product makers. But there are a lot of good products out there. I would recommend you use a TWO PART leather product though, because leather is more sensitive to cleaning and then conditioning than vinyl or synthetic fibers in carpet. All-in-one products can't really do as good of a job as two part products.

For vinyl, Lexol makes a product called Vinylex, that is quite good with a UV protectant. Not slick or oily like many of the vinyl products. Again there are several good products out there, try some and stick with the one you like.

For carpets, I like to use a good general purpose cleaner. I sell one from Wurth, a respected German chemical and auto products company. Their Super Spray-All is a gentle general purpose cleaner. What works for me is to vacuume the carpets carefully, not rubbing a lot but using gentle motions to prevent fuzzing up the carpet in the future. Then spray any bad spots with a the cleaner (Blue Coral Dri-Clean is also a good one) and work in gently with a damp cloth, like a wash cloth. Pat and push with a dry towel to soak up dirt and excess moisture.

To finish, spray the entire area lightly with the same cleaner and I like to work it in gently with my fingertips. Then pat or lightly buff dry with a towel. To lift fibers and help drying, rub lightly with your hand to fluff the carpet.

Do this instead of using a soapy water mix and you will not get mold/mildew like soap/water can, and you won't drive bad smells and dirt deeper into the carpet. Also your carpet will dry in minutes instead of hours or days, and the slight chemical smell will go away in a day or so, leaving your interior smelling like a car instead of a perfume factory.

You can use soapy water on floor mats if you wish, but it can lead to the carpet separating from the vinyl in combination mats. Be sure carpets are fully dry before putting mats back in and if you wash the mats with water, get them completely dry before installing. Once mold/mildew gets a start in a car it is hard to get out.

[marlinspike]

I just want to second the Wurth thing, wurth is great. For really dirty carpeting though, nothing beats a steam carpet cleaner.

[dynodon]

Steam does a good job, but just be careful to not get the carpet wet too deep, and give the car a LOT of time on a sunny day with warm temps to dry out.

Lots of car dealers use steam and then they sometimes lock up the car in the sun and you get a huge problem with mold and mildew.

[moddog]

Originally Posted by CubeDog

Hey everyone,

Im picking up my black 300C today! I wanted to know if any of you have recommendations of preferred products you use for the fabric, rubber, and leather in the car that I can apply to keep it in great condition? Scotch Guard? any specific brands you guys recommend for the leather? and the fabric?

Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I use the mopar cleaners and I like them they keep ever thing looking like it did when i got the car. Dose not make the dash shine-ny and keep`s the seats clean with out making them slippery.

[C-Man]

Originally Posted by marlinspike

C-Man, how do you like the pinnacle stuff? In another thread you mentioned Klasse, here you mentioned pinnacle, looks like you are using the only two brands I haven't tried but want to try, but am too engrained in my own brands to actually try.

The Pinnacle Leather cleaner/conditioner works well for a combo. I use it every 2-3 months and it leaves a nice new leather smell. It cleans nicely, but I don't really let the seats get that dirty. I'll eventually get separate products in the future. I've been wanting to try their Souveran Paste Wax on my black C, but just haven't sprung the big bucks for it yet.

Klasse AIO is a must have. It can be a base for many things and cleans nicely. SG works well, but I end up detailing the car every couple of months so I don't get the benefits of the durability. I put 2 coats on last week and will put another this weekend before I top with a carnuba.