need advice on armor all

[snake2]

hey guys, i`m new here. i`ve always prided myself on a clean car, but i`m no-where near the level of some of you! i`m still trying to get used to some of the shorthand (i know what MF is..) great site you have here, i hope to learn alot.



heres my question (i`ve searched). well, first of all, is armor all protectant for the dashboard seriously disliked by the majority of the board? i`m a member of an acura legend board and everyone says to stay away from it. unfortunately i started using the armor all before i had heard anything bad about it.

but one member said that if you use it once, you have to keep using it or else it will dry the dash out and at some point cause cracking. so i`m unsure whether continued use will keep the dash safe or whether it will make the problem worse. any advice is appreciated.

thanks

[Jcrawford]

:welcome to autopia



the armor all i can`t help you with



but as far as the shorthand goes check this out:

http://www.autopia.org/display.php?file=acronyms.htm

[hondaguy2582]

Its not petro-based like it was before, now it is water-based and is a safe product. I see no harm in using it on your acura, but there are better products like 303, poorboys natural look, eagle one, and even the nxt protectant. Please download or purchase the autopia ebook, it will provide you all the information you need.

[Simplistic]

Originally posted by snake2

hey guys, i`m new here. i`ve always prided myself on a clean car, but i`m no-where near the level of some of you! i`m still trying to get used to some of the shorthand (i know what MF is..) great site you have here, i hope to learn alot.



heres my question (i`ve searched). well, first of all, is armor all protectant for the dashboard seriously disliked by the majority of the board? i`m a member of an acura legend board and everyone says to stay away from it. unfortunately i started using the armor all before i had heard anything bad about it.

but one member said that if you use it once, you have to keep using it or else it will dry the dash out and at some point cause cracking. so i`m unsure whether continued use will keep the dash safe or whether it will make the problem worse. any advice is appreciated.

thanks hondaguy is bangon. you want to avoid products with silicone oil and petroleum distillates.



not sure if davidb still has the free guide to detailing but if you can get it then for sure get it. it`s a great read

[imported_BretFraz]

NXT protectant is NOT water based. Look at the MSDS.



Modern dashboards do not need protectants. The carmakers use a completely different composition for the dash than on the rest of the car. You can use a protectant for looks but there`s no real need to use a protectant to protect.



Make sure to stick with Armor All Original Shine, not the other products they sell.

[snake2]

thanks everyone, yeah i wil probably start using 303, seems to get alot of approval. i just wanted to make sure there wouldnt be any adverse effects by not continuing to use the armor all.

and holy crap theres alot of acronyms!

[jimmybuffit]

Dashboard surfaces are designed to NOT reflect light. You don`t want glare from the dash...



I never use any dressing on a dash (pick a line, and don`t put anything above it!). Just clean the surface well, and allow the OEM material to `shine`.



Jim

[kustomsol]

Jimamary,

Down here in the South, we see a lot of dashboards split by heat and sunlight. Indianapolis isn`t that much further north. Isn`t that a problem up there? I believe that a good protectant helps to prevent heat and sunlight related dash splitting. And there are some that are duller than Armour-All. Comment, please.

[LouisanaJeeper]

dull- 303

matte/flat- Cockpit Premium

[Rlockyer]

Originally posted by HRP

here in the South, we see a lot of dashboards split by heat and sunlight. Indianapolis isn`t that much further north.

What vintage vehicles? I haven`t seen a car here in SoCal built since the early `80s with a sun-split dashboard. Most are hard plastic now and there`s nothing to split.

[Matt M, PA]

I use 303. I also agree that you should avoid silicones like the plague on vinyl, rubber and plastic. I am sure many Autopians know what I am about to write, but I`ll pass it along just the same...



As I understand it, silicones actually stay on top of the surface like an oil (which they are) and seal heat in. They also break down the pasticizers (sp?) that keep these things soft.



Silicones also break down the carbon in your tires. Carbon is the black that protects the rubber from UV.

[Jcrawford]

Originally posted by bretfraz

NXT protectant is NOT water based. Look at the MSDS.







Putting NXT on a dashboard has to be a greasy mess.



One of my friends used EO tire wet on his dash because he liked the shine :scared ...gave a new meaning to ghetto shine though. :rofl

[Scottwax]

Armor All has been reformulated like hondaguy said. Much better product that before and the price is right. I can`t even get Meguiars #40 per gallon from my Meguiars distributer as cheaply as a gallon (okay, 2 half gallons) at Pep Boys and the appearance is similar. Bretfraz is right, stick with the Original Shine version.



If you want to use it on your dash, about 10 minutes after applying it, take a dry cloth to the dash to remove any excess and you will get a satiny sheen.