Product claims of UV Protection

[ko1234]

I currently use 303 Aerospace Protectant on my car’s interior, and CarPro PERL on my car’s tires (undiluted) and exterior trim (3:1). *303 claims on the bottle, “SPF 40 for your stuff.” *CarPro says, “It protects against high grade UV degeneration while maintaining the supple feel and original color of treated surfaces.”





Things I like about 303 AP:



1. *Nice satin finish – it’s not dull or matte, but not too glossy either. *Just right IMO.



2. *Neutral scent – I don’t like using scented products on my interior. *My car is 11 months old now and passengers still get in my car and comment on the new car smell. *I’ve avoided products with a citrus scent like 1Z Cockpit Premium for this reason.





Things I dislike about 303 AP:



1. *It leaves my leather seats, steering wheel, and shift selector knob feeling slightly slippery, even if I wipe with a clean dry MF towel after application. *I’m going to try PERL at 5:1 on these interior surfaces for this reason.



2. *I don’t use 303 on exterior surfaces, but I’ve read that it will run off in the rain and sometimes stain exterior surfaces.





Other notes on 303:



1. *SPF 40. *Is this accurate? *If so, is that the best/strongest UV protection available?



2. *FWIW, I recently bought a gallon of 303 AP.



3. *Depending on how you dilute PERL, where you buy 303, and in which volume container 303 is purchased, 303 can be more expensive.





Things I like about PERL:



1. *It’s hydrophobic and beads water nicely on my tires and exterior trim.



2. *Undiluted, it is the highest gloss tire dressing I have tried so far.



3. *In my experience, it hasn’t run off or stained any surface in the rain.





Things I dislike about PERL:



1. *No gallon size. *Ok, PERL is made in Korea. *No 5 liter offering? *1 liter is the largest available container.





Other notes on PERL:



1. *On my car’s exterior plastic trim, 3:1 is a little too shiny for my tastes and has even left an uneven, almost blotchy finish in some cases (such as on the windshield wipers). *I’m going to try PERL at 5:1 to hopefully rectify this.



2. *I’m going to try 5:1 PERL on my leather seats to see if it leaves a slippery feeling like 303 does.



3. *303 recommends reapplying AP every 3-5 weeks. *What does CarPro say about reapplying PERL for optimal UV protection (I don't have my bottle handy)?





My questions:



1. *Has anyone real world tested these (and perhaps other) detailing products for UV protection?



2. *How does UV protection of PERL compare to 303 in terms of strength, longevity, etc.? *How do other products compare on UV protection?

 

[Accumulator]

ko1234- Why are you concerned about UV protection for your interior? Unless you're parking a convertible outside in Arizona or somesuch I question whether it's a genuine issue.



I also question putting such products on leather :think:



For exterior trim, I don't use the dressing approach but rather apply a trim-friendly LSP or merely treat with ValuGard's Fast Finish every time I wash. And I don't worry about UV exposure for those bits either.



Not hating on 303 (I've never used Perl), but mine basically sits on the shelf unused. Pricey for tires, not really needed on much of anything else. Well, I've used it on hoses now and then and it's nice for that.

 

[ko1234]

ko1234- Why are you concerned about UV protection for your interior? Unless you're parking a convertible outside in Arizona or somesuch I question whether it's a genuine issue.

The engineer/detailer in me is more curious than the car owner in me is concerned. My car is parked in the garage when I'm at home and under a concrete parking structure at work. I guess I'm not really concerned about damage by UV rays. Just curious about manufacturer claims and how they hold up.

 

[Accumulator]

Ah, OK. I do think you might oughta rethink putting such stuff on the leather though. As for the other applications, well...to each their own.

 

[ko1234]

Ah, OK. I do think you might oughta rethink putting such stuff on the leather though. As for the other applications, well...to each their own.

Do you mean I shouldn't put 303 on leather? I won't be anymore, because it makes my seats feel slippery. As for PERL, the L in the name is for leather. Just wondering what you meant with your comment. Also, what do you use on leather?

 

[togwt]

Ultra violet (UV) protection



Modern cars are being designed with inherent protection features, ordinary car window glass filters out about 97% of the (UV) radiation, the cause of photosynthesis (fading) and approximately 37% of (UV) infra red (heat) radiation, modern clear coat paint also contains UV inhibitors.



Pigmented Coating



The leather used for automotive upholstery is finished leather comprising a polyurethane protective layer and an abrasion resistant topcoat.

Polyurethane (urethane) is semi-permeable and has micro-pores that allow evaporation and hydration (the passage of water vapour through a membrane or pore) they are not sealed per se



Oils are not compatible with water-based pigmented urethane coatings and their molecules are too large to permeate, although some may enter via stitching, usually it remains on the surface to be removed by clothing



Since the leather hide has a pigmented urethane layer and clear topcoat finish, when treating the leather, you are in fact dealing with a urethane finish that simply needs to be kept clean and hydrated…it really is that simple. My recommendation would be specific water-based leather care products.

 

[Dan]

I can't say I've had great success with long term tests on many detailing products. 303 is an exception to that rule, I've used it long term and trim that was 7 years old looked just like the day it came off the lot. Its one of the few products that I don't look forward to replacing with something better. Kind of like Accumulator and his Fk1000P.

 

[imported_PiPUK]

As above, interior damage down to UV should be minimal - glass simply does not transmit effectively in this region (I have spend thousands of dollars on specialist optics for this very reason!).



As for the testing - well 303 do make a scientific statement so they must have tested it. If they made such a claim and it turned out to be wrong, a lot of 303 users would be quite justified in asking for a refund and even compensation if their 303 protected surfaces turned out to be damaged. To my knowledge, no one else really does any sort of testing, at least not that they have demonstrated beyond vague claims. To show you just how silly this is, I reckon I could cobble together the necessary kit from friends in the lab and, with a few samples, tell you quickly the degree of protection a product offers. With a bit of time, I could even tell you how long it takes before it breaks down. I would say it is about £2k of equipment and someone with a bit of physics in them to work it all out. In truth, I suspect it is likely that someone would do it for you for a nominal fee. Really, if a product claims to provide UV protection, it should say how much and that should come from such a measurement. If I had spent the money to justify my claim, I'd be getting as much mileage as possible and I am sure the marketing guys would be even more keen. So the lack of such information makes me wonder whether the claims actually have been checked or whether the product is just assuming it true based on a raw material component.



ps. Anyone actually fancying finding the answer on their product, give me a shout!

 

[ko1234]

Thanks everyone for the responses. I think I'll keep using 303 on the dash and plastic door panels, PERL on the exterior trim, and I'll look into a good water-based leather conditioner.

 

[Accumulator]

Also, what do you use on leather?

I'm mostly in the "just keep it clean" camp.



I'll *occasionally* use products like LeatherMaster's protection cream or the protection products from Leather Doctor (sometimes also Sonus). But I doubt if I use such stuff even once a year. Mostly I just to gentle cleaning (so gentle that it doesn't strip off whatever protection product is on there).



Just FWIW, I tried the Leather Doctor stuff (which emphasizes the ph level of various products for different uses) and was *VERY* surprised by how well I liked it. I wasn't dissatisfied with my LeatherMasters at all, and never expected the Leather Doctor products to impress me the way they did. But live and learn, it gives me the best look/feel I've *ever* experienced with my (modern) leather interiors.

 

[ictoaln]

I use 303 on anything plastic or under the hood after I CAREFULLY clean the engine. Seems to attract dust less than anything else I've tried. But on the tires it's Zaino z16 On Leather steering wheels and shifter knobs it's Zaino Z10 or Duragloss 221 Leather Conditioner. Zaino has more of a new leather smell to it. On perforated non-urethane coated leather I use Leatherique.