blkis_250

Before you guys tell me to use the search function, i have and have not found an exact answer or explanation towards this matter so replies from the detailing gurus are greatly appreciated.


Ive had many people warn me about the use of Armorall on my interior leather and dash of my 2IS. ive been using it for a while but now have begun to question the positive/negative effects of Armorall. Many have told me that Armorall, though upon the initial applications make everything look new, will eventually yield major consequences on the interior of any vehicle. Why are these claims so? and do you folks have a better alternative?

Also, what are your thoughts on Meguiar Detailing Products?

Thank You CL!

tuan92129

Armorall contains silicone which will break down the plastics in your car.

DUMAls400

How about armorall leather products?

llamaboiz

i use chemical guys and swissvax products on my car int., you can get them at revision or on trendytodds website, http://www.detailemporium.com/

i use these products with great success, if you're coming to the cruise this sunday i'll be happy to show you what these products do for me... BUT~ you gotta remind me to show you cuz i'll forget

blkis_250

i wont have time to come out to sundays cruise but heck, if you and the rest of CLH recommends using chemical guys, and swissvax, then they've gotta be good right?

so is it just better for me to stop using the armorall altogether, to stop causing further damage to my interior?

01LEXPL

iTrader: (10)

I like the Meg's lineup myself. They make good, 'cheap' product with GREAT results when compated to higher end brands, and easily acquired [go to store, vs. ordering online].

I used to use Armor-All, a lot. I still have a bottle of the matte-finish spray left, but will be retiring it soon. this is when i started out with detailing and bought porducts that made the car look good. Not necessarily 'protect' the surface it was being used on.

shadowman

iTrader: (2)

Second that... Plus the silicone will dehadrate the plastic/vinyl which makes it easier to crack on hot days.

chikoo

http://www.armorall.com/faq/wipes.php#answer8

http://www.armorall.com/faq/interior.php#answer8

Guitarman

Armor All used a different formula many years ago, containing dimethyl silicone oils (not water based), and it got a bad name because of it. A bad name that for them, unfortunately, still lives on in the minds of many people.

Truth be told they have been a water based silicone for many years now, and their product isn't a whole lot different than the other rubber / vinyl protectants available. They don't have the higher concentrations of UV inhibitors that 303 Protectant, & Vinylex and a couple others do, but that's 1 reason they ( 303 etc.) cost more than Armor All. UV additives are the most expensive ingredients, arguably, in those products, so you get what you pay for to that extent.

But yeah- people still give it a bad name based on what it was a couple decades ago...it's just not the same stuff anymore.

Oh, and silicone is in all of them. The difference is the TYPE of silicone. A water based type is the kind that doesn't remove plasticizers from the material (additives in plastics/ vinyl materials that keep them flexible-without it can lead to cracking etc.) or feels 'greasy', so you can't single them out for using silicone, it's in more of the automotive products you use than you might think.

Using the "bad" silicones, and lawsuits led to negative consumer perception of Armor All, and they're STILL trying to catch up many years later, after the reformulation.

jfelbab

It isn't that ArmorAll is so bad these days it that there are so many other better, similarly priced, products to choose from.

They do retain a reputation for being a cheap product of lower performance in the mind of most detailing enthusiasts.

blkis_250

hmm interesting..thanks for all the feedback guys! From what i've been reading, it seems armor all isnt all that bad. I've been doing some research tho, and i think i will now be going with chemical guys. we'll see where that takes me.

flektone

iTrader: (1)

I cant understand why people hate on armorall. I use the original style formula in the wipes version on my dash, door, and any other interior plastic panels. I seriously do it once a year, usually spring time and brings the life of my interior back to looking brand new. Thats really all you need to do is use it once a year. You maintain it buy wiping your interior down with a damp rag when it gets dusty every other week or so. I used it on my VW jetta which I owned for 8 years and put 180k on it. Most people dont keep there cars that long and dont take care of them as well as I do. The people telling you it has harmfull chemicals and it will ruin your interior plastics dont know what they are talking about. When I bought my 07 IS this past april I detailed the interior and used armorall. My car looks brand new.

Here are pics of a recent armorall on my VW with 180k before I sold it. Ive been using the product on this car for 8 years.

BuddyH

Really?? Where on earth did you hear that? I’ve worked for a Latex manufacturer for 25yrs and latex rubber is destroyed by lots of things especially anything with any type of petroleum in it. We also make a few products out of eva, viton, etc. The MAIN and only thing we use as a rubber lubricant is SILICONE! That’s the one main thing that has zero effect on latex, viton, etc. Whom ever started this crazy silicone breaks down rubber nonsense has no clue what they’re talking about. We use a silicone emulsion that’s close to 85% pure liquid silicone. Looks just like armor all, but a little thicker..

KennyFSU

I haven't used it since the 90s but back then, I never liked the smell and the residue it left behind.

Chemical Guys makes a great interior cleaner and protectant.

bmiyyoda

I like 303 products, or also Meguiar’s interior products. Go to youtube and search for a IMJOSHV video titled ‘Best Interior Protection For Your Car: UV Blocking Interior Dressing”. . ArmorAll is included in the test as is Koch Chemie, 303, Meguiars, CarGlo. To net it out, They’re all good products, Koch Chemie and CarGlo are pro grade, can’t go wrong with 303 or Meguiars, and ArmorAll works and is the cheapest.