ajhbrady

Hello,

I have a white pearl 2017 RX 350 AWD Panaramic Moonroof with Mark Levinson and Navigation (MR2 Package).

I'm concerned about protecting the interior, but wasn't sure if Ceramic Pro for Leather or similar ceramic product should be used, since I think the factory is a synthetic leather or leathette. Do I even need to worry about fading or cracking or sun damage to the dash without tint?

I'm also considering tinting just the front 2 driver and passenger windows to match, or slightly match the rears. I'm not going to tint the windshield since it's not legal in California, but was thinking the side windows would look nice and provide some protection. Any opinions?

Thanks for your time and comments?

97-SC300

iTrader: (17)

Unless you plan on keeping that car for over 15 years I would not even bother. Nobody really knows if these "interior coatings" even work. They have no been out long enough so basically all you have is the manufacturer's claims that they work and prolong the life of various materials.

Oh and it makes your leather and vinyl hydrophobic...not sure how that comes in handy or if it's worth anything to you (it's not worth it for me).

If you have kids, just get a full set of weathertechs and maybe try the carpet coating on the areas where the mats do not cover.

Carpet coating - Yes

Leather and vinyl coating I would personally skip. We used to offer these at my work but stopped because the leather still gets dirty and still requires a good amount of cleaning time, so there really was no benefit to the customers.

Blkexcoupe

iTrader: (8)

Do you have a carpet coating you would recommend?

I was planning on trying CarPro Fabric and CarPro leather and vinyl coatings in the next couple of weeks.

97-SC300

iTrader: (17)

My buddy is a certified Ceramic Pro installer and he demo'd their fabric coating....I was blown away by the results. Unfortunately as regular consumer, we can't purchase it.

This stuff has been around for a while however:


I am sure if you really dig around you'll find a bunch more.

Blkexcoupe

iTrader: (8)

I wish I could try the professional level of products for 1st hand experience/feedback.

I'll do some more research on products. It is hard to get valuable feedback since most people try 1 product on their personal cars and think it's amazing. Which is great for them, but it doesn't help me decide which is best for each car I work on.

k20trick

iTrader: (3)

303 fabric guard or the 3m fabric guard whatever they have at the store, its cheap and effective. It definitely works, keeps your fabric much cleaner much longer and the maintenance process becomes such a breeze.

Also to the thread starter I stick to my favorite Wolfgang conditioner, it seems like the chemist put something inside the Wolfgang conditioner there that works well with modern day coated leather, it smells good and isn't oily/greasy like the rest of the conditioners. Im sure there are other good ones out there, but never needed to explore further as this is one of my favorite products.

Here is one that was properly cleaned using an all purpose cleaner and conditioned using Wolfgang conditioner. I love the matte look and tried quite a few before deciding not needing to explore any other options. It keeps the leather soft and supple, protected both from stains and sun, easy to use (you can use on stitching), and smells good if you have any passengers they will notice the nice aroma right away.

SoCalRX

You do not mention the color of your interior leather. If you have a lighter color leather I would coat the leather with Ceramic Pro for Leather as the leather will definitely stay cleaner and be easier to clean.

k20trick

iTrader: (3)

Using either/or would be sufficient.

Lighter cars may show more stains easily so it may benefit to have something on there asap.

finny76

What product is good for carpet coatings? Is there a DIY?

SoCalRX

GTechniq I1 Smart Fabric
However, all coatings eventually wear away and you need to clean, prep and reapply periodically.

finny76

Where can i buy it from?

k20trick

iTrader: (3)

You can buy off the shelf 303 fabric guard or 3m fabric at your local Walmart store, and trust me those stuff really work, this stuff has been around for ages, or you can spend 3 times more and get less product with the gtechniq. May it perform, probably, is it worth 3x the price, probably not...

Anyone obsessed with interiors should also watch below video pretty educational on removing interior odors with baking soda, odor removals, etc,