Are the ISF interior plastics extremely delicate? It seems every ISF I've seen shows excessive wear (scuffs and scratches) on the plastic trim on doors, foot wells, etc. Even the leather.

Is this common? And can these issues be easily corrected?

 

I definitely feel the "Toyota-ness" of some of the interior parts. The cruise control switch is used pretty much in all Toyotas and Lexuses. The plastic on the airbag cover feels especially cheap.

 

Skip the Alpine interior also. Once it shows hairline cracks, its black underneath and there is no way to hide it. Unless you want a fast excuse to switch to some nice bucket seats.

 

Yea, I have just had my car for a little over two weeks now, and I have noticed this as well. The interior plastics seem to be prone to scratches/scuffs fairly easy. Mostly on the areas near the footwell, the space between the two rear seats and the sides of the middle center console.

 

I have a 2010 and my drivers seat is showing wear marks on the bolster from getting in a and out

 

Yep, the interior is delicate, but if you are careful it will stay in like-new condition for quite some time. Too bad most of the owners out there (not just F, any car) really don't care...

 

I find interior easy to maintain. And I'm tall, overweight, and I have kids. My cars an 08 and has little signs of wear

 

It all depends on how you take care of it. I think the plastics are actually really high quality (Except for a few shared Toyota buttons and toggles) and not easily scratched compared to my other cars. My 08 interior looks brand new. Even when I scuffed it, the marks generally came off easily.

 

2 years and my alpine is still beautiful
simple care is all you need

 

I've noticed a lot of scuffing around the trim by the metal scuff plates, by the seat belts, and on door panels/glove box.

I'm actually looking to purchase an ISF and I'm wondering if these issues are easily remedied or should I keep looking?

It seems many of you have experienced much of the same wear I've seen on cars I'm considering.

 

I've found the leather on the steering wheel to be pretty delicate. My watch band sliced it in one spot and my finger nail scratched it in another when the wheel slipped through my hand during a hard turn.

 

What do you use to keep the alpine looking good?

Ive tried meguiars, its good but makes everything feel like glass.
Armorall just picks up stains it seems..

 

^^^ 1 yr on my alpine and everything wipes off as if it wasn't there. I use the Meguiar leather wipes and it's back to normal. It conditions as it cleans. Will try Griots next, see what the difference is. Feels like "glass?" If it does the job, makes my alpine leather clean and conditions, then I guess I'll put up with the "glass" feeling....lol. Now why would you put amorall on your leather?...hmmm

 

They made a leather wipe as well, tried it, gets it clean but nothing else. Might as well been using water.

But the Meguiars spray makes it flawlessly smooth like wax. Probably good but not fun during turns, others who ride compare it to glass. Ill try the wipes.

(Tho I didnt buy it new so who knows if I am the first person to even try to wipe it with something other than a paper towel and water...)

 

The #1 way to remove scratches/scuffs from your interior is proactive prevention - that is, to make sure you don't do stuff that scratches/scuffs your interior. This thread reminds me of a friend who complained about the paint quality on his S5 because scratches/marring were showing up on his driver's side side skirts. Well, if you decide that you should scrape your feet against the side skirts every time you get in the car, that's a human problem, not a paint quality problem.

See your passenger crossing his legs and scraping up your dash? Smack him upside the head! Notice that you use your dirty shoes against the interior of the door to help push it open when you're getting out of the car? Smack yourself upside the head! I mean, it's really that simple. You have a nice car, so take good care of it - and that also means making sure the people riding in your car respect it as well.

That said, I've found that a lot of stuff that looks like scuffing and isn't cleanable by a damp towel still does come off with the appropriate cleaner. 1Z Cockpit Premium is really good on all the plastic parts of the black interior. I do a complete clean of plastic surfaces in my IS F about once a month, or basically every other time I wash it.

As for leather, what I found best (and I have Alpine on the '08) is Leatherique Prestine Clean. Buy an appropriate brush if tough cleaning is required. For a slightly easier clean - or just for occasional conditioning, which is important to maintain the look of the Alpine - einszett also makes a leather cleaning product called Lederpflege which works really well for that and isn't bad at cleaning either.

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