I just thought I'd mention it before someone does this...

The japanese rice paper grain on the instrument panel looks like it will collect dust really well and will be difficult to clean.

When cleaning it though, DON'T USE ARMOR ALL. This will damage your dash. It already has an anti-static coating on it and a damp rag is all that should be used.

Of course Armor All is a wonderful product that is great for some applications, however in the case of tC should not be used, blah, blah, don't sue me armor all, blah...

How will it damgage the dash? Just Curious. Ok Thanks :lol:

i wonder why...

my friend use it to clean the xB dash...shine like leather finish.... 8)

This is very weird i had a dream about this...

I just thought I'd mention it before someone does this...

The japanese rice paper grain on the instrument panel looks like it will collect dust really well and will be difficult to clean.

When cleaning it though, DON'T USE ARMOR ALL. This will damage your dash. It already has an anti-static coating on it and a damp rag is all that should be used.

Of course Armor All is a wonderful product that is great for some applications, however in the case of tC should not be used, blah, blah, don't sue me armor all, blah...

Armor-All has a dubious reputation. Some people love it, others hate it. Here's an epion link to a review about Armor-All that is negative, you can easily find many more positive reviews to counter this one.

http://www.epinions.com/content_27261177476

Well see, the dude that started up this thread said something about the tC dash having some sort of coat? so yah, that would be messed up using armor all?

armor all is like cigarettes...

the dash and interior panels are like your body

sure is good when its there.. but cant live without it.

armor all is like cigarettes...

the dash and interior panels are like your body

sure is good when its there.. but cant live without it.

Is it just me, or is that like a conflicting statement haha

armor all is like cigarettes...

the dash and interior panels are like your body

sure is good when its there.. but cant live without it.

think he was refering to once you've used the product

I told Kaeon to use Lubriderm or Nivea lotion for his interior...because it looked like ashy skin...lol

Coco butter works great aswell......

I told Kaeon to use Lubriderm or Nivea lotion for his interior...because it looked like ashy skin...lol

hm.. not too sure how accurate that is. it's a regular dash, only textured. i don't believe it's made of any special material. i'm cleaning my car in about 30 mins, i'll test it on a spot that won't be visible and let you guys know how it goes.
btw: i use armor-all on all my cars. just don't be a lazy ___ and take care of your car; meaning cleaning the interior every week or two; and you won't have to worry about it looking ____ty. my $0.02 at least.

the best thing to use (for dust) is to use pledge grab it sheets (or similar product). using water (from a damp rag) will attract more dust as it dries. the IS 300 had a similar non-smooth, textured type (meaning nothing like an american car dash... ) dash and the pledge grab it worked like a charm... if you have a stain, then use a vinyl cleaner from meguiar's/turtle wax/3M/whatever.

i used to use armor all, but i found it to make things too slick and it gets nasty after a while... like making the dash too plastic-y looking and/or like you poured oil onto it or something. the shine just makes it look like you farked it up.

Didn't start cleaning it yet, but i found this in the manual:
The vinyl upholstery may be easily cleaned with a mild soap or detergent and water.
First vacuum over the upholstery to remove looose dirt. Then, using a sponge or soft cloth, apply the soap solution to the vinyl. After allowing it to soak in for a few minutes to loosen the dirt, remove the dirt and wipe off the soap with a clean damp cloth. If all the dirt do not come off [yep, that's exactly how it says in the manual, lol], repeat the procedure. Commercial foaming type vinyl cleaners are also available which work well. Follow the manufacturer's instructions.
[b]NOTICE: Do not use solvent, thinner, gasoline or window cleaner on the interior.

I see nowhere that it says not to use any armor-all type product. Consider looking this stuff up before posting a thread about it. Kind of makes the forums moronic and tedious.

I was told by the dealer not to use it....I also work for a company that designs/engineers/manufactures instrument panels and one of the tests the IP's have to undergo is an armor all test. It is widely known in the industry to be damaging to SOME instrument panels, not all. Sorry to make this thread more tedious and moronic, but just trying to help.

He is right. Armoral makes it look good and conditions the dash, however, if you dont applie it weekly it will dry out your dash and cause it to crack. I always use a wet rag.

Didn't mean to sound like an ___. Was just wondering where you had come up with that/heard it from.

He is right. Armoral makes it look good and conditions the dash, however, if you dont applie it weekly it will dry out your dash and cause it to crack. I always use a wet rag.

seems like a catch 22 then... i saw the tC today (two hours after it came to my dealer!) and the surface really doesn't look armor-all friendly. i'd say don't use it for this dash

I've got a question for all you guys - cleaning things is fine (anyone can figure out how to do it). But the dash is sitting up there getting hit with a lot of UV all day long. What do you guys suggest to protect it in the long term? What do you use to keep vinyl from drying out and cracking? That is my main use for armor-all - on pieces that look really dry and brittle I find it protects things well. Overuse makes them totally greasy and nasty, but I think if done correctly it could be ok. The material on the tC doors (I don't remember it on the dash but it's probably there too) didn't look like it would take armor all very well though... hrm...

I've got a question for all you guys - cleaning things is fine (anyone can figure out how to do it). But the dash is sitting up there getting hit with a lot of UV all day long. What do you guys suggest to protect it in the long term? What do you use to keep vinyl from drying out and cracking?


SPF 45 Sunblock :D J/K

i've definitely used it correctly... some people like the way it looks, some don't. it makes things look too plastic-y... i had it on my previous honda accord (98 model)and a friend used it on his bmw 3 series. the honda accord dash had a nice matte finish to it but once the armor all went on it looked shiny and cheap. my friend's 3 series dash had the same matte finish and after a month (and believe me, we did use it properly) it looked so bad that he got his dash REPLACED (lucky for him and his connections...).

again, i'm not saying it's wrong or bad to use it. from my experience, i hate it. from my friend's experience, he hates it. maybe it's just the shiny, greasy look... some people like the shine. might be better for dashes that are already shiny, but for matte finishes i say do NOT use it.

as for daily bombardment of UV rays, i used a nice window shade for a bit, but i'll admit i do get lazy... honestly, in the two years that i kept my IS300 (wasn't garaged) i just kept cleaning the dust off regularly and reconditioned it with a vinyl cleaner (meguiars/turtle wax/etc... think the turtle wax actually had aloe vera in it or something like that) i never had a dash fading/damage problem.

actually the armour all causing damage isn't suprising to me... This very same warning was issued to Jeep Liberty owners in the forums too.
So said that it caused the dash to start "peeling" in spots... yikes.
Looks like its one of those california dusters for me.

I've heard the same thing about Armor all. I heard it from a detailing shop. Theres something in it i guess (like some have mentioned) that makes it crack and look even worse, specially when left in the sun. A vaccum with the brush will work just fine for me. =o)

Put the recommended 3 initial coats in my tC. Looks great. Gives the tC dash more of a liquid-y look. I'll try to post some pics when I'm back in town.

i hate the shine that armour all adds. i like the dull look.

when i saw the title of this thread i thought it had to do with computers.