decided to detail the interior of the car a bit..

[D-techniK]

So today there was no work for me because of the tropical storm.



So I decided to detail the interior a bit. One of my fav things is the stitching on the steering wheel. Even if your interior/steering wheel looks clean. Just grab a cleaning wipe. (like Armor all etc.) Scrub down the stitching and take your time and watch how dirty it really is.







That wipe was used only on the stitching

Going to put Meguiars leather cleaning wipes on the seats next

[B7A4Sport]

While you seem to know your stuff, I figure just for the sake of helping out a fellow AZer, I'll say it anyway.


Armor-All is a sham! That's right; that nice glow it leaves on your interior or tires for a few days is actually a slow, painful death for those surfaces. In the end, that residue acts almost like alcohol would, and causes interior surfaces or tires to break down and dry out FASTER than they normally would.

The best thing you can do is get a terrycloth towel, an empty spray bottle, and mix up some simple warm, soapy water in there. Not only will that clean it better, it won't dry out the materials that Armor-All "claims" to protect. That, combined with using a sun-shade while parked when it's bright out, will actually do much more to protect your interior on the long-term.

I won't lie tho, once in a while it's nice to see that beautiful Audi interior shine! Best of luck to you in the storm, bro, I couldn't imagine living in Hurricane Alley. I'm from California, and people I met in college from your area used to ask me "How can you put up with the worry of earthquakes?" It's kinda comical from the standpoint that earthquakes hardly ever happen, and when the small ones happen it's almost fun, yet people who get blasted year after year by hurricanes think I'm crazy. I definitely don't find the danger you face year after year comical, it's more the strange perspective people from other areas seem to have on earthquakes.

Yea, I didn't just thread-jack.........

[D-techniK]

While you seem to know your stuff, I figure just for the sake of helping out a fellow AZer, I'll say it anyway.


Armor-All is a sham! That's right; that nice glow it leaves on your interior or tires for a few days is actually a slow, painful death for those surfaces. In the end, that residue acts almost like alcohol would, and causes interior surfaces or tires to break down and dry out FASTER than they normally would.

The best thing you can do is get a terrycloth towel, an empty spray bottle, and mix up some simple warm, soapy water in there. Not only will that clean it better, it won't dry out the materials that Armor-All "claims" to protect. That, combined with using a sun-shade while parked when it's bright out, will actually do much more to protect your interior on the long-term.

I won't lie tho, once in a while it's nice to see that beautiful Audi interior shine! Best of luck to you in the storm, bro, I couldn't imagine living in Hurricane Alley. I'm from California, and people I met in college from your area used to ask me "How can you put up with the worry of earthquakes?" It's kinda comical from the standpoint that earthquakes hardly ever happen, and when the small ones happen it's almost fun, yet people who get blasted year after year by hurricanes think I'm crazy. I definitely don't find the danger you face year after year comical, it's more the strange perspective people from other areas seem to have on earthquakes.

Yea, I didn't just thread-jack.........

Have you had a bad experience with it?

It is nice to see that shine. I think taking all things to an extreme is bad (refering to those people who armor all every other day) personally I know putting my car in the garage is the best care I could have for it.

Even though the storms do cause some scare here in Miami. I think more of the scare actually comes from the News. Ever since hurricane Andrew the building codes have been raised to make sure residences withstand 100-120+ mph winds so that does help. Also the fact that now no new construction will pass inspection unless equipped with either shutters or impact resistance glass. (strong enough to take your hardest swing with a baseball bat)

Sorry for the long write up but my job does deal with construction/remodeling.
(Even though I know a Category 5-6 would cause most of us to evacuate but earthquakes come with no warning at all)

[Slo.Mo.Shun.]

I use some BMW interior cleaners that work great

[B7A4Sport]

Nah, no bad experience in particular, just a piece of info I gained from being chummy with the people who work on my car, and have worked on past cars. I went to college in Tucson, Arizona, where it's so damn dry and hot, not to mention the street quality is ASSSS, that tires literally don't last longer than 2 years or so (no matter what you do to preserve 'em). I think being careful with Armor-All is more important when you live in a very hot/sunny/dry climate, and you being in Florida probably doesn't promote as much break-down. And like you said, don't use it too often; every day will F yo shit UP!


Earthquakes do come with no warning, but the point is they barely ever come, and even when they do, there's hardly any damage save for the big ones that happen every 20 years or so. The last one that happened while I was asleep, and basically felt like someone was lightly bumping in to my bed. The big ones basically do the same amount of damage, if not less, as a hurricane too.

Personally, I'd pick the place where something majorly catastrophic happens maybe once every other decade, as opposed to moderate-to-equally catastrophic EVERY year that you can rely on. That's just me!

[muffinman]

I've heard similar things about armorall wipes (and other products like it, that gives you a nice "glossy shine")... in the long-run, it does more harm than good.

[praudi]

armor all will crack your dash and such i use meguiars is not shinny like armor all but it will make ur interior look nice and semi shinny

[EMAXX]

The really nasty thing is when you take a Q-Tip into all the little grooves and fan vents and there are piles and piles of dust that come out of there. I clean the steering wheel and the shifter every couple days cause it's one of the main things you touch, so it wasn't that bad.

[ny2flb7a4]

Try Zaino cleaning products. After using the Leather in a bottle and the leather cleaner I will never use any other interior cleaners again.

[frprado]

I thought the package he had said cleaning wipes? Last I checked cleaning wipes don't, at least I have never seen, leave shinny surfaces. I used the orange smelling cleaning wipes and they work fine. They don't even leave a streak much less a shine. I don't know maybe I am missing something.

[KMHPaladin]

Armorall: FAIL

I use Lexol leather cleaner and conditioner and Einszett Cockpit on the dash. My 1997 A4's seats, while not perfect, look fantastic for an 11 year old car.

[B7A4Sport]

I thought the package he had said cleaning wipes? Last I checked cleaning wipes don't, at least I have never seen, leave shinny surfaces. I used the orange smelling cleaning wipes and they work fine. They don't even leave a streak much less a shine. I don't know maybe I am missing something.

I just flat out don't trust Armor-All products with the fact they would blatantly lie about how well it preserves surfaces, when on the long term it actually does the opposite. I'm not sure why they haven't been called out for this yet, cuz it's essentially false advertising.

Plus, I'm pretty sure those cleaning wipes have alcohol in them, which will dry out interior surfaces as much or moreso than whatever crap is in the real Armor-All wipes. I think they are intended to be followed-up on with regular Armor All also.

Basically, there's either soapy water or other brands to choose from that are much less harmful, so I'm goin with those routes. I'd suggest the same to any fellow AZer!

and btw, Lexol for the mother-f'ing win, that stuff is the best! Got any pics of those seats?

[Vito Roma]

are we REALLY discussing this of all things??

[muffinman]

are we REALLY discussing this of all things??

give us something better to talk about

[KMHPaladin]

and btw, Lexol for the mother-f'ing win, that stuff is the best! Got any pics of those seats?

Not right now, but I can take some. There's a small amount of cracking - not even that far, but the leather has sort of creased and worn through the top layer - on the driver side bolster, but that's basically it (and this is common on B5 seats). I highly recommend conditioning leather seats regularly if you can.

[DarkW!sh]

things to use, LEATHER conditioner amazing shit but before that use Simple Green like a 50% dilute and my god ur car will be clean but to tell u the truth the shinny clean aint that hot.

[KMHPaladin]

Was that English?

[davis449]

I never use armorall on my interior or exterior parts. When I was a detailer, I used a lot of the professional strength formula armorall, my skin has barely forgiven me, there's no way in hell I'm putting that shit on my car.

[OceanBlueB7]

Shiny interior = blinding driving experience. Am I the only one here who likes a clean but dull looking interior?

[DarkW!sh]

[outlaw77]

I use a swifter duster every 3rd day for the dash and around the radio and shifter, steering wheel and gauge face. Leather cleaner for the seats. Meguiars interior detailer for the interior kick panels and lower areas between the doors.

[JMG]

I don't trust armor-all either. And honestly the "shiny" look looks cheap to me.. like hard plastic interior. The Audi interior is a silky flat black (or tan in your case). Lately I've just been using a damp micro fiber until I find a good interior detailer. I've noticed that Meguire's interior cleaner over time causes the Audi interior soft touch plastics to peel, at least it did on my B5. Not sure if that' just a manufacturer's defect, but I'm not risking it right now. Mild soap and water sound like a good alternative.