I think we discussed using Armor All several years ago and so some of
this may be old news to many, but . . .
Here's the latest story I've heard about it. This comes from a guy who
does detailing at a local dearlership. He claims that Armor All will
ruin your top or your dash for the following reason: it coats the
surface of the top or the dash with silicon molecules, which are round
(according to him - I've never seen one close up) and act like millions
of tiny little magnifying glasses on your top. In other words, they
concentrate the light and the heat and actually accelerate the expansion
& contraction that goes on when a car is out in the sun and then in the
dark, etc. This expansion & contraction causes it crack faster.
I think this sounds plausible, but . . . expansion & contraction of
vinyl is going to occur regardless of whether or not you have silicon
(or silicone?) on it. I don't really see how that can "accelerate" the
cracking. And I would rather have something on it that had some sort of
UV blocker in it than nothing.
Second, I remember, from YEARS ago, when these products first came out,
that they did an awful lot of testing. I can't imagine that they didn't
discover this problem when they created this product, some 30 years ago
. . . (I think it's been that long) . . . or maybe they're just scamming
us?
I don't use Armor All, but I use other vinyl protectants. Right now I'm
using Meguiars. I will tell you in 15 years or so how it works . . .
Mark
Mike Pittinaro wrote:
> > Lexol (the stuff you use on leather) is a also
> > available for vinyl. I've had good luck with it,
>
> Yes, I have seen the Lexol vinyl...but then, there's
> about a million products out there purported to treat
> vinyl.
>
> > sun-exposed top. Armor All looks good, gives a nice
> > shine, etc., but I hear there's something in it
> > (might be the silicone, might be something else..)
> > that over time will actually dry the vinyl out.
>
> It does shine up nice, esp. on a white top!
>
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