Does anyone know an alternative to ArmourAll for black bumpers and trim? Looks pretty good if you use a lot of the stuff, untill the next shower or wash, then looks milky and dull. Surely there's a better product out there somewhere? 
Alternative to ArmourAll?
- Thread starter John D
- Start date
Armour All is an awful product. Try Meguiar's Natural Shine or Vinyl and Rubber Conditioner. Meguiar's has also just brought out a "back to black" prodcut, I forgotten th actual name, but apaprently it works very well at restoring black on products...and not through colouring of the black, but reconditioning the plastic's original colour.
I use 303 Protectant which is very hard to get, if you spot it at an autoparts store buy it! It's the best out there.
<small>[ 01 November 2003, 10:45 AM: Message edited by: GTI124 ]</small>
I use 303 Protectant which is very hard to get, if you spot it at an autoparts store buy it! It's the best out there.
<small>[ 01 November 2003, 10:45 AM: Message edited by: GTI124 ]</small>
Black shoe pollish?
Cheers GTI124, off I go for a tour of the auto parts stores now. Always a bit of fun!
baby oil on the dash
boot polish on the tyres
boot polish on the tyres
There's a stuff called "Back to Black" that is made these days by "Mothers" I think.
It used to be made by Simoniz years ago. It's a thick greyish cream colour and seems to stick well. I used it for years on the black vinyl top on my CX and after me owning it for about 10 years but mainly undercover my son decided to turn it into the rugged outdoors type mallet and eventually got it Liberaced and written off.
It's been sitting under a tree in out yard for over 12 months now & the roof still hasn't dulled.
I've also used "Export" Vinyl shine (?) the one in an orange bottle with a press down sprayer (not tyre shine in the blue label & aerosol) and found it also to be better lasting than Armourall.
Alan S
<img src="http://www.aussiefrogs.com/gallery/images/alans2.jpg" alt=" - " />
This is the car I used "Back to Black" on. cheers!
It used to be made by Simoniz years ago. It's a thick greyish cream colour and seems to stick well. I used it for years on the black vinyl top on my CX and after me owning it for about 10 years but mainly undercover my son decided to turn it into the rugged outdoors type mallet and eventually got it Liberaced and written off.
It's been sitting under a tree in out yard for over 12 months now & the roof still hasn't dulled.
I've also used "Export" Vinyl shine (?) the one in an orange bottle with a press down sprayer (not tyre shine in the blue label & aerosol) and found it also to be better lasting than Armourall.
Alan S
<img src="http://www.aussiefrogs.com/gallery/images/alans2.jpg" alt=" - " />
This is the car I used "Back to Black" on. cheers!
Nice looking car
shobbz
shobbz
Since i finished school i havent used my shoe polish since, so i decided to try out some 'Kiwi instant shine liquid wax polish' for my tyres.
If you havent used this product for either shoes or tyres i highly reccomend it.
You dont need a brush cause it has one on top all you do is put some pressure on the top and the liquid comes through the foam which you use to polish.
Work really well considering its not meant for tyres
That car looks awesome is that your alan??
If you havent used this product for either shoes or tyres i highly reccomend it.
You dont need a brush cause it has one on top all you do is put some pressure on the top and the liquid comes through the foam which you use to polish.
Work really well considering its not meant for tyres
That car looks awesome is that your alan??
I don't recommend it on tyres, good tyre products don't blacken the tyre, but condition the rubber to it's original colour, IMO. Shoe shine, or any blackener, can dirty your rims and spray up onto your panels. I'm not a fan
For tyres I recommend using Eagle One Tyre Shine. I've found the clear liquid hydrocarbon based tyre shine products to be great - they shine up the tyres better than anything else with the wet look.
If you want that showroom look, IMO, you won't find much that works better.
If you want that showroom look, IMO, you won't find much that works better.
I think everyones getting carried away with tyres.
The original posting was re: bumpers.
Alan S
The original posting was re: bumpers.
Alan S
I think we can forgive Lincoln for that anyway We know how he loves his tyres
Back on the topic of bumpers then. Is it true that peanut butter (non crunchy) is a good remover of excess polish & wax left on such plastic surfaces? It's something I keep on reading on US forums, but I haven't tried it myself.
We know how he loves his tyres Back on the topic of bumpers then. Is it true that peanut butter (non crunchy) is a good remover of excess polish & wax left on such plastic surfaces? It's something I keep on reading on US forums, but I haven't tried it myself.
my mother used it on her 604 for the 11 years she had the car and it never did that and the car was white
was sold with original tyres still on it as well and they weren't even starting to perish
she also used it on her 203 for which she owned for over 20 years and of course it only ever had one set of XZX michies go on it as they tend to go on and on especially on a 203 and of course at that age they were only just starting to show signs of hairline cracks in the sidewalls after this time
so i'd nearly say that tyre black can't be too bad on tyres
it does last longer than other products i have used and at the same time doesn't really blacken the tyres too much
and it doesn't seem to eat at the tyres either
i have been using boot polish for many years
i have a tin of tyre black that i may use once in a while just to give the car that really black tyre look but not often
Yes well, I have my fetishes, it's like the difference between shampooing your hair with soap rather than some nice shampoo and conditioner. Tyres are special and should be treated. Just like paint..Pug307:
I think we can forgive Lincoln for that anyway
Back on the topic of bumpers then. Is it true that peanut butter (non crunchy) is a good remover of excess polish & wax left on such plastic surfaces? It's something I keep on reading on US forums, but I haven't tried it myself.
I haven't heard that about peanut butter. To avoid wax on black plastics, I do the following:
- avoid products which stain black plastics
- cover the plastics with masking tape
- use Meg's vinyl and rubber conditioner or 303 to bring it back
The peanut butter trick is intriguing though...
These threads might provide some info on peanut butter:
<a href="http://www.autopia.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=27919&highlight=peanut+butter" target="_blank">http://www.autopia.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=27919&highlight=peanut+butter</a>
and actually removing it properly:
<a href="http://www.autopia.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=27307" target="_blank">http://www.autopia.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=27307</a>
eyy john, i drive a 205 gti also and have sampled a few products for bumpers.
that armourall stuff is pissweak - only lasts a few days and u have to use heaps!
ive found that TurtleWax Tyre Shine (or is it Tyre Wax?) is the best compromise. it comes in a green bottle. smear a tightarse amount on a dry sponge. u really only need to apply one coat and the shine lasts for weeks even when it shits down. the bottle will last u yonks and obviously u can do your tyres, too. the only down side is that it leaves a slightly sticky finish... but the finish looks shit hot .
EDIT: oh yeah, other products are prolly just as good/maybe better but consider the cost... ta a_drink
<small>[ 02 November 2003, 02:04 AM: Message edited by: pugjet ]</small>
that armourall stuff is pissweak - only lasts a few days and u have to use heaps!
ive found that TurtleWax Tyre Shine (or is it Tyre Wax?) is the best compromise. it comes in a green bottle. smear a tightarse amount on a dry sponge. u really only need to apply one coat and the shine lasts for weeks even when it shits down. the bottle will last u yonks and obviously u can do your tyres, too. the only down side is that it leaves a slightly sticky finish... but the finish looks shit hot
.EDIT: oh yeah, other products are prolly just as good/maybe better but consider the cost... ta a_drink
<small>[ 02 November 2003, 02:04 AM: Message edited by: pugjet ]</small>
On the topic of interiors, how does one properly clean the suede bits of leather/suede seats?
I use a leather conditioner on the leathery bits, but am paranoid of messing up the suede ..
(come to think of it, all the interior needs a big cleaning )
I use a leather conditioner on the leathery bits, but am paranoid of messing up the suede ..
(come to think of it, all the interior needs a big cleaning
)Best stuff that I have used on bumpers and tyres for a "show" shine, is a product called "YUK OFF" it was sold in a large presurised spray can.
Unfortunately it is hard to find lately. When I see any cans at an automotive shop I buy all they have, its that good a product.
It was not an expensive product, but the results were outstanding. You just sprayed it on after the car was washed and dried and that was it, dead easy to use.
I can only assume that maker found the cost of production too high for the market they were aiming for as there was certainly nothing wrong with the product.
Ken
Unfortunately it is hard to find lately. When I see any cans at an automotive shop I buy all they have, its that good a product.
It was not an expensive product, but the results were outstanding. You just sprayed it on after the car was washed and dried and that was it, dead easy to use.
I can only assume that maker found the cost of production too high for the market they were aiming for as there was certainly nothing wrong with the product.
Ken
i recommend 303...can get it at your local autobarn wink ,....meguires is good (makes 303 appear cheap)....armourall is just crap....and remeber its mainly an interior product, thats why it doesn t last long and its full of silicone...303 is sillicone free....mothers back to black is quite good as well, especially if the bumpers sre quite seriously faded (almost instantly brings back colour), the eagle one range is decent as well and its starting to bulid a good reputation,...actually most of the products mentioned are decent.....but 303 is my fav...not much shine but is an active protectant rather than just a temporary beautifier...
cheers
dino
cheers
dino