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For leather i found a really easy and very good product. It's called Leather CPR and its a cream which cleans and conditions leather all at once and the best part is that it leaves no residue so it wont make your hands or clothes all greasy. I've tried all the wipes and meguiers and this stuff is by far the best I've used.
Personally, when it comes to leather I stay with time honored Lexol with a separate cleaner and conditioner. Many of the leather products in the stores may in fact do long term harm.
As far as lexol goes I tried it once and didn't like it all way too greasy and having to do the same area twice is just a pain. I've been using Leather CPR for years on everything leather I own from my shoes to my couch and it all looks as new as when I bought it. I'd say once you give it a shot you will wonder why you were using lexol in the first place.
As far as lexol goes I tried it once and didn't like it all way too greasy and having to do the same area twice is just a pain. I've been using Leather CPR for years on everything leather I own from my shoes to my couch and it all looks as new as when I bought it. I'd say once you give it a shot you will wonder why you were using lexol in the first place.
In case you missed it, there is a thread devoted entirely to leather care. It is a Q&A thread lead by 2002S2k (Sean), who works in the leather industry. Here are the three products he recommends:
1. The Leather Institute/Townsend Leather Products
2.Lexol Products
3. Leatherique
I know Lexol takes longer than one step cleaners/conditioners. I seem to recall I even tried a free sample of the product you like. I am not putting it down and it may be fine.
I like Lexol products for a several reasons. One, I plan to keep my car forever. I have no doubt at all of the lasting powers of Lexol. I used it on an MGA I owned for 32 years and the seats were like new. My wife has had the same experiences with her horse saddles. And, last, every leather expert I ever knew ranks it good.
It does require a period of drying as it soaks in but that's not a problem for me as the car is not a daily driver.
I didn't see these mentioned for the plastic window on the 2000 and 2001 models. I use both of these products, first the novus and then the Plexus. Before and after shots through the window too.
Zip Wax Car Wash
Armor All Leather Conditioner
Nu Finish Car Polish
Regular Armor All for the Instrument Panel.
These have all served me well in the past on other cars. Now that I have the S2K I want to step up to the big leagues which is why I am going through this thread.
Question What is the purpose of clay bar ? Also once you get the type of finish I have been reading about how long does it last. My S2k is a daily driver. I am trying to get a feel for the time put in vs longevity of the shine.
Lexol on the leather (cleaner, then conditioner)
303 on the top and the rest of the interior surfaces
Zaino on the paint (clay, soap, polish/wax)
Black magic on the tires
50/50 on all windows.
Wow! This thread for me is like asking a junkie to recount all the drugs he's ever done.
This is a tool that was a must have in my old car (Audi TT), but the S2K has a more upright windshield. So, this tool is not as a much of a necessity.
I could never recount all the products I've used in the past, but here are some products I currently use which I didn't see mentioned in other posts:
Zymol HD Cleanse-removes old wax and pollutants well, but doesn't do too much for scratches. Zymol Wheel Cleaning Kit - Awesome!! Comes with the most sudsy wheel cleaning gel I've ever used, a wheel brush, and Zymol Wheel Coat which will leave your wheels looking brand new Bleche-White Tire Cleaner - To me tire cleaner is tire cleaner, but I think it's important to take off some of the old tire dressing and road dirt before applying a fresh coat of tire dressing. This brand is available at my local auto parts store and that's why I use it. 303 Vynil Top Cleaner & 303 Vynil Dressing - The top cleaner leaves your top looking clean as a whistle and the dressing gives it a nice dark color. I only use the dressing/protectant on my top and exterior rubber/plastic as I don't like how it changes the color of interior plastics/vinyl. Also, it leaves a slightly greasy feel in the interior on some parts. Sprayway Glass Cleaner - I hate cleaning windows, but this stuff works the best of any glass cleaner hands down. Plexus Plastic Cleaner - Spray this stuff on your head lights & tail lights. You'll thank me for it. Also, I spray it on my gauge cluster. Imperial Leather Cleaner & Conditioner - This stuff is pretty much on par with Lexol, but costs way more. I have no loyalty to this brand and will likely try some Townsend when this stuff runs out. California Dash Board Duster - I find my dashboard comes out way better if I dust it before applying dressing. Also, works well as a quick clean up between cleanings. Meguiar's Interior Quick Detailer - I love this stuff. It leaves a nice non-glossy, non-greasy finish and does not change the color of the plastic or vinyl. It does provide some UV protection, but I would still like to find a more long term protectant to use. Clay - I've tried the Mother's, Zymol, and Clay Magic brands. The Zymol was a pain and could not be sufficiently lubed with quick detailer. You needed to use a special clay lube spray. Also, it was very expensive. The Mother's worked well and is what is currently on my shelf. Zymol Vintage Glaze - combined with occasional clay and occasional HD Cleanse this stuff makes my paint look like glass. It is REALLY expensive though. Last I looked it costs $1,000.00 for a container with unlimited refills. What I did was buy the Pebble Beach Sampler Kit which contains Vintage (plus two other Pebble Beach winning waxes, a micro fiber towel, detail brush, Auto Bathe, and HD Cleanse) and is $179.00. For what you get this kit is a steal. I've had it for 2 or 3 years and have yet to go through even one of the wax containers. Meguiar's Tire Gel - I love this stuff. It lasts longer than most sprays and because I'm not spraying it on doesn't get on my wheels or stain my driveway. It also leaves a shine way glossier than most other tire dressings.
One last thing. Get yourself a good Shop Vac and lots of microfiber towels (especially the Griot's Garage waffle weave for drying the car).
05-29-2005, 06:52 PM
