[Roadsters] armor all and car care products

[E Scanlon]

I'll heartily agree on the NOT-Armor All bandwagon.

My personal feeling about Armor All is that it is the equivalent of HEROIN 
for vinyl.  It may "look" and "feel" great, but it is literally killing the 
vinyl.

I had a 76 Mercury Capri II (remember those?) that I had meticulously cared 
for since I bought from the prior owner who was also a "neat-noid".  The car 
had been cared for with Armor All on a regular (at least every couple of 
weeks) basis...until I entered the Air Force.  Then for a period of 12 weeks 
(Basic Training and Tech School) it didn't get it's periodic "fix".  I 
returned to find a dash with splits the size of the Grand Canyon and other 
tributaries.

As far as what I use, well I have a small stash of a product called "Clear 
Guard" by the Turtle Wax people.  Unfortunately it is no longer being 
manufactured, my guess is because it worked TOO well.  I called the company 
some time back and was told that sales were sluggish.  I can understand why, 
the product is excellent, lasts forever, doesn't attract dust and only 
requires a small spray for a large area.

So, with the disappearance of Clear Guard, I found Meguiar's Vinyl and 
Leather Protectant.  Very good product, and easy to apply.  Lasts a fair 
length of time, and haven't noticed a lot of dust attraction or any 
problems.

Another product is Boss Gloss from the POR-15 folks.  This stuff is 
excellent, with one major drawback....do NOT use it on any surface that you 
do NOT want to be slippery.  It says so right on the bottle.  Items such as 
Motorcycle Seats, Grips, Car Pedals, Shift Knobs, Steering wheels and any 
and all Leather and CLEAR Plastic / Plexiglass are items to avoid.  Why is 
it excellent?  Because it WILL keep a nice satin shine on vinyl for MONTHS.

I've heard many good things about 303, and just recently acquired a bottle, 
but have not had the opportunity to use it and as such cannot comment one 
way or the other.

FWIW
E