Hey crew,

Re: Console rails and puppy dog tails..

There's a handfull of things that I've started to get the heebee jeebee's about with the interior of the RX8, and there's a flood of posts about most of them.

Alas, other than Canzoomer's imported Carbon Fibre centre console edge replacements for the crappy plastic silver "things" - there doesn't seem to be an organised, compiled, single point of reference for what any of us have done to fix scratches, scuffs etc..

So after two hints from Rob, here we go..

Guy's and girls,

Can I ask you to post your experiences, good and bad, and let's get an FAQ compiled of "stuff I have done to keep the interior as good as new.." - if you can keep it to issue + results it will make life eaiser compiling a FAQ - we've got a world of ".. yea me too .. " out there.

I'm going to give myself the challenge to find a way to get a decent replacement for the pissy plastic console strips - if Hymee can sort out grills, I can sort out console rails!

Fingers crossed we can knock up a half decent frist draft FAQ for the interior.

Then the next challenge I'd like to take on is caring for the exterior and yes, another FAQ.

We hopefully then can get our dearly beloved moderator to setup a non-postable thread for each so that we can point people [ newbies ] at them in the future and keep the volume of "yea, we already talked about that last year" stuff to a minimum.

Thanks in advance to all who have anything at all to add..

Feel free to PM your nut off is you want to ask me something off line.

++dez;

ps: anyone willing to take on the exterior car car FAQ please do..

 

I think the interior trim quality is pretty good. I can't think what other material you would use that wouldn't scratch, other than not have the rails at all. Bright or anodized matt aluminium strip would probably be worse. We tend to be pretty careful with our stuff. I had my previous car for 12 years when I traded it in, and the interior was almost as new.

 

I've sprayed fabric protector on the seats - effectively an equivalent to Scotchguard. Got it from Supercheap auto.

I've put nothing on the dash itself, as I hate the fact that things like Armoral evaporate and are a right pain to clean off the inside of windows.

 

So what should one use on the dash and doors? I was tempted to try Armor All, but I dont think it will come out good. Any suggestions?

 

DON'T USE ARMOR ALL - IT'S CRAP.

I'm using Sonax Cockpit Spray. It's good stuff IMO.

There are some pretty simple rules when it come to caring for a car interior...

Don't smoke in it ... in fact don't smoke!

Don't eat and drink in it.

Car mats are a must - factory fit is best.

Don't let people in you car with metal sticking out of their clothes.

Don't wear keys, etc on a belt loop in the car.

Careful with you shoes on the doors and sill getting in and our.

Tint the windows.

Use treatments with UV protectors in them.

... and all of the other common sense things...

 

So far here are my tips ..

PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE

Step 1 - Pre-boarding announcement along the lines of ... "Dear Intending Pax, please take care of the car, remove sharp, rough items including keys , zips , buckles etc etc etc"
Step 2 - Post boarding but pre door closing " Please pay attention to the door closing procedure card found in the seat pocket in front of you. Follow the instructions. Neither door needs to be slammed (nor for that matter does the boot)
Step 3 - Pre take-off - please identify the grab handles now, saves the rush and minimises risk of finger marks on dash" Affix seat belts now
Step 4 - Mid Flight - please keep feet on mats. please also remember to breathe despite the adreniline rush. The pilot does not recognise gasps as requests to slow down so , in need, say something
Step 5 - Descent - Please remember to put seat in upright position.
Step 6 - Post Landing - Please take your rubbish with you, please take care when opening door (other cars, shopping trollys) For rear pax (pay particular attention not to step into path of oncoming car)
Step 7 - Disembarcation - dont use feet to open door or push it wide. Take junk with you.

CURE

Weekly application of 'NO SHINE ARMORALL' to doors, handles, consoles, controls etc' Its MUCH BETTER than shiny armorall!
Weekly removal on dusting mats
Weekly vacuum of carpets
Weekly wipe down seats
Weekly use of moist chamois on tinted window surfaces
Weekly use of CRC window cleaner on inside windscreen

So Far so good!

 

Rob,

you forgot:

Rule 0: don't allow fingers to become embedded in surfaces while attempting to "hang on" !!

Rule 1: always apply rule 0

++dez;

 

add to step 2: ...and please remember to close the rear door first.

 

There's already a whole section of the forum dedicated to car care - called something like "Show and Shine" - so that might be the place to go for the info (or to put a FAQ).

Just in case it's needed though, here are my hard and fast rules for car care:



1. In case of stone chips that go through to bare metal: Apply nearest matching colour selected from collection of old paint tins in shed (contrasting colour is permissible if effect is suitably eye catching). Try and do job at least in same calendar year as damage incurred. If chip not to bare metal, put off indefinitely.

2. In case of scratches to interior: Ignore, except in extreme cases (for instance - stiletto heel gouge to dashboard - then think up plausible explanation to tell family). If any blemish is too clearly visible, then blur the view of it by driving only while wearing the wrong pair of glasses (fortunately, this happens randomly but frequently anyway).

3. Interior cleanliness: When carpet is no longer visible throw out top layer of rubbish, straw, dust, twigs, small stones, invoices, old street directories, etc.

4. General exterior care: When accumulated dirt and grot reaches the level where it becomes difficult to tell what colour the car is, apply bucket of warm water. Add generous slug of something soapy looking from a bottle that no longer has a label, but which was quite possibly bought to care for another car that was sold ten years previously. Engage help of neighbourhood small kids with promise of fight with soapy sponges and hose….

5. Relax – it’s only a car.

6. Remember that the only rule that matters is rule 5.

 

BVD <- Blasphemer. No kid with a sponge will ever touch my car

Hymee ... posts = -posts please

:p :D

(Great post BTW, BVD... I'm still grinning 5 minutes later)

 

sco:

I for one ain't giving up washign the car with my 2 year old daughter.. I'll live with the odd mark for a big smile from a kid who's world just got better because she thinks she's helped dad do the most important thing in his day..

Anyway.. in a year or so it will be time to refresh the lease and get a whole new car, and possiblly in a new color * grin *

I really like the darker blue that the X-Men 2 version was done in!

--dez;

 

I wasn't being serious btw... all though I was serious about the sponge bit (they can contribute to scratching). I hope you have made her her own custom mit... just like Dad's

You're right about the darker blue - it is my favourite. If I could have got it I would've.

 

Custom lambswool kids car wash mit - got to be a market opportunity

In fact, Ozzie animal shapes - reckon L&L would shift a bundle to tourist shops on the gold coast ... not to mention bundled with a car care product range!

 

I used Armor All it is crap - cant keep it clean/shiny anyway

Already have marks to the door from my shoe. How to get rid of it?

 

I think I'm going to vote 1 for Kev to start preping an FAQ for exterior car care - he told me more in 5 mins general chit chat than I'd found out in weeks in this forum or online searching!

++dez;