Hi, Lee -
Just received my first ever tube of Flitz.
Can't wait to try it.
Anyway, still haven't ordered the Vinylex.
Was checking on a site to order the stuff from and they mention this as product description, which sounds more like ArmorAll....
------------------
Vinylex Protectant
Vinylex is for use on only vinyl areas of your vehicle's interior. Vinylex is a new product developed recently by Summit Industries. It will leave a shiny greasy feel after usage, not a flat finish. Its contents will also cause evaporation of the substance inside of your car on hot sunny days and this will create a haze on the the interior of windows and dash plastic. Very slippery and not for use on steering wheels. A separate cloth to remove and wipe excess away may help remove this slipperiness but will not completely remove it. (we recommend Imperial Leather Care Instead)
-----------------------------------

what do you think ?

No offense, but whoever wrote that probably had their own motives in mind. Although somewhat silicone based, Lexol's Vinylex does not behave ANYTHING like ArmorAll. Mostly due to its additives and formulation diffences. It works well on plastic, vinyl, rubber, etc. (pretty much anything but leather and glass) It "feeds" the dash instead of merely coating it like ArmorAll. Search the Shop Forum for references to Vinylex. Read them. Read the Vinylex product info literature. Whoever wrote that review is at least ignorant, if not worse.

Speaking from personal experience I can tell you the stuff does improve the condition of non-leather. Vinylex leaves a shiny finish (still less shiny than armor all) when applied/left and a patina if applied/buffed off. Also, since using Vinylex on a bevy of cars and conditions nobody I know has ever noticed window haze related to Vinylex. For leather, I recommend and use Lexol's leather cleaner (orange bottle) and conditioner (brown bottle). Meguiar's leather cleaner/conditioner is very good one step method if your looking for a simpler process. I like the smell of Lexol better but that is personal preference, not based on any observed results or technical data.

Read what restoration professionals or detailers have used and like. Read what the people on this site have experienced. Give it a try yourself and do your own research. Doing most any of that should give you all the info/evidence you require.

Hope this helps...Lee

I'll have to agree with Lee on this one. Whoever wrote that piece on the website( the one selling the stuff, not Mercedesshop) either hasn't used Vinylex or is fabricating a story.
I bought some vinylex when I was in Buffalo getting Flitz, and after using the vinylex it has become my standard cleaner. I think it's superior to any previous product I've used. After using Vinylex, my interior looks like new. The Vinylex has gotten rid of stains nothing else could (including the paint spot I wrote about in another post).
Also, I find that the Vinylex is less slippery than the other products I've tried.

My suggestion would be to get some Vinylex(or Lexol if you have leather), Flitz and Meguiars products for the various surfaces on the car and then both you and the car will be happy :-)

------------------
Darko Vusir
1994 C220

Thanks.
I'm having a heck of a time locating this stuff locally.
Would like to just walk in and buy it.
Was checking one of the sites recommended (by one of your own for Flitz) and came upon the product description for Vinylex which didn't sway my decision - just wanted to pass along what I saw.
Since I already buy stuff from IPD for my Volvo, will go ahead and order from them.
By the way, the offending site is Autosupermart.com...(http://autosupermart.com/shopcart/interiorsindex.html)

I've just started using Vinylex and have been VERY impressed. It's not greasy at all on non-shiny surfaces, such as the black plastic outside door handles. It turns them from gray to jet black. It's been 3 weeks now and they still look like new. Mother's Back-to-Black also made 'em look good, but didn't seem to last very long...

Don't know where you're located, but I've found it pretty easily. You can get it at TrakAuto and other super-market style auto parts shops.

I just got Vinylex last night at the local Pep Boys. As a side note, in eastern Pennsylvania I've been seeing Meguiar's products in most auto parts stores I visit. AutoZone seems to have the best prices so far.

I'm wondering: is Vinylex a good product to use for cleaning my MB-Tex seats? My car's blue Tex seats are very shiny; I wonder if the dealer I bought it from used some sort of product to enhance this.

I also have a squeak that sounds like seat cushions rubbing together. I'd like to resolve this squeak and I wonder if it's advisable to clean the seats with Vinylex.

Thanks in advance,

Robert W. Roe
1984 300SD 165K miles

[This message has been edited by Robert W. Roe (edited 08-14-1999).]

I just used Vinylex on my dash and door panels and all I can say is "WOW"!! I even applied some to the rubber door gaskets.
Very easy to use; very rewarding results.

Thanks to you, Lee, for your excellent advice on detailing products.


------------------
Robert W. Roe
1984 300SD 165K miles

The source of the description of Vinylex is Autosupermart. Bill had referred me to them earlier as a source for Vinylex (I have not been able to find any here in Denver yet) and I was about to post the same question myself.

If you read their product descriptions, your conclusion would be to buy the Meguiars or Zymol products instead. They may be good, but given all of your guy's rave reviews of Vinylex, this sounds like an unfair comparison and anyone else who hasn't another source might be put off the product.

Vinylex is pretty much THE best stuff for MB TEX. Meguairs quality is also without question. As I've said before...Meguiar's may or may not be the best at everything, but they will be one of the best at everything. If autosupermart feels the need to push certain products over others then that is their affair.

If you are an informed consumer (aka Mercedesshop Shop Forum member) then you will not be swayed by the tactics of places like autosupermart.

Lee

I see "Meguiar's" -- are we talking Meguiar's 40 -- same stuff I use on my wheels, dash, door panels? I have the same "dull grey" door handle syndrome. If Meguiar's 40 is one of the cures, then I'm on it!

Brian

While I have never used Vinylex on my MB-Tex, I have had experience with Auto Glym Vinyl and Rubber Care. Made in England, it's pretty good stuff. It will leave a glossy sheen if just applied and let set, but buffing with a clean cotton cloth will take away the sheen. It kind of smells like Windex(??) but the scent goes away rather quickly. I've been tempted to run over to the BMW dealer and buy a bottle of Vinylex, but I'll wait until the Auto Glym runs out. At $25, I try to use it sparingly. BTW, when I had an E-Type, I trusted the interior strictly to Conolly Hide Food. Using that stuff definitely took patience, but the results were great. And oooh, the smell of English leather!!

------------------
Rgds,
Aaron Greenberg
MB technician
Precision Motorcars, Cincinnati, Ohio
'67 250SE Cabriolet
'77 450SL
'79 6.9 (SOLD)
'80 300SD
'85 380SE
'89 420SEL
'93 300E 2.8