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#1
03-17-2009, 04:42 PM
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What's the best way to preserve a good dash?
My newly aquired 1982 240D has a perfect black dash. I would like to keep it that way. I keep it out of the sun as much as possible but it is still old. What products do y'all recommend for preservation of vinyl dashboards? I even tought of buying a carpet cover just to save it but that would kind of defeat the purpose and I would be preserving it for the next guy. I used Armor-All just to clean it and get the grime off but I have heard bad things about this product. Thanks, Paul
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 http://img212.imageshack.us/img212/5...andbenzqj3.jpg1979 W123 300D Silver with Blue interior
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#2
03-17-2009, 04:46 PM
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use Aerospace 303
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1985 300TD Turbo Euro-wagon 1979 280CE 225,200 miles 1985 300D Turbo 264,000 miles 1976 240D 190,000 miles 1979 300TD 220,000 GONE but not forgotten 1976 300D 195,300 miles 1983 300D Turbo 175,000 miles http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...e485-1-2-1.jpg
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#3
03-17-2009, 04:49 PM
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1. Avoid sun (you already do that) with a dash cover, windshield shades, under-cover parking, etc.
2. Use 303 occasionally, not Armor-All. I used to use it a lot but it has a tendency to soften some plastics over time and it attracts dust.
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 "Buster" in the '95 Our all-Diesel family 1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car 2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022) Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762 "Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz." -- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970
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#4
03-17-2009, 04:53 PM
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mercedes benz recommend to use mild soapy water and a towel. lightly wet the towel and wipe w/o pressure, dry w/o pressure. IDK what soap they use.
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Current Garage 2008 Mercedes GL320 CDI 188k mi Repair/Work in progress 1994 S350 160k mi Garage Queen & prepping for repairs 2005 E320 CDI 203k mi Healthy & Daily Driver 1994 S350 357k mi Retried as parts car 1984 300TD 214k mi Blown OM617 Poss OM603 Swap?? Sold 1987 300SDL 200K+ 1994 S320 181K mi 2008 E320 Bluetec 127k mi 1999 S420 130K mi 1980 240D 360k mi 15+ Others that has come, stay and gone GONE, BUT NOT FORGOTTEN  1995 E320 SE 220k mi 1984 300SD 350k mi
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#5
03-17-2009, 05:45 PM
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303 x3
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1983 123.133 California - GreaseCar Veg System 
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#6
03-17-2009, 05:50 PM
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Quote:
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 2006 Jetta TDI DSG 320k miles 1997 Ford F150 325k miles 4.2L V6 "Work Truck" 2008 Tundra 225k miles 5.7L 1982 240D.....sold 1984 300D...Totaled OUCH! 1985 300D Turbo 222k miles "Dos" sold to 79Mercy 1986 300SDL 98K miles "The Beater"....sold 1987 190E 2.3 16v Euro spec 115K miles....sold
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#7
03-17-2009, 06:13 PM
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Why no armor-all? Is this MB specific or in general?
Also, get a garage 
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$60 OM617 Blank Exhaust Flanges $110 OM606 Blank Exhaust Flanges No merc at the moment
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#8
03-17-2009, 06:44 PM
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Quote:
Armor-all is a popular product as is STP Son of a gun, the draw back(imho) is it's petrolium based(think that is right) which actually causes deteriation/dry rott. I use to show a truck and sprayed gallons of that stuff on tires, engines and everything else. I wondered why after seemed like a short time my tires looked dry and cracking? It's the Armor-all! Looks great at first but over time is BAD! And this is for ANY make/model car, bike, truck.
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2006 Jetta TDI DSG 320k miles 1997 Ford F150 325k miles 4.2L V6 "Work Truck" 2008 Tundra 225k miles 5.7L 1982 240D.....sold 1984 300D...Totaled OUCH! 1985 300D Turbo 222k miles "Dos" sold to 79Mercy 1986 300SDL 98K miles "The Beater"....sold 1987 190E 2.3 16v Euro spec 115K miles....sold
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#9
03-17-2009, 07:02 PM
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Quote:
I believe it has alchohol in it which attacks the plasticizers of rubbers and plastics making them hard and brittle, best to not use it. 303 is sold over the counter at MB dealers, before that I used it because my mustang club recommended it
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 1982 300CD Turbo (Otis, "ups & downs") parts for sale 2003 TJ with Hemi (to go anywhere, quickly) sold 2001 Excursion Powerstroke (to go dependably) 1970 Mustang 428SCJ (to go fast) 1962 Corvette LS1 (to go in style) 2001 Schwinn Grape Krate 10spd (if all else fails)
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#10
03-17-2009, 07:12 PM
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Armor All (and probably any oil based junk you put on the dash) eventually coats the inside of the windshield as it goes into the vapor state when sunlight heats the dash.
Removing the greasy film on the windows requires constant use of glass cleaner. THATS why I stopped using it. Use a damp cloth as was suggested and cover the dash
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'95 E320 Wagon my favorite road car. '99 E300D wolf in sheeps body, '87 300D Sportline suspension, '79 300TD w/ 617.952 engine at 367,750 and counting!
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#11
03-17-2009, 07:39 PM
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#12
03-17-2009, 07:54 PM
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Quote:
Coat it in 303, wrap it in a cotton sheet and store it in the closet....... 
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Jimmy L. '05 Acura TL 6MT  2001 ML430 My Spare Gone: '95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black '85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White '80 240D 154K "China"  Scar engine installed'81 300TD 240K "Smash" '80 240D 230K "The Squash" '81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John
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#14
03-18-2009, 01:29 AM
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silicon issues
I've heard that Armor All has silicon, as does silicon brake fluid. Silicon seems to ruin the ability to paint any bare metal it touches, and I had Armor All ruin a speaker grille for a (non auto) radio. Paint on it now has bad "fish eye." Cleaning did not help, solvents would not take the Armor All off. So with my car, I try to avoid silicon applications. If using silicon, try not to get it anywhere but where you want it, and wipe off any extra.
I did cover my '71 220D dash with a carpet cover last year. It had one crack, rather wide. Now it has many hairline cracks. My theory is that it gets hotter under that mat, and stays hot longer. Maybe the mat protects from the UV, but not from the heat. There's no good solution, but to store the dash in the closet until you want to use a nice one. Ron
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1971 220D, daily driver, new paint, 142K 1973 220D, low compression 1975 300D, back on the road! 166K 1971 220D, salvage, rear hit, engine excellent 1972 250, bad cam, but runs! 1971 230, engine stuck 1971 220D, low compression, rusty 1976 240D, salvage, engine excellent 1966 230SL, water in oil after rebuild 
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#15
03-18-2009, 05:03 AM
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I'm a fan of Meguiar's #40 Vinyl and Rubber Cleaner and Conditioner.
About half the cost of Aerospace 303, easier to find, has UV protection, attracts less dust, and has superior cleaning powers. In my opinion, it smells okay, plus it really does a good job of cleaning and maintaining door seals and the like. Which one affords the best UV protection? I have no idea.
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- K.C.Adams '77 300D Euro Delivery OM617 turbo / 4-speed swap 404 Milanbraun Metallic / 134 Dattel MB-Tex Current status: * Undergoing body work My '77 300D progress thread
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