dash covering 107 SL

[sean sherry]

If the seats are leather ....is the door trim and dash cover also Leather. ??

Or a clever synthetic , which Mercedes are very good at.
Either way I guess Leather treatment can't do any harm ????????

 

[abl567]

The dash cover and molded parts of the door trim will be polypropylene to the best of my knowledge. It's tough stuff so leather treatment shouldn't hurt it

 

[SEL_69L]

Commercial leather and vinyl treatments are OK for both.
Some people prefer the up market 'Leatherique'.

They can gas out and condense on the inside of the windows.
'Armourall' is notorious for this, and that is why I don't use this product.
It also becomes sticky as it dries, and attracts dust.

The best protection for a leather seat is a sheepskin cover, with the car always parked in a garage whern not in use. The sheepskin will last longer as well, if the car is parked in a garage.

 

[Styria]

.........and, dare I say it, it will also be cooler when you take it out of the garage Regards Styria

 

[Styria]

Fairly certain in stating that the dash covering is actually vinyl, and the same material covers the bulky roll part of the door trims. The stuff under the vinyl is more than likely the material Anthony is referring to. Regards Styria

 

[sean sherry]

Thanks for the advice but......
Another question..... does the Vinyl material require the same protection as Leather ? i.e., will it crack in the Sun or just fade ?
or will a Leather treatment afford adequate protection for a " Hobby Car "

 

[BenzBoy]

Thanks for the advice but......
Another question..... does the Vinyl material require the same protection as Leather ? i.e., will it crack in the Sun or just fade ?
or will a Leather treatment afford adequate protection for a " Hobby Car "

It does require protection. It may crack in time and there have been various explanations given for this but recent research by the CSIRO has worked out why it cracks. The cause is that during the injection and moulding process ever so slight stress points occur - over time contraction and expansion due to heat cause these to open up and this is made worse by UV light. More precise injection moulding may overcome this and more flexible vinyl type skins will have greater stretch and hopefully a longer life.
Yes, this is a simple explanation without going into the molecular structure of the various vinyl-type products used.
What can you do? Keep the dash covered and minimise exposure to changes in temperature. The cracks are already there but you seek to avoid further aggravation that might expose them.
In my view, there is no chemical that will protect, despite manufacturers' claims to the contrary. Some products will beautify but that is the best they can do.
Regards,
Brian

 

[sean sherry]

Makes sense to me Brian.... the cold.. hot ..cold cycle is the enemy of many things. .

 

[BenzBoy]

Makes sense to me Brian.... the cold.. hot ..cold cycle is the enemy of many things. .

And the best solution to a cracked dash is to cover it in leather which you can feed and keep supple for many, many years. I have just had the top dash roll of the Spirit recovered in leather as the substrate had warped in the sun and curled the leather which had not been fed in its early life - and the cost was very reasonable.
This leads me to think that if I had a cracked dash I would go for leather even if it were to be in a car where leather had not been originally used.
Regards,
Brian

 

[260ebenz]

Sean have you considered using the 303 Aerospace on the dash and the seats?

 

[SEL_69L]

Incidentally, modern car dashes are made out of ABS plastic, the same material that plastic bumpers and wheel covers are made of.
ABS plastic is damn' near indestructible, save for the fact that that it can be heat recycled into OTHER car dashes, wheel covers and bumpers.

They DO NOT need vinyl / leather treatment.

 

[sean sherry]

I have ordered a Dash Cover for my new Golf, not because of the fear of Sun damage but to stop the heat reflection on to my face on very hot days.
I learned this years ago on a C Class when I thought there was something wrong with the Air Con. The amount of reflected heat from a Black Dash can be excessive.

I will Goggle the 303 Aerospace to find a supplier.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

Sean

 

[260ebenz]

Hi Sean,

Do you have either Repco or Auto Pro store where you live?

Purchased the 303 Aerospace from my local Auto Pro which cost $12.

The Aerospace is silicone free.

Stay away from Armour All a terrible product!

The Aerospace is not available from Super Cheap have not seen the product in there stores.

Anyhow see what the Google search has to say.

 

[260ebenz]

303 Aerospace on the seats in the 300SE today see what you think guys?

 

[sean sherry]

I'm convinced ! Seats look like new.
Picked up the Dash Cover for my Golf from "Protectomat " in Castle Hill Sydney. Could not be more pleased .. a quality product with a perfect fit.

 

[Styria]

I would probably disagree with BenzBoy on a couple of points. Sure enough, if you want leather on your dash, by all means go ahead. If the shape of your dash is simple enough, leather can certainly be an option. On the other hand, dash shapes can be complex, and in some instances, leather is just not practical from a covering point of view, and it can be almost impossible to use it in areas where you have openings for clocks, instruments and fresh air vents.

For instance, take a 1960 190SL. If you want original, yes you use leather. If you want one piece covering the complete dash, it can be done, but it will take at least one full day, if not more, and even then the quality and finish of the covering can be somewhat lacking. That's why I have seen a number of that model with a sewing seam around the instrument binnacle. It's that item that is the source of difficulty.

Dashes that are recovered by a professional in vinyl are long lasting. Ten years is not an unreasonable expectation from a longevity point of view. I have proved that over and over again. My two bobs worth. Regards Styria

 

[sean sherry]

P.S. I forgot to mention that Covers are available for 107's. Not a stock item but one day o/nite from WA to the Sydney depot.

 

[BenzBoy]

I would probably disagree with BenzBoy on a couple of points. Sure enough, if you want leather on your dash, by all means go ahead. If the shape of your dash is simple enough, leather can certainly be an option. On the other hand, dash shapes can be complex, and in some instances, leather is just not practical from a covering point of view, and it can be almost impossible to use it in areas where you have openings for clocks, instruments and fresh air vents.

For instance, take a 1960 190SL. If you want original, yes you use leather. If you want one piece covering the complete dash, it can be done, but it will take at least one full day, if not more, and even then the quality and finish of the covering can be somewhat lacking. That's why I have seen a number of that model with a sewing seam around the instrument binnacle. It's that item that is the source of difficulty.

Dashes that are recovered by a professional in vinyl are long lasting. Ten years is not an unreasonable expectation from a longevity point of view. I have proved that over and over again. My two bobs worth. Regards Styria

That's one point; and the other?
Remember my A Class had a leather covered dash ....
Regards,
Brian

 

[motec 6.9]

You had an A Class . No tell me it isn't so.

 

[BenzBoy]

You had an A Class . No tell me it isn't so.

It was a brilliant car; an A190 Avantgarde - built like a Swiss watch and motored like a dream. Bespoke interior etc. - 5sp manual etc. Probably one of my favourite cars.
Miss Bea and I flogged across the country doing dog shows and people would stare in disbelief as Miss Bea would step down graciously, followed by trollies, cabana and luggage - and Quilpie, Shadow and my all time Big Winner, Banjo. Then along came Miss Olga and she demanded a Rolls-Royce and the A Class made way for the M Class because puppies followed like night follows day.
Jokes aside; it was a seriously good car and with its current owner it still is. Never once in 200,000kms did it do anything wrong.
Regards,
Brian