Is Armor-All Bad?

[Breadfan]

In the engine cleaning thread here: http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/showthread.php?t=29206

I took this quote:


I have used Armor All for years however the shop that just detailed my car warned me that Armor drys out the plastic etc, so use STP Son of Gun.
I wanted to make this a new thread, but comment on this quote - Bigdogjim not singling you out or calling you on anything, :) , but it was a very interesting point you brought up.

Recently, within the past month or so, I've noticed warnings about Armor-All spray floating around the 'net. Personally I've never heard these warnings up until about a month ago, and now I'm seeing it all over the place.

I've used armor-all for years, and NEVER had a problem.

The claims indicate armor-all dries out the plastic and will cause dash cracks. I've also heard people say that once you stop using armor all the dash will crack since you stopped - almost like it's an "Armor-All conspiracy."

I'm not saying it's not true - just that it's news to me and seems to be "sweeping the 'net." So I'm wondering how valid it is...

So what do you all think? Is armor all bad for your plastics?

Me...I've been using it for years and on my past cars it brought back dried out plastics and kept them looking great. Cars I had that were newer - when I sold them they looked as good as the day I got them. No cracks here.

[Bigdogjim]

I was going on what I was told by the owner of the shop that just detailed the marauder. Over time Armor All "pulls" the moisture out of the plastic and vinyl. STP son of gun does not do this. I have since stop in 4 shop and looked around and saw no Armor All in sight? I did see two shops with the STP product. I have a local Company that makes their own products and if you want I will PM the web site to you. I will not go against site policy and post the name because they do not support the site.
So each one of us needs to evaluate their needs and do some research and follow you findings.

[SergntMac]

I was an Armor-All fan when it first came out, made everything look neat and shinny new, but I haven't used it recently. I have heard the same stories about prolonged use, but since I'm not a user anymore, I can't add any more here.

In general, competition among product suppliers is good for us, but any advertising based on knocking the other guy's product, is weak salesmanship. Major turn off for me.

[KillJoy]

If it matters at all..... I have also heard that Armor All can dry out parts and cause cracking.

Personally, I don't like the stuff.....too oily.

KillJoy

[Breadfan]

I'm happy to try antoher product, I'll give the STP stuff a shot. I just always bought armor-all out of habit - then again their product placement in TLC's car show's is getting annoying. :)

The main reason for this thread was that the accussations of armor-all cracking dashboards and drying out plastics seems (to me atleast) to be a recent occurance. Considering how long it's been around I'm surprised it took me so long to hear this.

[KillJoy]

I heard this 10+ years ago..... so I don't think it is anything new.

I would be willing to bet, that once upon a time, when Plastics are not as good as they are now, excessive use of Armor All could have caused problems.

I do not know of anyone, or have heard anything recent, about a late model vehicle's plastic / vinal cracking due to Armor All..... or any other product of it's type.

KillJoy

[gpfarrell]

I've used it for 20 years on my old Marquis and all is fine.

That being said, I haven't applied it every single day! Perhaps when used in wildly excessive quantities the cracking would be a concern, but I'd say that for all but the most obsessive/compulsive among us it should be fine.

Maybe we need a Marauder Mythbusters section to research these issues?

[Hotrauder]

They were the first and still have a superior product in the marketplace. this is classic tear down the 500# gorilla. As Mac says weak salesmanship. There is no one here over the age of 40 who would not be sitting in tatters if this were the case. Porsche dashes are notorious for cracks, always have been. I used Armor-All on my 86 Turbo from 86 to Jan. 2004, everywhere on rubber and vinal weekly with no problem and an old friend with a 356 over 40 years old is still using it after all these years. No problem. The internet has make these :bs: marketing moves so much easier than it used to be. I sold industrial chemicals for 40 years and this crap is not new. It was going on when I started and going with a vengence when I left. Dennis
Sorry:soap:

[GreekGod]

I quit using Armor-All because it didn't seem to last very long and required frequent applications. Nothing I tried since seems to last any longer, either.

[JACook]

They were the first and still have a superior product in the marketplace. this is classic tear down the 500# gorilla. As Mac says weak salesmanship.
IIRC, all this anti-Armor-All stuff started circulating back when STP came out with their competing Son-of-a-Gun
product. I saw the claims, but it all seemed eerily similar to the anti-Corona piss-in-the-beer BS.

Like others, I've used Armor-All for years on my old Mustangs, and never had any problems with dash
shrinkage, discoloration, or cracking. Looking at the ingredients list posted on Armor-All's site, I see nothing
that would give me cause for concern. It's mostly a silicone emulsion, same as STP. Certainly no alcohol,
as the rumor mill used to claim. (That one never even got past my sniff test...)

I don't know if anyone else noticed this, but Armor-All and STP are now the same company. Maybe that's why
the STP product has disappeared from the marketplace?

[Bluerauder]

To answer your basic question "Is Armor - All Bad"?

No more so than Cavalry or Mechanized Infantry. :rofl:

[Blackened300a]

I have been using this new product from Armor all, Armor All® - Protectant Gel (http://www.armorall.com/prod_protectantgel.html)\

Its not oily like the spray and the shine is a natural look instead of it being a wet look.
I have been using Armor all products since my first car and I haven't had any problems with the products

[Bigdogjim]

Hey folks lets step back and re-read what I wrote.

NO ONE bashed Armor All. The shop simply stated that there are products that yield better results.

I have used it in the work vans for 8 years with no ill effects?

I detail shop's I have been too do not sell any products to the customer.

Just a service, which is why I went there.

[Canadasvt]

IIRC, all this anti-Armor-All stuff started circulating back when STP came out with their competing Son-of-a-Gun
product. I saw the claims, but it all seemed eerily similar to the anti-Corona piss-in-the-beer BS.

Like others, I've used Armor-All for years on my old Mustangs, and never had any problems with dash
shrinkage, discoloration, or cracking. Looking at the ingredients list posted on Armor-All's site, I see nothing
that would give me cause for concern. It's mostly a silicone emulsion, same as STP. Certainly no alcohol,
as the rumor mill used to claim. (That one never even got past my sniff test...)

I don't know if anyone else noticed this, but Armor-All and STP are now the same company. Maybe that's why
the STP product has disappeared from the marketplace?

I remember a few years back Armor-All sued someone or some place for saying the product was not good for your rubber/interior. Same with K&N and the oil issue some preport. I don't use Armor-All but I've never heard anyone that actually uses it complain over the years.
I use things called soap and elbowgreese. Works wonders on the sidewalls.

[423REED]

Breadfan,
I don't do any serious, heaVy interior detailing any more. But, when I owned my 1987 Ford Mustang GT convertible I would show it twice a year in the old Northern Illinois Shelby Club shows. I did this for over ten years. Before each show I would detail every aspect of my car for two weeks, including the entire interior. I would use Armor-All vinyl cleaner on all of the vinyl, plastic, convertible top and the leather seat trim. Afterward I would use Armor-All protectorant on the dash, vinyl door panels, convertible top, rear quarter panels, and Lexol on the leather. I never had any trouble, except six months before I sold the car, my dash surround cracked and I had to replace it. Now I really don't know what the real cause was. I always stored my car in the garage to keep it out of the weather as much as possible, and it wasn't my regular driver.
Jim
______________________________ ______________________________
2004 MERCURY MARAUDER 300A - DTR BORN 04/19/04
1994 FORD TAURUS SHO - GREEN

[mtnh]

I stopped using armor-all because it migrated from the dash to the windows in the heat from the sun. Windows would not stay clean for long with regular armor-all use. And getting that stuff off the glass was a first class pain, too, to me. I would say it was just as bad for glass as cigarettes with closed windows.

Plus, I really hated the silicone-residue feel to the interior materials. I tried that armor-all protective gel and I was happy with it, but I never really saw it in stores. I just use damp paper towels now.

Mike

[BAD MERC]

I have heard similar from professional detailers. Armor-All for example is petroleum-based and cannot be good for plastic OR rubber by their nature. Any silicone-based dressing is superior.
In the engine cleaning thread here: http://www.mercurymarauder.net/forums/showthread.php?t=29206

I took this quote:


I wanted to make this a new thread, but comment on this quote - Bigdogjim not singling you out or calling you on anything, :) , but it was a very interesting point you brought up.

Recently, within the past month or so, I've noticed warnings about Armor-All spray floating around the 'net. Personally I've never heard these warnings up until about a month ago, and now I'm seeing it all over the place.

I've used armor-all for years, and NEVER had a problem.

The claims indicate armor-all dries out the plastic and will cause dash cracks. I've also heard people say that once you stop using armor all the dash will crack since you stopped - almost like it's an "Armor-All conspiracy."

I'm not saying it's not true - just that it's news to me and seems to be "sweeping the 'net." So I'm wondering how valid it is...

So what do you all think? Is armor all bad for your plastics?

Me...I've been using it for years and on my past cars it brought back dried out plastics and kept them looking great. Cars I had that were newer - when I sold them they looked as good as the day I got them. No cracks here.

[jimlam56]

They were the first and still have a superior product in the marketplace. this is classic tear down the 500# gorilla. As Mac says weak salesmanship. There is no one here over the age of 40 who would not be sitting in tatters if this were the case. Porsche dashes are notorious for cracks, always have been. I used Armor-All on my 86 Turbo from 86 to Jan. 2004, everywhere on rubber and vinal weekly with no problem and an old friend with a 356 over 40 years old is still using it after all these years. No problem. The internet has make these :bs: marketing moves so much easier than it used to be. I sold industrial chemicals for 40 years and this crap is not new. It was going on when I started and going with a vengence when I left. Dennis
Sorry:soap:
Well said Sir.
If you hear a line on a good 914, I'm all ears.

[DEFYANT]

I just love the greezy shine Armor All has. :puke:

But the Low Gloss stuff is great. Problem is, I can not find it anywhere.

[JACook]

I have heard similar from professional detailers. Armor-All for example is petroleum-based and cannot be good for plastic OR rubber by their nature. Any silicone-based dressing is superior.
Well, then, they lied to you, and endorsed Armor-All at the same time.

Ah, the age of the internet. Makes some things easier to debunk. Wanna know what's really in Armor-All?



http://www.armorall.com/faqs_interior.html]
<dl class="faqs"><dt>What are the ingredients in Armor All&#174; Protectants? Do they include silicone, alcohol, ultraviolet inhibitors and petroleum distillates?</dt><dd>Armor All&#174; Leather Care contains lanolin and natural moisturizers, and UV inhibitors. Armor All&#174; Leather Protectant Spray and Leather Wipes contain water-based silicone emulsions, surfactants, and ultraviolet light inhibitors. Armor All&#174; Original Shine Protectant contains water-based silicone emulsions, surfactants, and ultraviolet light inhibitors, humectants, dispersants and gloss enhancers. Armor All&#174; Ultimate Clean Protectant contains water-based silicone emulsions, surfactants, ultraviolet light inhibitors and a fragrance.</dd></dl>Or, just take a sniff. Petroleum distillates are awfully easy to detect by smell...

[00 Aggie]

Nothing wrong with armor all, the only knock is durability.

[Johnman]

I've used Armor All for many years with great results. I've rarely been able to garage my cars in the brutal Texas sun, so I have used it during the summer months and have never had a dashboard crack or warp. I should mention that I was hardly religious about keeping the dashboard "wet" with the stuff; I just put it on every couple of weeks or so. Also, I always crack my windows on hot sunny days and (nowadays) use a windshield sunscreen. I'm willing to try the STP stuff but there is no reason to tear down a perfectly good product which has worked for years. I hope this doesn't sound like I work for Armor All-I have nothing to do with them! I'm just a Dentist!

[Bigdogjim]

They were the first and still have a superior product in the marketplace. this is classic tear down the 500# gorilla. As Mac says weak salesmanship.

If you read what I typed I stated that the shop's I visit and finally used do not use Armour All. They do sell anything to the public except a service!
No weak salesmanship! The shop I used does not have a area where they display products to sell. Simply put they use this stuff every day as a "tool of the trade"

[Hotrauder]

If you read what I typed I stated that the shop's I visit and finally used do not use Armour All. They do sell anything to the public except a service!
No weak salesmanship! The shop I used does not have a area where they display products to sell. Simply put they use this stuff every day as a "tool of the trade"

Sorry, BDJ; my post refers to corporate marketing on the mfg. and wholesale level. We are all influenced at every level on every purchase. Competition may lead to better products, it also leads to a lot of other not necessarily positive things. I did read what you posted and I have no quarrel with any of it. My reference is in regard to the lack of character in marketing at all levels. I am sure that your shops believe that they are using the best products for their needs and they may be correct. Dennis

[Joe Walsh]

I stopped using armor-all because it migrated from the dash to the windows in the heat from the sun. Windows would not stay clean for long with regular armor-all use. And getting that stuff off the glass was a first class pain, too, to me. I would say it was just as bad for glass as cigarettes with closed windows.
Mike


LOL...

I quit using it on interior items because it did remind me of a heavy smokers windshield.
Grey foggy film coating all the windows.

I've used it for 25+ years on tires and exterior trim with very good results.

[Vortech347]

Best use for "original" armorall is...

Tires...

Engine bays...

R/C car preping to sell on ebay.

As for armorall products I do like their stuff.

[Breadfan]

Thanks guys, barring the discussions of what product is better, I think the question has been answered that Armor-All is not a destructive product that will crack your dash if you use it.

I've seen posts online in the last few months in response to someone speaking of Armor all and all it says is "Don't use Armor-All unless you want a cracked dash", etc.

Now, as for the migration to the windsheild, I got this last time I used it, got some armor-all on the windscreen even though I sprayed on the rag first! Doh!

[Blackened300a]

I just love the greezy shine Armor All has. :puke:

But the Low Gloss stuff is great. Problem is, I can not find it anywhere.

How many do you need???, There are several stores near my house that stock it along with the Armor all gel that I highly recommend.

[eric jones]

I am a car detailer and I do not use any silicone based dressings. The problem you have with silicone based dressings such as Armor All is that it attracts more dust and dirt because it never dries. I only use a vinyl and rubber dressing, preferably a water based solution which works much better.

[NHTHAWK]

You'll all laugh, but years ago my Dad instructed me not to use Armor All, and instead told me to use Mop and Glow!! Yes, Mop and Glow floor cleaner. Apply it liberally to a rag and wipe on. It dries to a nice shine and doesn't attract dust and debris by staying wet and sticky. It last years and wipes with a dust rag clean as new. I've never had a dash crack using this method and I've had some vehicles that were known to dry up and crack.
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[wchain]

I stopped using Armor All and going with 303 Aerospace Protectant.

You probably dont have a problem with Armor all, because you use it on a regular basis. If you used it infrequently, you would probably see problems arise.

[DeepSea117]

I've used it for 13 years on my first car (93 Civic), and this car was never garaged more than a year out of all those years. So with 12 years of sun and rain, heat and cold, dirt....no cracks whatsoever. I used to use the low-gloss stuff, but they don't sell it anymore around here. It didn't appear too shiny, just nice, clean, and matte dark.

My new tires would turn brown after using them for a while, despite heavy cleaning. Someone had told me this was the silicon turning it brown...beats me though!