David MJ Ko

Hi Guys.
Bought a new c200 and the interior seats is called ARTICO upholstery.
The dealership did give me some leather conditioners and liquid to clean, do i apply the same cleaning method as any other "leather" seated cars or am i using the wrong material.
Any advice would be much appreciated.
David

flycaster

I believe that ARTICO is Canadian for US vinyl. If it is, and even if it were leather, both BEST cleaned with a mild soap and water solution. I know you won't believe me, but do a good google and you'll see that just about all car leather seated surfaces are called coated or treated leather. Meaning that it is a waste of money to use leather products here because they don't penetrate into the leather as the coating is there to prevent inadvertent spills from staining the leather. Test this out by placing a drop of water somewhere on the surface and see if it is absorbed. If not, then the surface is either coated leather or vinyl. Also, vinyl doesn't benefit from the vinyl cleaning products either...except maybe some 303 Protectant that does protect against UV damage and will put a little glow on the vinyl. BTW, 303 can also be safely used on coated leather, if you wish.

BTW, my leased 2017 coupe was ordered with MB-tex vinyl for a few reasons: 1-Didn't want to pay an extra $1600 for leather as 2-The MB vinyl is really great in that it absorbs better than leather, won't easily stain, lasts longer than leather , and 3-Looks like leather and is just as comfortable.

now, I will say, that if your car is outfitted with uncoated leather, it's a different ballgame and one should really pay attention how this leather is cleaned and conditioned...the leather treating products are needed here.

DBOC205

Well if it's on google it MUST be true then.
Honestly, if I had a dollar for every time I heard someone spruik the about coated leather being impermeable... never mind.

To the OP - Artico is an artificial leather. Just like any fabric or hide (coated or not) - it's dirt and impurities that will damage it. Simply because you see a water particle sitting proudly on top of a coated piece of material for five minutes, doesn't mean that other crap, fart & chemicals suspended within that water won't go through the top coating either. If only we sweated pure H2O hey!

Just keep it clean with damp cloth or even leather cleaner if you want. Just keep anything like conditioner away from the dash (in case you also have the Artico covered dashboard)... it'll mist up and condense against your windscreen and you'll be forever fighting to clear an oily film off the glass.

Shadwell

Interior's
http://www.autogeek.net/interior.html


Leather specifically (which you DO NOT have.. ).. ie there is nothing to "nourish / moisturise etc..)
http://www.autogeek.net/leather-car-care.html


Summary; an APC at 10:1 dilution and a MF will clean very well and safely.
IF you want to make the interior smell a little more leathery then by all means use some leather conditioner style products, just be sure to wippe off well to avoid sticky mess.... (it can't really be absorbed remember)
If you want to protect from UV, then there are products that provide this without sticky gloss... 303 aerospace potectant being a good starting point for a proven well regarded product...

Personally i have leather and still wipe down with APC, you see the dye transferr from jeans lift onto the MF.. i then use a local brand Bowdens only leather conditioner (its matt and smell nice).. then 303 on the dash top and doors...

APC is great cos you can buy a gallon eg meguiars APC, dilute into a spray bottle and use it on the engine bay, wheel arches, interior (NOT GLASS).. just avery versatile product...

Hope that helps, All the best...

flycaster

No pissing in the wind, just the facts. Using leather cleaners/conditioners on new car leather is a waste of time, effort and money. However, if one is talking about leather surfaces that have been used for a while so that the coating may begin to degrade, I'd then agree that one should be using more than soap and water. Oh yeah, Artico is all vinyl.