James_C63s

Hey all. I just added a new AMG to the collection, a 2020 GTR. What a BEAST! The last person I had a feelign did not really take care of the interior, so I want to get some good quality products (just for the interior).

Can anyone validate if these 3 products are good, or have good experience with them? I have actually heard from a number of people Adams interior detailer is one of the best, if you do not want a shine to anything, which I don't. I like the factory look.

The Comprehensive Interior Cleaning Product Guide for a Mercedes AMG

Any help would be great!
Thanks!

Acta_Non_Verba

Hi James,

This topic comes up over and over on every car forum in which I participate.

I have personal experience ruining some of the nicest leather interiors (including Connolly leather) because I was taken by products that did an excellent job with Marketing. I finally realized that probably the only true source for how to properly clean and care for leather interiors comes from the manufacturer. Afterall, it's their product that they developed and should know what's best. So, in the last ten years or so, I've read the manual and followed Mfgr's instructions.

Just a word on modern leather used in autos, (and I'm no expert), these materials are coated (essentially painted, not dyed like in the old days) to attain color. Because of regulations around the world, all of these leather colorants for the last 15/20 years have been water solvent based. Water solvent based coatings literally will dissolve when using an oil or petroleum based cleaner or conditioner. So called "leather conditioners" that might work well on raw leather (like baseball gloves) do nothing except damage on a leather that has a water based colorant coating.

I noticed in the article that is posted, this line:

"We thought we would do some research with a number of AMG owners and find the absolute best group of products one would need for their interiors."

So, essentially, the article is making recommendations from a number of people (like me, who know nothing about leather) and taking a poll then a "top list" based on what users are buying.

With all that said, I am not disputing the list in the article, nor could I agree with any of it either (I'm the one who ruined a few interiors in my days). But typically, "users" as in what are most people using on their interiors are influenced by how well an aftermarket company markets its products and reaches users.

So, I hope you consider this and what is printed in the article and maybe take one more step. Look at what Mercedes recommends for the products it created, then choose the direction you take, eyes wide open.

All the Best,

MalibuScott

I have used Lexol for over 50 years. It is the best.

James_C63s

Yea, I am going to give that Lexol on that link a try... Do you buy both, or just the conditioner? Do you need both?

pashaj

I've used Zaino to clean and condition leather for the past ~20 years...I love it.

To clean the Alcantara/Dinamica bits, such as the steering wheel, I recommend watching the Remove Before Race tutorial using detergent. I use the Tide Free and Clear Pod.

California John

Always have had a good response with Meguiars products. I used to do detailing with them and loved them.

57 GTR

The last person I had a feeling did not really take care of the interior, so I want to get some good quality products (just for the interior).

Was it Amber Heard?

chassis

Plain water is your friend.

A microfiber cloth dampened with plain water will do the job for plastic surfaces.

Terry cloth dampened with plain water for leather and MB-Tex surfaces.

Dry optical microfiber for clear plastic such as the cockpit instruments and COMAND/MBUX screen.

Microfiber cloth with foam glass spray cleaner for windows and mirror surfaces.

Anything else - caveat emptor.

dlefty

For leather care this is all you need:

1)Colourlock Mild and/or Strong leather cleaner depending on your needs, I always start with and to DIY people suggest the Mild, Strong is the sledgehammer if needed. Use this as often as needed to keep clean leather surfaces.

2)Colourlock Learher Conditioner (apply 1x per year.

3)IF you have any Alcantara surfaces, get Sonax Alcantara Cleaner.

Add in a couple good interior microfiber towels and you are all set.

Acta_Non_Verba

Hi Chassis,

I am pretty much on the same page as you.

In my op manual -
Do not use microfiber on leather. I am also with you on the plain water.



I gave up a long time ago trying to out think the factory engineers on interior care. The factory has skin in the game and has to warranty the product, the aftermarket companies do not. Simply read their product use disclaimers and it's clear, you're on your own.

In the past, I've always guessed wrongly with aftermarket products. I gave up on all of it and saved some money. When you're wrong, the first place to see the damage will be on the seat and back bolsters. These are typically where the heaviest "hits" come when an aftermarket product is attacking the paint on the leather.

Acta_Non_Verba

Hi Scott,

I chuckled a little when I read your post. Not laughing at you, but in the automotive world, anyone who has done the same thing(s) on an automobile for 50 years MIGHT be a little behind the times. 50 years ago and past, leather car interiors were processed using a vegetable oil tanning. It was "old school" tanning and used for all leather products. After the 70s/80s, the leather tanning process (for car interiors, at least) changed to a chromium/non-chromium tanning process, then changed again.

On your use of Lexol, yes, it's been around for all of my life, or as far back as I can remember. If Lexol was developed for vegetable oil tanned leather 50 years and more ago, the question becomes - did the formula in Lexol change to accommodate newer more modern leather tanning processes? When a "topical" is applied to leather the question is - Is it coming in contact with leather? Or it is lying on top of a finish of some type...and is it compatible with that finish?

I can remember when I was a child my dad taught me how to change the oil using his 53 Buick. He always said - "Oil is cheap. Change it every 1500 to 2000 miles and use 30W oil...it's the best." Of course, there was no multi-weight oil in those days, no synthetics, and I'm proud to say I did not let those early lessons in car maintenance stick with me for all those years.

Still, in the end, it's your car and I will always yield (and respect) anyone who wants to experiment on their car.

A quick article on - "Where Does the Color Come From"

https://autoleatherdye.com/blogs/new...eather-painted

So, you have to ask yourself - Am I treating leather with a conditioner? Or am I treating the "paint" with a leather conditioner?

All the Best,

chassis

Not to mention polyurethane coating applied on top of the modern tanning and color processes.

This means cleaning modern automotive leather is nearly the same as cleaning plastic.

Even Bentley uses semi-aniline leather which has a "protective coating".

https://www.bentleymotors.com/en/wor...tsmanship.html

Acta_Non_Verba

Yes, agree with you.

This one sentence in the article I posted above has become a standard test:

The easiest way to make this determination is to drop a little water on the leather in a non worn area. Does it absorb or bead up? If it beads up(in 99% of cases) you have protected or “painted” leather. If it absorbs, it’s unprotected.

If you have "painted" leather, all the leather conditioner in the world won't reach the leather through the paint....until the paint dissolves....and the color is gone! From experience, the worst thing in the world is seeing the ugly raw leather come through on a Connolly Ivory seat in a luxury marque....my heart sank! And yes, raw leather is ugly.