simoniz system 5 interior protection question

A

ahunt01

New member
Hi all, I just bought a 2006 Toyota Rav4 (I have to take some pics lol) and was offered the simoniz system 5 when I bought it... I turned it down naturally. However, I'm considering getting it still for one simple reason, the interior protection. They claim that if I get a stain that can't come out within 5 years that they'd replace my seats (so I'm guessing it's more than scotch guard sprayed on the fabric). I hate seat covers, and since the seats are so nice looking I was thinking this would be a way to get some protection from dirt/drinks/food staining them. I really don't want the exterior teflon crap, and will tell them to not bother with it (I'm a Z guy lol).

Comments/experience with the interior protection of the simoniz system 5? :nixweiss
 
The solvent basted protectant they use runs 48 bucks or so a gallon last time i looked. You can find solvent basted fabric protectants at any comercial carpet and upolstry supplier. They also make water basted protectants, the down side for these is they do not bond as well to the fabric.



a gallon of solvent based protectant would probably protectd 3-4 full living rooom sets, 2 cars, and 1200 or so sqf of carpet.



As a edit i'll point out you do not want to spray protectants in a car allways wipe them on with a towel and work them in. For the carpet you could try a small trigger sprayer, but you run the risk of it getting everywhere. Protectants are designed to atomize very very finely. They will get everywhere if sprayed.



spray a towel outside the car and away from it , dab and work in very gently to the fabric of the seats. Let dry and cure with lots of air movement for about 12 hours. 24 for water based.



Over applying the product will create a crusty fabric so in this case like most things less is more. Apply to the towel and work in. when you wipe your finger across the fabric you are working on and you get the sheen you have putt enough on. If you get droplets on you have put way to much and need to work that into other areas.
 
Well after researching some on here, it appears that the only fabric protectants are 303 and Scotchguard, neither of which offer a 5-year guarantee. Maybe the dealer stuff will be worth it?
 
LOL in that case the dealer is selling a warrantly plan not a protectant.



even the best solvent bases teflon protectants wear out, break down, get degraded by UV.
 
Yeah that could be, I haven't read up much about it. I just recall them telling me that if I get a stain that they can't remove, then they'd replace the article that was stained for up to 5 years. But yeah, anything has it's limit, and I doubt they would replace my entire carpet, or my power seats lol. Unless the stuff is that stupendious that it pretty much will resist stains for 5 years, then there is some way they have around getting out of backing that warranty be it fine print or another trick since the price of the product barely would cover the replacement of the floormats and luggage mat.
 
yeah that sounds like a warranty not a protection product.



I've used all kinds of fabric protectants. spray cans, daubers, waxes, wax/oil mix, solvent protectants (both 1,1,1 and the newer less harmfull solvent)Water based (both mix and un mixed) OTC and comercial grade. Concrete sealers, tile, grout....
 
As Grouse already stated...there is no magic 5 yr. fabric protectant. Save youself the $ from the dealer's upcharge warranty. They are bettting that you never call them on it and I'm sure there are clauses in their 'warranty' that probably make it easy for them to not fully satisfy you if a major stain would happen. Do it yourself with a quality solvent-based protection product if you are really paranoid about messing up your fabric.
 
Call around to your local carpet care wholesale supplier and see if they carry either hydromaster or prochem products. They both should have a solvent based fabric protectant.
 
ahunt01 may i make this suggestion.



If you are into detailing and expect to shampoo your interior on a regular basis, choose a water based fabric guard. At the same carpet cleaning supply store you should be able to find some. The bonus is the you can spray it on a damp, freshly cleaned carpet.



Solvent will last longer but harsher on you and the envirorment.



Fabric guard might last 5 years on areas that see no traffic. The major cause of breakdown is traffic or wear.



And yes the 5 year stuff is all warranty.
 
I'd tend NOT to believe stealership claims on protection products.



POINT and case being some of their paint protection options. One autopian posted recently that a dealership (cant' remember the name now) was charging some redicuous amount of money (we're talking 500-600 range) for an "exterior" protectant that would last over 6 years. Giving their car that "new" look for the next six years. All it was was a synthetic wax (he said he saw the guys putting it on someone elses car in a simoniz bottle).



So i'd be VERY hesitent to believe their claims about this product. I've NEVER heard of any sort of stain repellent (water based or synthetic) that could live up to those claims. So I'd certainly be asking a few more questions to this dealer about it. IS there any fine print about what exactly constitutes them "replacing seats" for free?



Remember, if it sounds to be good to be true, it probably is.
 
How much will they charge you? Your auto insurance would cover extreme stains, less your deductible... Why have two insurance policies?



Apply a waterbased protectant every six months yourself.



Here's what we use in our shop DuPont



Jim
 
Cool, I like the idea of the waterbased protector if it's safer for use. I don't want crunchy seats/floors, and I hear that can be an issue with non-water based protectants. Can I get Teflon Advanced carpet protector at any carpet store?
 
Jimmy Buffit said:
How much will they charge you? Your auto insurance would cover extreme stains, less your deductible... Why have two insurance policies?



Apply a waterbased protectant every six months yourself.



Here's what we use in our shop DuPont



Jim
Click to expand...

yep, that's rebranded by nearly every carpet chem company. Good stuff. I don't like it for woven fabrics as much as the solvent but it gets the job done.
 
ahunt01 said:
Cool, I like the idea of the waterbased protector if it's safer for use. I don't want crunchy seats/floors, and I hear that can be an issue with non-water based protectants. Can I get Teflon Advanced carpet protector at any carpet store?
Click to expand...



Nope it's for both, when over applied. The key is what i told you. When wiping the back of your hand on the fabric you should see the protectant sheen, if you have droplets or large amounts of moisture, you have way to much.



as for the health issues of water versus solvent. That mostly crap. they both put out nearly the same amounts of voc's. everyone thinks"ooh water based = healthy for everything" and that is not allways the case.



you are looking at specific use items, not spray willy nilly items. each has their place. Water for tuffted fiber, solvent for woven or super high trafic areas.



cost of the water in concentrate is about 50 and it will make around 5 gallons. Cost of the solvent is 50 and it will treat the same amount as the water based. The solvent based is usually an extremely low voc solvent. 10 years ago that was not the case. Today, in many instances it's use is preferable to waterbased in closed spaces as it will cure and dry in 1/10th the time.
 
I've given it some more thought and think i should explain a couple of things. For instance your situation either product is fine. Why? Well it's new, not much dirt and soils have penetrated the fiber. So apply either. They will both work. Solvent based will be a little longer lasting.



The reason why on a woven or high traffic tufted fiber i would always choose solvent is this.



Fiber dries top, bottom up. By this i mean it evaporates moisture from the surface and draws moisture from the bottom of the fiber. If you have a heavily soiled fiber that you can not clean 100% and you apply a water based protectant you will have more moisture in the fiber. This will increase the likelihood of it "wicking" soils to the surface of the fiber as it dries. A water based protectant should add about 4 hours of drying time and will take 24 hours to fully cure. In many auto,rv,boat situations this is not possible. as people will pick up and want to use their vehicle.



In contrast a solvent based protectant displaces the water from the bottom of the fiber and pushes it up. This when good air movement is applied can speed drying slightly more than if the same air movement was used on water based treaded fiber. This significantly reduces the chance of "wicking" those soils to the surface. The drying and curing time is about 2 hours for solvent based protectants.



The application method is. First clean the carpet, fiber, fabric. Then while the fiber group is in the beginning of the drying stage apply your choice of protectants. The reason why you do it when the fiber is damp is two fold. First it is at it's cleanest point. this allows for a much cleaner and significant bond to the fiber. Second you have the moisture acting as a surfactant. (surfactants are wicking agents) Drawing the solvent or water based product across the length of the fiber. This means less rubbing, brushing, and working in. It also provides a much more evenly distributed product, with less chance of making the fiber crusty. Then you apply lots of air movement . Use a commercial blower with tubes to put the air across the surface of the fiber to speed drying significantly.
 
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