Re: What do you think of Armor All?
IMO, it's UV light that destroys plastic and rubber, more than heat or time. Thats why PVC and ABS pipe, are only suitable for outdoor use, if they are buried, protecting them from UV light. Otherwise, they age relatively quick.
It is mostly UV that breaks down pigments (and then materials). However, there are a variety of factors involved (temperature changes/humidity) that can accelerate the process... (which is why coastal Florida is probably one of the harshest environments on plastic materials).
With regards to vinyl, there isn't much you can do once the plasticizer leeches out (it is usually a function of the quality of the vinyl, but light energy doesn't help).
Basically what the protectants are doing is absorbing the energy from light that would otherwise affect the material. All the light is doing is putting energy into the chemical bonds and breaking them.
As stated before, because it is only temporary application, repeated application will keep things well protected.
At the suggestion of a recent Endust commercial, I tried it on the interior of my car. Initial impressions are pretty good. It made the car smell fresh, there was subtle gloss, but not as slippery and it doesn't appear to be attracting the dust like Armor-All does.
