JUST bought a new Pilot last night. Want to protect it inside and out. Lookign for recommendations?

[bassett72]

This is a car that we are hoping to have for 15 years so I want to start out protecting as much as the car as I can, inside and out. Carpet, leather, dash, wheels, paint, etc. Since we live in WI, where salt is the color of our roads this time of year and I'd like to make sure I protect the carpet and leather ASAP. Along with the exterior paint and plastics. OH, and REALLY want to keep the headlights clear.

I have my Weather Tech floor liners and cargo liners already coming.

Is there a suggestion for the seats and carpet to "fabric guard" them initially? I know I need to do regular leather care, but wanted to know if there is a place to start as well. My kids are in swim, so I REALLY have to protect the leather.

Currently I polish and coat each of our other vehicles before winter, using Klasse AIO and coating with Collinite's. I use Zaino Leather Soft and Leather in the Bottle, but am open to something else to "Seal" off the leather initially.

I know that is a lot of ask, so I'll stop there for now and wait for the experts here to chime in.

I appreciate your help...

OH, if it matters, the color is Obsidian Blue Pearl (Sparklier darkish blue) on the outside, gray leather interior.

[Bosko]

There is no magic pill no matter what anyone post to this thread....

Clean/coat/protect often...4-6 times a year and your prayers will be answered

[bassett72]

There is no magic pill no matter what anyone post to this thread....

Clean/coat/protect often...4-6 times a year and your prayers will be answered

OK, well, not looking for a magic pill, but product recommendations specific to each area (leather, carpet, paint, headlights, plastic, rims, tires, etc) would be greatly appreciated. While it is spotless, I want to get protection in place.

Thanks for responding though...

[Bosko]

What did you use on your other car(s)?

Materials have not changed....use what works for you.
anything that Autogeek online sells will work......

I prefer Griot's products...but there are 100's....they all work

[Bosko]

A few I would do until Spring arrives......again lots of great products out there..

Griot's Garage Ceramic 3-in-1 Wax (https://www.autogeek.net/griots-ceramic-3n1-wax.html)
Griots Garage Leather 3-in-1 Spray (https://www.autogeek.net/griots-leather-spray.html)
Griot's Garage Trim & Detail Coating (https://www.autogeek.net/griots-garage-trim-detail-coating.html)

[Desertnate]

Agree with the others. Do the same thing to this vehicle as you do the others and keep on top of it. If you want to change one of those things to something different, that will open the flood gates depending on your requirements.

For the exterior, I typically hit the plastics, lights, and paint with the same product to keep things simple. Rubber gets a dedicated trim/rubber product. You can also hit the wheels with the same product you put on the paint. Durable sealants like Collinite 845 hold up reasonably well and it allows you to use what you already have on hand.

Protecting the leather is important, but if you constantly have wet kids sitting on those seats you might look at a seat cover for daily use and then just remove it for family trips, special occasions, etc. I always carried something for my kids to sit on in those situations, regardless of seat material. To this day, I've got a seat cover which hangs from the headrest...long after I hauled dirty/stinky kids. I put it on my driver's seat whenever I come home from the gym or have been outdoors getting dirty/sweaty simply to save the seat and cut down on all the cleaning.

[glen e]

Agreed AIRES SEAT DEFENDERS….on Amazon, use any time you’re running errands or you have pets in the car, I use them Monday through Friday, take them off whenever I have guests or want to show up the interior… Had them on my last five cars… The best way to get an interior that’s 5 to 10 years old looking like it’s one year old.
For the paint: any of the new spray waxes/sealants; like griots 3-1 or 303 graphene
For the plastic and leather: poorboys natural look.

[bassett72]

I guess a large part of the equation is what are you ABLE to do right now since it is still winter?

Do you have a heated garage and are you capable of doing a full new car correction and prep, protect the seats, etc, or do you need stop gap measures to get you through to warmer days?

The Klasse and Collinite combo has been around for years and they are still a potent combination but if you can't decon and clay and polish and do all that right now, personally I would get SOMETHING on the vehicle to give it some protection until you can do a proper full workup

Even a spray on and rinse off sealant would be better than nothing if that's all you can do for now

The Weathertech mats are a great start for the interior but once again, what CAN you do right now in your situation

I have a heated garage, so I can pretty much do anything to the inside of the vehicle. Hard to wash the outside, besides at drive-thru car wash.

Maybe that is where I start. Even though most of the carpet will be protected by the mats, I'd like to put something on the carpets?

So, it sounds like nothing special on the leather, or just add some seat covers.

What about the headlights? I currently don't have anything I use as mine were all beyond that stage.

[Bosko]

any SIO2 spray product on the headlights will be fine.....Griots ceramic glass cleaner will work as well

[Bosko]

One last thing, you bought it last night?

If it hasn't been prepped and delivered yet tell the dealer NOT TO touch the exterior at all

Trust me


Facts!!
This will be the dude that does your car...on a late Friday afternoon

https://i.imgur.com/gSe5smV.png

[Desertnate]

Even though most of the carpet will be protected by the mats, I'd like to put something on the carpets?

I typically just keep them vacuumed. I'll spot clean with some highly diluted APC if needed.


So, it sounds like nothing special on the leather, or just add some seat covers.

You still need to keep it clean, even with the covers. I would use a reputable leather cleaner periodically. For a quick wipe down, many of the good interior protectant/detailers are leather friendly.


What about the headlights? I currently don't have anything I use as mine were all beyond that stage. I use the same thing I put on the paint.

[Coatingsarecrack]

For carpets I would recommend gtechniq fabric. I got almost a year of water repellency for a convertible top that saw A LOT of rain here in the NorthWest.

For leather i’ve used Gyeon LeatherShield. Most new leathers are coated to protect leather and make more durable. If that the case the idea is to preserve that coating more than the leather. I feel a coating does a great job of that.

If not wanting to coat i like Pinnacle Black Label leather &vinyl coating. More of a sealant and works on all interior parts.

My leather is aniline in one of my cars and will probably switching to ColorLock. Their products review well and the make a aniline/suede specific cleaner and protectant.

Lastly your plan for the paint sounds good but if I was planning on keeping a car that long i would look into a ceramic coating for a more stout protection.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Desertnate]

My leather is aniline in one of my cars and will probably switching to ColorLock. Their products review well and the make a aniline/suede specific cleaner and protectant.

Thanks for the ColorLock mention and the suede product. My new car has Alcantera/Ultrasuede fabric all over the place and I found they have a product for the artificial/fabric based suede-like stuff too. When searching for something for my car, googling only came up with Sonax, Pinnacle Black Label and Dr. Beasley's. I went with the Dr. Beasely's, but it's good to know there are other options out there as well from a quality brand. The ColorLock is bout the same price as the Beasley's, if not cheaper if you go for the full kit.

[bassett72]

So I have a 48 degree day on Sunday. (21 on Saturday, 29 or lower after that) Gives me a window of about 3 hours to use a hose outside. Should I get a SiO2 and spray the entire vehicle down to protect it until April when I can do a much more thorough cleaning/polishing/sealing? If so, what would be a good, yet cost effective option to start with? And is there ANYTHING I shouldn't be spraying with it?

[briarpatch]

So I have a 48 degree day on Sunday. (21 on Saturday, 29 or lower after that) Gives me a window of about 3 hours to use a hose outside. Should I get a SiO2 and spray the entire vehicle down to protect it until April when I can do a much more thorough cleaning/polishing/sealing? If so, what would be a good, yet cost effective option to start with? And is there ANYTHING I shouldn't be spraying with it?

Cost effective option was mentioned earlier I think....Griot Garage 3 in 1 Ceramic Spray Wax. Locally available, inexpensive, easy to use and very durable. Will get you through April if Mother Nature throws you a curve