PHO2GR4
01/01/2007, 01:20 PM
Wow, this '99 Ebony just keeps getting better and better. As some of you recall, I purchased an Ebony VX from an eBay seller a month ago, and was sort of mildly underwhelmed when it was delivered. It had suffered from benign neglect, and had some mechanical and cosmetic issues that needed immediate attention.
Plus, it stank. It smelled like, I dunno, cheap disinfectant or something. I was even considering ripping out the innards and replacing carpet, headliner and seats.
Instead, I had my local dealer run an ozone generator inside for a couple of days. It worked wonders! Aside from the ozone smell...very distinct and strong, btw...all other smells were eliminated! And a couple of days later, the ozone smell was gone too. Now it just smells 'neutral', if that makes sense.
The seats were another matter. There were ink stains, oil stains and other dirt...and the leather itself looked really dry and dull. As if salt air had dried out the surface.
Replacing them seemed excessive. There aren't any rips or tears. So I bought some Meguire's Leather Cleaner and Conditioner and rolled up my sleeves.
An hour later, it looks like I have new Recaro Trends! The black looks BLACK, and the red looks...well, like the orange-red they were when new! They look great, feel great, and have a supple sheen to them.
Of course, now I tend to slide around more on the slippery leather when I corner quickly...
Next up: Full-on steam cleaning for the carpets.
Then, when the weather warms up: wash with Dawn detergent, clay-bar the paint, and Zaino the Ebony until it turns into a black hole, sucking in all light around it.
Plus, it stank. It smelled like, I dunno, cheap disinfectant or something. I was even considering ripping out the innards and replacing carpet, headliner and seats.
Instead, I had my local dealer run an ozone generator inside for a couple of days. It worked wonders! Aside from the ozone smell...very distinct and strong, btw...all other smells were eliminated! And a couple of days later, the ozone smell was gone too. Now it just smells 'neutral', if that makes sense.
The seats were another matter. There were ink stains, oil stains and other dirt...and the leather itself looked really dry and dull. As if salt air had dried out the surface.
Replacing them seemed excessive. There aren't any rips or tears. So I bought some Meguire's Leather Cleaner and Conditioner and rolled up my sleeves.
An hour later, it looks like I have new Recaro Trends! The black looks BLACK, and the red looks...well, like the orange-red they were when new! They look great, feel great, and have a supple sheen to them.
Of course, now I tend to slide around more on the slippery leather when I corner quickly...
Next up: Full-on steam cleaning for the carpets.
Then, when the weather warms up: wash with Dawn detergent, clay-bar the paint, and Zaino the Ebony until it turns into a black hole, sucking in all light around it.