Found a new dash pad in the yards from an 86 I think- pristine but dusty, with a TINY horse shoe shaped crack in one corner. No worries, right? Got it home, cleaned it gently and conditioned it with Meguire's (had UV protection...). Looked BRAND NEW! Two weeks later, I get in the car this morning and a nice hairline crack from the tiny horse shoe crack ALL the way to my speaker grill. AAAAAAGHHHH..!!!!!!
How about we compile a list of products that SEEM to cause this problem? Not saying it did, mind you- don't want a product libel lawsuit. Just saying, interesting coincidence... Perhaps that layer of dust and cigarette smoke was what was keeping it from cracking!!!???!!

 

I have a pristine dash pad stored in house and it drys out easily, so for the last several months I have been wiping it down with vaseline until I install it.It keeps it from drying out. I bought a really nice dash cover so I am waiting until I get good wear out of my cover before I change my pad. I live in AZ they dry out and crack fast. I did read on a forum here on 3rd gen that a guy used armorial weekly and he never got 1 crack.

 

I have been using Armor All -PROTECTANT- on my last two thirdgens dashboards and never had a problem in either car. I do not use the typical "Original" Armor-all spray, as I have heard nothing but bad things about it and our dash pads. My car sits in the sun alot, and this Florida sun can be brutal. The protectant I bought is in a larger spray bottle and costs more than the other armor-all interior products but it seems very worth it. Just something to consider.

 

if these dash pads have even the tiniest crack in them its going to get progressively worse. the ride, heat and uv rays are all factors in the gradual destruction of the dash pads. i bought 2 dash pads on line and they looked perfectly fine in the pictures and when i got them i went over them very carefully and found on them each a tiny (maybe 1/2" long) crack. i returned them cuz i knew what was to come.
-camarosrock, thats a good idea but will it have any issues with the plastic due to the petroleum base? only asking cuz i have an unscathed dash pad in my basement. my current one is broken in like 5 spots but im waiting to get new door panels before i replace the dash

 

I have a pristine pad, been in the car 4 years now. I keep it covered with the carpet dash pad cover available cheap on ebay. The car never sits in the sun without shades in the windshield (except at a car show, and then I still leave the carpet dash cover on because it looks so good). I use the F-21 Turtle Wax product in the lime green bottle, and I ONLY use this 'cleaning/protectant' product about 6 times a year - the rest of the time I use a very light mist of Windex on a towel and wipe just to clean off the dust. So far (4+ years) this has worked extremely well for me - but my car is no longer a "daily" driver - it's no trailer queen, I ride it anytime I want, usually 2-3 times a week and always on the weekend, but the dashpad is always covered with something (the carpet cover).

 

I've used Windex (blue) to clean the dirt off mine. On occasion, I'll use Meguairs natural shine to dress it but, other than that, nothing but neglect.

This is the dash pad from my old '84 in my '91.. pillsbry10 has the original one from this car in his now (just a touch nicer, I was saving it)..

 

My 84 still has the original dash pad & console lid.Ive always used vinyl/rubber/leather protectant stuff.No particualr brand, but i like Meguiers/Mothers mostly for the way the dash looks afterward.Ive never stuck to any brand though, but have always used the vinyl/leather type.

I also never park it without putting a sunshade inplace.Ive done this since ive owned the car (1988) even when its overcast.Neither has even a crack/warpage, the console lid looks a little faded though.

Armor all has given me the worst results.Eagle One was a close second.

 

12 years with the original, plain ol' Armor All spray and not one crack, pad is still soft.

Car is garaged though, and never parked out in the heat--that's what kills 'em more than any product.

 

When I bought my GTA the dash looked dirty and really dry, but it only had one little spot chipped off on the driver side corner. I sprayed the dash with Armor-All the day after I got it, and then about a week later I went out there and it had a crack right down the middle.

I think the "protectants" are good as long as they're used since new, but when you apply them to an old dry neglected dash it ruins them. I think the added moisture must cause it to expand or contract or something.

 

What is the exact name of your armor all product? I have been using the regular armor all since the 70's, and I have nothing but good to say about it. I used it when I lived in Florida for 4 years also. No cracks, no drying out! I think the armor all bashing came from it's competitors, and it stuck.