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      05-26-2020, 09:16 AM   #1
LJohnson32
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Interior Care & Maintenance - Swissvax/Colourlock/AMMO NYC?

As the title suggests, I'm interested to hear what products members have seen success with for keeping their interiors looking mint. I've seen Swissvax and Colourlock mentioned, and I'm curious what firsthand experience people have had with these products as well as the lasting results.

AMMO NYC is one that I haven't necessarily seen mentioned on here, but I have watched a lot of Larry's videos and can appreciate his approach and psychology behind car care at large. Was just wondering if anyone else had firsthand experience with his products and the results, as they do come at a premium.

My black full merino leather interior is still in great shape -- I just want to make sure I am selecting the right products when it comes to restoring the areas of light wear and maintaining it moving forward

Thanks in advance for any input!
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      05-26-2020, 10:41 AM   #2
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Subscribed!

And ditto on AmmoNYC, the care he puts in each detailing job is very impressive. I've been curious to feedback about his products including interior specific ones.
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      05-26-2020, 02:22 PM   #3
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I use Colourlock and I am 100% convinced. Easy to apply. I have Silverstone 2 and use it ones in autumn and ones at spring.
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      05-26-2020, 02:33 PM   #4
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I'm in the ColourLock camp as well. I like that they have mild and strong leather cleaners, so you can just use the strong one where it is needed (for dye transfer in my case), and they have conditioner (leather protector) and sealant (leather shield) as well.

Finally, if you get any scratches or wear, since the bolsters on these seats are pretty fragile, the leather dye they do is perfectly colour-matched and really easy to apply to keep everything looking perfect.

Larry has some great products, but I don't think he has the breadth of specialty products for this area, and if you have a finicky colour like I do (Silverstone 2 as well) then I don't think anyone other than ColourLock has the full range you'll need.
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      05-26-2020, 02:43 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Havy View Post
I use Colourlock and I am 100% convinced. Easy to apply. I have Silverstone 2 and use it ones in autumn and ones at spring.
Quote:
Originally Posted by plm View Post
I'm in the ColourLock camp as well. I like that they have mild and strong leather cleaners, so you can just use the strong one where it is needed (for dye transfer in my case), and they have conditioner (leather protector) and sealant (leather shield) as well.

Finally, if you get any scratches or wear, since the bolsters on these seats are pretty fragile, the leather dye they do is perfectly colour-matched and really easy to apply to keep everything looking perfect.
Thank you both for the feedback on your experiences with ColourLock. I think for the bolsters I'll be going with their products as there is some light wear that can be touched up with dye, even though I have a pretty low maintenance black interior. How does the dye hold up over time with regular cleaning and conditioning? How long do you let it "cure" before getting in and driving?

Quote:
Originally Posted by plm View Post
Larry has some great products, but I don't think he has the breadth of specialty products for this area, and if you have a finicky colour like I do (Silverstone 2 as well) then I don't think anyone other than ColourLock has the full range you'll need.
I agree with you on this for sure, it looks like Larry's interior products are much more tailored to a 'regimen' as he likes to put it, rather than being a restorative product. Still, for this reason I'm interested to hear feedback from those who have used his interior regiment products and how they perform at their intended applications
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      05-26-2020, 02:52 PM   #6
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Originally Posted by LJohnson32 View Post
Thanks for the feedback on your experience with ColourLock. I think for the bolsters I'll be going with their products as there is some light wear that can be touched up with dye. How does the dye hold up over time?
It seems good. I dyed a bunch late last year and there's only one area I feel I could still improve on because I was being a bit conservative with my first attempt, so I'm going to re-do that soon. My car has Silverstone 2 leather with charcoal contrasting stitching, so I was having to be very delicate to get in between the two lines of stitching, and now that I have a selection of artist brushes for this task it'll be much easier.

Their sanding pads are good to prep the surface, and have a heat gun or hairdryer to hand to quickly dry each coat, so you can use multiple thin coats applied with foam blocks rather than go too thick in one go. It sounds a bit scary, sanding your leather, but it's very gentle.

There is a good 2-part video on Matt Moreman's Obsessed Garage YouTube channel where the guys from ColourLock went through the products and process on his M5. And they're also really good at answering questions and giving you product and/or application recommendations if you email them. And the product takes 2-3 days to come from the UK.
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      05-26-2020, 02:57 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by plm View Post
It seems good. I dyed a bunch late last year and there's only one area I feel I could still improve on because I was being a bit conservative with my first attempt, so I'm going to re-do that soon. My car has Silverstone 2 leather with charcoal contrasting stitching, so I was having to be very delicate to get in between the two lines of stitching, and now that I have a selection of artist brushes for this task it'll be much easier.

Their sanding pads are good to prep the surface, and have a heat gun or hairdryer to hand to quickly dry each coat, so you can use multiple thin coats applied with foam blocks rather than go too thick in one go. It sounds a bit scary, sanding your leather, but it's very gentle.

There is a good 2-part video on Matt Moreman's Obsessed Garage YouTube channel where the guys from ColourLock went through the products and process on his M5. And they're also really good at answering questions and giving you product and/or application recommendations if you email them. And the product takes 2-3 days to come from the UK.
Awesome! I'll have to find that on YouTube and give it a watch, for sure something I'd want to watch to see the process.

Sanding any surface down from a finished looking point (i.e. wet sanding paint) can be scary but with the proper technique and procedures it can yield amazing results when done properly. I'm excited to give this a try after checking out some videos
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      05-26-2020, 03:00 PM   #8
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In fact, here are the links for the videos I was referencing:

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      05-26-2020, 04:21 PM   #9
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Another for colorlock - I saw reviews of swisswax on here which looked great, but picked up a full colorlock kit while I was in the UK. I'll put up a post next week when the car is back from service with before/after pictures and my process.
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      05-26-2020, 06:43 PM   #10
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I watch Matt’s vids, he was so leaning towards colourlock but he recommends and uses Swissvax leather cleaner and leather milk conditioner , If you want your leather to look back to factory matte show room look Swissvax is awesome , I’m interested in colourlock dye for the seats , I’m sure anyone of the products you mention are fine anyway I use Swissvax
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      05-26-2020, 07:44 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by plm View Post
In fact, here are the links for the videos I was referencing:
Thanks for posting these, I'll be giving them a watch tonight to learn more from Matt and the Colourlock guys

Quote:
Originally Posted by MMMM6GC View Post
Another for colorlock - I saw reviews of swisswax on here which looked great, but picked up a full colorlock kit while I was in the UK. I'll put up a post next week when the car is back from service with before/after pictures and my process.
That would be great to see some before and after shots

Quote:
Originally Posted by Whipple View Post
I watch Matt’s vids, he was so leaning towards colourlock but he recommends and uses Swissvax leather cleaner and leather milk conditioner , If you want your leather to look back to factory matte show room look Swissvax is awesome , I’m interested in colourlock dye for the seats , I’m sure anyone of the products you mention are fine anyway I use Swissvax
The 'right-off-the-showroom-floor' matte look on the leather is exactly what I'm after so perhaps Colourlock for the areas needing some restorative dye for touchup and Swissvax for cleaning/conditioning maintenance going forward? So far that is the general feel I'm getting based on the responses
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      05-26-2020, 08:41 PM   #12
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I really don’t think you can go wrong with ColourLock all round. They make one of the Swissvax products anyway (can’t remember which one off the top of my head), so unless Swissvax have one product that’s stellar in its own right you’ll have a more complete system with ColourLock.
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      05-26-2020, 08:44 PM   #13
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Colourlock.
On the 6 Forum’s ‘What did you do...’ thread I put up a before and after pic of friction ware addressed definitively with Colourlock on a Sakhir Orange seat.
I have much experience with restoring an interior. Did so with much success on a 32 year old Porsche 928 S4. Had I known about Colourlock back then, I would have used their products.
I am impressed with there pigment and sealant.
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      05-26-2020, 09:21 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by plm View Post
I really don’t think you can go wrong with ColourLock all round. They make one of the Swissvax products anyway (can’t remember which one off the top of my head), so unless Swissvax have one product that’s stellar in its own right you’ll have a more complete system with ColourLock.
Interesting that they make a product for Swissvax. I do believe in investing in a 'system' of products that are designed to be used together, so I like the idea of going all Colourlock. I just wasn't sure if Swissvax had a superior cleaner and conditioner that warranted being used over the Colourlock product as Whipple eluded to

Quote:
Originally Posted by NorthCountryGuy View Post
Colourlock.
On the 6 Forum’s ‘What did you do...’ thread I put up a before and after pic of friction ware addressed definitively with Colourlock on a Sakhir Orange seat.
I have much experience with restoring an interior. Did so with much success on a 32 year old Porsche 928 S4. Had I known about Colourlock back then, I would have used their products.
I am impressed with there pigment and sealant.
Thanks for your input, given that you've had previous experience doing interior restoration, the recommendation for Colourlock carries some additional weight I think. Sounds like both options are pretty solid products, but most people seem to favor Colourlock's system at least on this thread
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      06-09-2020, 12:47 PM   #15
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I just did my biannual leather overhaul with ColourLock.

I used Mild Leather Cleaner on everything bar the front seats, which got Strong Leather Cleaner since I have a Silverstone II interior and wear jeans most of the time, so I always end up with some dye transfer.

I dyed some creases and a couple of marks with Leather Fresh, using an artist brush and one of their foam blocks. I also hit the perforated panels on both front seats with a foam block and a quick light coat to really restore the colour. The artist brush really helps to get between the lines of contrasting stitching without hitting it with dye, plus you can also apply it very thinly and build up multiple coats, which is better than putting it on too thick. It's worth having at least one of their foam sanding pads to prep the surface and to level any nicks. Also, if you ever go a bit heavy on the dye and end up with a shiny spot, you can bring it down with the pad and it'll disappear.

Then everything got a thorough soaking with Leather Protector was left to fully absorb for 24 hours since I didn't need to use the car. Then finally Leather Shield applied with a foam block and levelled with a microfibre towel.

You can actually feel the difference in the leather as you slide in the car. And there's no shine either. It's a completely OEM satin look.

Last time I did it I was in a time crunch so I did the Leather Shield first, dried it with a heat gun, and then applied the Leather Protector. That's their alternative method, but I think using it their preferred process and letting the Leather Protector really dwell works better.
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      06-09-2020, 01:46 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by plm View Post
I just did my biannual leather overhaul with ColourLock.

I used Mild Leather Cleaner on everything bar the front seats, which got Strong Leather Cleaner since I have a Silverstone II interior and wear jeans most of the time, so I always end up with some dye transfer.

I dyed some creases and a couple of marks with Leather Fresh, using an artist brush and one of their foam blocks. I also hit the perforated panels on both front seats with a foam block and a quick light coat to really restore the colour. The artist brush really helps to get between the lines of contrasting stitching without hitting it with dye, plus you can also apply it very thinly and build up multiple coats, which is better than putting it on too thick. It's worth having at least one of their foam sanding pads to prep the surface and to level any nicks. Also, if you ever go a bit heavy on the dye and end up with a shiny spot, you can bring it down with the pad and it'll disappear.

Then everything got a thorough soaking with Leather Protector was left to fully absorb for 24 hours since I didn't need to use the car. Then finally Leather Shield applied with a foam block and levelled with a microfibre towel.

You can actually feel the difference in the leather as you slide in the car. And there's no shine either. It's a completely OEM satin look.

Last time I did it I was in a time crunch so I did the Leather Shield first, dried it with a heat gun, and then applied the Leather Protector. That's their alternative method, but I think using it their preferred process and letting the Leather Protector really dwell works better.
Thanks for providing an outline on your process -- I actually received my kit on Friday, I'm just waiting for BMW to wrap up some work being done on the car so I can have it back and get to work on it. Excited to try it out
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      06-09-2020, 02:24 PM   #17
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Originally Posted by LJohnson32 View Post
Thanks for providing an outline on your process -- I actually received my kit on Friday, I'm just waiting for BMW to wrap up some work being done on the car so I can have it back and get to work on it. Excited to try it out
Which products did you opt for?
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      06-09-2020, 02:45 PM   #18
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Which products did you opt for?
I ordered the kit that included:
  • 2 Foam Applicators
  • 1 Applicator Cloth
  • 1 Strong Leather Cleaner (based on their recommendation)
  • 1 Leather Fresh (BMW Black)
  • 1 Leather Protector

On top of the preassembled kit I also ordered leather shield to apply to high friction areas like bolsters and areas where my arms rest, as well as their brush to clean with.

They also included a hygenic leather cleaner solution for free as a result of COVID-19 I'm sure
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      06-09-2020, 03:07 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LJohnson32 View Post
I ordered the kit that included:
  • 2 Foam Applicators
  • 1 Applicator Cloth
  • 1 Strong Leather Cleaner (based on their recommendation)
  • 1 Leather Fresh (BMW Black)
  • 1 Leather Protector

On top of the preassembled kit I also ordered leather shield to apply to high friction areas like bolsters and areas where my arms rest, as well as their brush to clean with.

They also included a hygenic leather cleaner solution for free as a result of COVID-19 I'm sure
Could you send a link to the order page? Was this directly through them or another vendor ?
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      06-09-2020, 03:19 PM   #20
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Could you send a link to the order page? Was this directly through them or another vendor ?
I ordered the kit direct from them. Comes from the UK but arrived pretty quickly in ~5 business days

Here is the link to the kit I ordered. As I mentioned, I opted for the strong leather cleaner with my kit to remove the existing layers of dirt/oil from the previous ownership. When I go to clean and re-treat in the future I will order the mild cleaner at that time as it has an equal pH level to the leather and is therefore not as harsh when doing regular maintenance

As I mentioned, I also added in the brush and leather shield which should be on the left hand side as a suggested product.

You'll want to select the second radio button that says "I'd like to order a special car colour!" which will allow you to select your specific dye for your car

Also worth noting as you are going through the different interior color options in the dropdown, they are sorted alphabetically by the German color name (i.e. "Schwarz" for black interior)
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      06-09-2020, 03:20 PM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LJohnson32 View Post
I ordered the kit that included:
  • 2 Foam Applicators
  • 1 Applicator Cloth
  • 1 Strong Leather Cleaner (based on their recommendation)
  • 1 Leather Fresh (BMW Black)
  • 1 Leather Protector

On top of the preassembled kit I also ordered leather shield to apply to high friction areas like bolsters and areas where my arms rest, as well as their brush to clean with.

They also included a hygenic leather cleaner solution for free as a result of COVID-19 I'm sure
That's a good selection. Their brushes (the ones that look like shoe brushes) are worth having for the foam cleaners as you can really work at the leather to get dirt out, but they don't scratch. You can get them from Amazon or Obsessed Garage rather than having to place another international order if you didn't get one.

Don't forget to give the steering wheel a good scrub and then treatment with protector and shield too. You'll be amazed at how much better you can make it look. The shield will help protect against skin oils.

Once you get through the kit and figure out your maintenance I'd recommend ordering the big 1L bottles next time, so you can just decant them into the foam bottles and you'll be set for a long, long time.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Speednlux View Post
Could you send a link to the order page? Was this directly through them or another vendor ?
The best way to order is from the UK. You can get free shipping if you're ordering enough product, but otherwise it's not too expensive and only takes a couple of days to arrive.

https://www.colourlock.com/?___store=usa
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      06-09-2020, 03:26 PM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by plm View Post
That's a good selection. Their brushes (the ones that look like shoe brushes) are worth having for the foam cleaners as you can really work at the leather to get dirt out, but they don't scratch. You can get them from Amazon or Obsessed Garage rather than having to place another international order if you didn't get one.

Don't forget to give the steering wheel a good scrub and then treatment with protector and shield too. You'll be amazed at how much better you can make it look. The shield will help protect against skin oils.

Once you get through the kit and figure out your maintenance I'd recommend ordering the big 1L bottles next time, so you can just decant them into the foam bottles and you'll be set for a long, long time.
Appreciate the advice on this!

I am definitely planning to give the steering wheel special treatment as that obviously absorbs the most oil/dirt from the hands. Wasn't sure if I should do shield on it afterwards but based on your recommendation and giving it more thought it definitely makes sense.
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