303 Aerospace protectant question

[buster]

"303® Aerospace Protectant™ is a water-based proprietary formula that contains no petroleum distillates, alcohol, mineral oil or harmful silicone oils."

303

Matte finish with no oily and greasy residue
Keeps treated surfaces looking new
Prevents fading and cracking
Restores lost color and luster
Powerful UV blockers
Anti-Static, repels smudges, dust, soiling and staining
Easy to use, simply spray on and wipe dry
Safe and effective for vinyl, clear vinyl, gel-coat, fiberglass, carbon fiber, synthetic/natural rubber, plastics and finished leather

Steps on cleaning engine per 303:
How to use 303 on engine

 

[JHZR2]

Silicone oils. Not necessarily silicone polymers...

Originally Posted By: qwertydude
All of the thin milky protectants are just a PDMS (silicone) solution that is the active ingredient nothing else. Hence why as far as ingredients go none other are listed in the MSDS.

Some add scents, some add extra surfactant, and some add lots of water. Some being more than others. Armor all is about 20-30% PDMS, leading to high shine if applied directly to plastics but I will say heavy applications will protect more. The much vaunted Aerospace 303 if you read the MSDS is between 1-5% PDMS, the rest is water. So you're paying $16 for 16 ounces of a product that's 95-99% water. I'll buy the 16 ounce Armor All for $5 and water it down 5 to 1 and have more than half a gallon of protectant equal to Aerospace 303.

But the active ingredient is PDMS, that's the actual protectant that does all the UV protection. Aerospace 303 isn't anything special, what they've managed to do is convince people to pay a lot of money for essentially watered down Armor All. I'm not making this up either.

http://www.crossfireforum.org/forum/detail-shop/25914-303-protectant-vs-armor-all.html

There's a guy, Mike-in-Orange, who actually works for Meguiars. And he also pretty much confirms all the plastic protectants are just silicone emulsions. PDMS dissolved in water.

Mineral oil on top of being greasy does not provide UV protection, it's just a light oil composed of hydrocarbons. In fact it likely makes UV absorption worse. It's actually used in tanning salons because the thin layer of oil reflects light back in and enhances tanning because it doesn't absorb the UV.

Silicon by nature absorbs the UV. You don't need to add other types of UV protectant because it's the silicone that does the UV protection. You can buy 100% silicone spray, electricians use it to protect electrical equipment from UV too and is also used by people to protect rubber seals, same as your everyday protectants like Armor All.

So my suggestion is simply get Armor All and water it down 5 to 1, you'll get the protection of Aerospace 303 and it'll really stretch it out to be more economical than even mineral oil. And will actually protect plastics, mineral oil won't.


http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/3421640/Vinyl_and_Rubber_Protectant_-_

http://www.crossfireforum.org/forum/detail-shop/25914-303-protectant-vs-armor-all.html

 

[buster]

Good info! thanks!

 

[buster]

The 303 has dried very nicely on the interior and engine bay. It's been a damp week. Leaves a very nice finish behind and in the engine bay it appears to repel water/dirt/dust better than the Sonus.

I'm sure I could dilute Armor All, and that's something maybe one day I'd consider, but $15 isn't breaking the bank for something that will last me a good 2 or more months and is already in the proper diluted ratio.

The Meguiars guy did say the 303 is a great product.

 

[demarpaint]

I haven't driven my Jeep since I applied the 303, but it dried in very nicely and the finish is very slick to the touch. It looks and feels like it should repel dirt and dust nicely. I hope it lasts.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: buster
The 303 has dried very nicely on the interior and engine bay. It's been a damp week. Leaves a very nice finish behind and in the engine bay it appears to repel water/dirt/dust better than the Sonus.

I'm sure I could dilute Armor All, and that's something maybe one day I'd consider, but $15 isn't breaking the bank for something that will last me a good 2 or more months and is already in the proper diluted ratio.

The Meguiars guy did say the 303 is a great product.


Yeah Im not sure Id do that either.

My primary interest is in UV protection for cars parked in direct sun at work in the summer...

Ill have to try 303 on mine when the rain ends...

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Originally Posted By: buster
The 303 has dried very nicely on the interior and engine bay. It's been a damp week. Leaves a very nice finish behind and in the engine bay it appears to repel water/dirt/dust better than the Sonus.

I'm sure I could dilute Armor All, and that's something maybe one day I'd consider, but $15 isn't breaking the bank for something that will last me a good 2 or more months and is already in the proper diluted ratio.

The Meguiars guy did say the 303 is a great product.


Yeah Im not sure Id do that either.

My primary interest is in UV protection for cars parked in direct sun at work in the summer...

Ill have to try 303 on mine when the rain ends...


I really don't think it's as simple as cutting Armor All with 5 parts of water to get 303. I'll let someone else do it. I'm very pleased with my results, and I've used 303 enough times on interiors to know it lasts. Time will tell about the engine compartment, I'm very optimistic though.

 

[buster]

I agree.

 

[Tempest]

VERY good information in those threads!

To the best of my understand, 303 is the only one that say it will not air dry and that dry wiping it will actually improve bonding with the surface. Maybe something is different?

303 seems to stand up quite well except to chemical attack. Even mild cleaners will remove it.

A damp rag or even a microfiber duster is all I've used on mine since applying 2 coats of 303 and it still looks great.

Meguiars D156 (or similar) spray wax would be another option that should be more durable. I've used this on my soft touch dash as 303 had more shine than I wanted.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: Tempest


Meguiars D156 (or similar) spray wax would be another option that should be more durable. I've used this on my soft touch dash as 303 had more shine than I wanted.


Have you used it to detail an engine bay, w/o wiping it down? I was amazed how easy it was to spray the 303 on and walk away. A few hours later and less than a minute to wipe up the puddles the results looked fantastic. Time will tell how long it lasts but easy application is an understatement once things are clean.

 

[Tempest]

Originally Posted By: demarpaint

Have you used it to detail an engine bay, w/o wiping it down? I was amazed how easy it was to spray the 303 on and walk away. A few hours later and less than a minute to wipe up the puddles the results looked fantastic. Time will tell how long it lasts but easy application is an understatement once things are clean.


These water based products dry up in minutes here in the desert. Leaving things for hours doesn't happen.

I put D156 on the engine cover and wiped as usual. It doesn't give any "enhanced" look to it. Just flat.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: Tempest


These water based products dry up in minutes here in the desert. Leaving things for hours doesn't happen.

I put D156 on the engine cover and wiped as usual. It doesn't give any "enhanced" look to it. Just flat.


Thanks for the info. Good point on the desert, I didn't look at where you live. At the moment here it's cold, lousy rain, for days on end, with little breaks in between.

 

[007]

303 is the best stuff you can use for UV protection on cars and boats. However, it WILL wash off exterior surfaces as it is water based. That said it will NOT damage surfaces like other products. Its great for anything exposed to the sun like out west or in Florida! That's why many marinas recommend it!

 

[Gipple]

I soak my tires once a year with 303. The entire tire. Don’t wipe off. It soaks in and helps prevent dry rot.

 

[Geauxtiger]

What I like about 303 is 1) true mat finish...close to what the dash and other interior plastics looked like new from the manufacturer and 2) dries completely - no stickiness at all. Just for the fun of it, I tried some Chemical Guys dressing (pic below) recently. It looks and smells just like leather cleaners I have used in the past! Anyway, appplication and drying was on par with the 303. The only complaint I have about it is that it left a shinier finish on my dash. More semi-gloss than the desired mat-finish. I did read though that the amount of buffing after application effects the final gloss level, so I may need to experiment a bit.

 

[buster]

I've been using Meguiar's Quik Interior on all things plastic. I have even used some of the Si02 sprays on plastic trim as they repel water. 303 washes off quickly. While good for interior, it's not a true matte finish IMO. Has a very low, nice sheen.

 

[thastinger]

I have been using 303 on my 99 Miata's convertible top since I bought it used in 2001. My top is still in pretty good shape for being 17 years old. For much of that time the car has been outdoors in the intense Colorado sun. I did find that you need to use it sparingly. A little goes a long way. Use too much on a top and it will run/bleed in the rain.

Same on our vert top. I literally rolled it on with a paint roller the first time, got window streaks, now I just mist the top with it a couple times a year.

 

[Crash Bandicoot]

I’ve never had this issue, I have used 303 on and off for several years on Honda, Ford, and Nissan dashboards all different softness and material composition without issue. Either you got a bad bottle or a bad dash.

 

[Crash Bandicoot]

I've been using Meguiar's Quik Interior on all things plastic. I have even used some of the Si02 sprays on plastic trim as they repel water. 303 washes off quickly. While good for interior, it's not a true matte finish IMO. Has a very low, nice sheen.

I use diluted Carpro Perl for black plastics. Live in the desert and prior to that Houston. 303 was okay but it doesn’t last as long and is more expensive than Perl.

 

[WylieCoyote]

I've done 2 applications of 303 Fabric Guard on my Mustang's top. I spray a heavy coat on, and spread it around using a Ziplock bag over my hand. Works perfectly. Let if cure for a day, and it beads water when you hit it with a hose. Good stuff. Then hit all the plastic & rubber with the 303 Protectant, apply a paint sealer and the car's basically UV-proof.