Well, that pretty much says it all. Car in question is a 1991 745 that has apparently spent most of its life in a garage. Any suggestions?

+1 for 303 Aerospace protectant, you can find it usually in boat supply shops.

Even a cover won't work. The vinyl gets old, dry, and starts to shrink. You can slow down the process by applying lanolyn or other skin oils to slow down the drying process.
Or, when it is cracked, take it to an upholstery shop and have them replace the vinyl with something much thicker and with better glue.

Klaus
--
1975 164 w/174,800mi (Sold) 1995 850T w/91,000mi, 1998 V70R w/129,000mi

To keep it from cracking, place the entire car in a large freezer, away from sun and kept at around 32 degrees F. Do not remove. Otherwise, use a dash cover and a sunscreen on the windshield.

Jesus, you're the second to the last one. Mine is the last, it is not cracked.

92 940, has yet to see Arizona.

I'd put a dash mat over it. Because its gonna crack.
-------------------
Chris Herbst
Scottsdale, AZ

Mine is not cracked either. 89 760.
Seems like I read that once you got past a certain year the dash was made of better stuff and would not crack as easily.
--
' Of all bad men religious bad men are the worst. '' (C S Lewis ; on Evil Men) 89 764 (158K), '94 940T (240K), 85 245 (219K)

A previous owner with a deep, dark garage and a fat wallet will keep a '91 dash minty nice for a long time! Worked for us! :)

-Ryan
--

Athens, Ohio
1990 245 DL 133k M47, Cibié E-codes
1991 745 GL 290k (Girlfriend-mobile)
Buckeye Volvo Club

Hi there,

Don't know about 700 dashes, but I pulled an uncracked one from a 240 and hung it from the rafters in the basement. Still, it cracked.


--
Art Benstein near Baltimore

When an actress saw her first strands of gray hair she thought she'd dye.

A very long time ago I owned a 1976 VW Dasher. The dash cracked badly by the early 80s. I pulled a nice used dash, of the wrong color, to install. It had two small cracks in it. I took the dash to a friend's upholstery shop and had it painted with the vinyl paint used to change upholstery colors.

The two small cracks never progressed. The vinyl paint evidently sealed and preserved the dash. Many years after the dash replacement, I was rear ended, and the car totaled. I always marveled at how the dash stayed in such nice shape.

The next nice dash you pull, clean it, and paint it with the vinyl (plastic?) paint used on vinyl upholstery.
--
john

Hi John,

There's an excellent idea. The cracks are still small, so I could try it on that one. Then, I know just where to use it this summer.
--
Art Benstein near Baltimore

Blowing out another's candle will not make yours shine brighter.

DON'T put Amorall on it! Only drive at night and keep a dash cover on it.

I'm already doing my best by parking in the shade

:-P

As I'm sure you know, sun is dashboard-enemy #1. So when you must park it in the sun, use a sun shade.

jp

303 Aerospace Protectant
www.303-products.com
--
69-145-S ; 71-145-S ; 72-145-E ; 72-1800-ES ; 87-245-DL