# Professional Exterior and Interior Treatments **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [July 12, 2011, 12:17am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/professional-exterior-and-interior-treatments/66180 "2011-07-12T00:17:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SunnyAl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@SunnyAl](https://community.cartalk.com/u/SunnyAl)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2011, 12:17am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/professional-exterior-and-interior-treatments/66180/1 "2011-07-12T00:17:34Z")
Dear Readers, Do you recommend that I take my new 5-series BMW to a professional to apply protection products to the exterior and leather interior, or is the car sufficiently protected by the mfg processes? Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![mcparadise](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mcparadise/32/32_2.png) [@mcparadise](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mcparadise)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2011, 12:23am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/professional-exterior-and-interior-treatments/66180/2 "2011-07-12T00:23:45Z")
The car is sufficiently protected by the mfg process. Those things are a waste of money. A “professional” who will apply these products? That’s pretty funny. You’re talking about car wax and leather treatment, or, as it used to be called, saddle soap. It doesn’t take a professional to apply either one. ---
**Author:** ![SteveF](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/stevef/32/2_2.png) [@SteveF](https://community.cartalk.com/u/SteveF)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2011, 1:14am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/professional-exterior-and-interior-treatments/66180/3 "2011-07-12T01:14:32Z")
The car is sufficiently protected by the mfg process. Those things are a waste of money. Oh, wait. Did McP say that already? Well, you can take his word for it. ---
**Author:** ![JoeMario](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3bc359/32.png) [@JoeMario](https://community.cartalk.com/u/JoeMario)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2011, 2:08am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/professional-exterior-and-interior-treatments/66180/4 "2011-07-12T02:08:46Z")
You can do the same “protection” as the dealer will do - for a lot less. Get yourself a good wax and a few cans of Scotch-Guard fabric protector. For less than $30 and a few hours of elbow grease, you can duplicate what the dealer will charge you $$$$ for. Of course, you can expect the dealer to deny it’s the same protection. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2011, 2:45am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/professional-exterior-and-interior-treatments/66180/5 "2011-07-12T02:45:44Z")
I dunno about Scotchgard Tm on leather but wait a couple months and put a good wax on it or have it done, then every 6 months or so do the leather cleaning and conditioner and it’ll be fine. Main thing on leather is not to let it dry out so it cracks. ---
**Author:** ![JoeMario](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3bc359/32.png) [@JoeMario](https://community.cartalk.com/u/JoeMario)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2011, 2:54am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/professional-exterior-and-interior-treatments/66180/6 "2011-07-12T02:54:19Z")
Bing: Good catch! I missed the “leather” in the OP’s initial post. Thanks for catching that. ---
**Author:** ![SunnyAl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@SunnyAl](https://community.cartalk.com/u/SunnyAl)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2011, 3:40am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/professional-exterior-and-interior-treatments/66180/7 "2011-07-12T03:40:03Z")
Is the car carpet (venetian beige interior) “scotch-guarded” by the mfg? The carpets will get dirty easily. Any recommendations how to keep them clean? I was thinking about the mats offered by WeatherTech that advertises in all the car magazines. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2011, 3:55am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/professional-exterior-and-interior-treatments/66180/8 "2011-07-12T03:55:29Z")
I use the WeatherTech mats, I’m happy with them. Just make sure you anchor them correctly and don’t stack them on the factory mats, you don’t want a stuck throttle. ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2011, 5:05am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/professional-exterior-and-interior-treatments/66180/9 "2011-07-12T05:05:23Z")
For your seats, get Leatherique cleaner. It’s a little pricey, but it’s the best. You don’t need the 2 step stuff - that’s just for old leather that hasn’t been maintained properly. Rub it on yourself with a soft terry cloth every 6 months or so and call it good. No need to pay a pro to do it. ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2011, 12:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/professional-exterior-and-interior-treatments/66180/10 "2011-07-12T12:44:30Z")
The “Professional” is the high-school dropout who took the 20 minute on-line video course for his “Professional” certificate. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2011, 1:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/professional-exterior-and-interior-treatments/66180/11 "2011-07-12T13:43:25Z")
In most cases, that is true, Mike. Somehow, mastering the art (sarcasm intentional) of polishing a car doesn’t quite fit my definition of “professional”.