The glare from the sun on my '02 Accord EX-V6's dashboard is a killer at times. The local dealer says that Honda doesn't have dash covers; that I'd have to go aftermarket. (Strange) So, what's the best one to get? Anyone have any experience with this? All input appreciated. Thanks.
Thus spake Albert on 12/18/2003 12:20 PM: Dash glare, eh? In my years working at a body shop/detail shop, I can tell you that Armour-All and the like are the worst culprits for causing this. If you recently bought the car used, this is probably the cause. MOST (not all, but most) dealerships love that stuff for reasons not clear to me. To remove it, simply spray your dash with window cleaner (not 409 or Fantasic or whatever, that might discolor it), and wipe it dry with a soft rag. Later, rinse, repeat until all traces are gone. Looks better without that crap, IMHO. Can't help you there, sorry. -moitz-
I'm in Arizona, so dash mats are sold at almost every car dealer, car parts store, and even Wal-mart. Material: It's either polyester indoor-outdoor carpeting, which lasts 20-30 years, easily, or velvet, which starts to disintegrate into powder in 1-2 years and its foam backing harden and crumble. Coverage: The worst mats hide only the top of the dash, leaving the vertical part in front of the passenger side bare. Don't believe anybody who says that this is done for the passenger side airbag because the better mats have a flap for it. Seams: The worst mats are made from a large piece of material simply cut out to fit the contours, leaving big gaps where the dash abruptly changes shape, such as on the sides of the instrument cluster. The second-worst mats have big zig-zag seams that look cheap, while the better mats are either neatly sewn (almost invisible) or are seamless and molded to match the shape of the dash. Color: Darker means less reflection from the windshield at sunrise and sunset, and I found that anything lighter than medium grey can give annoying reflections, although the lightest dash mat causes much less glare than even the darkest, dullest dash. Since even the best looking dash mat makes a car look dorkier, why not choose safety and comfort over appearance? My last mat was chocolate brown for this reason. If there are no mats in stock for your particular car, be careful when ordering because they tend to be custom made and may not be returnable (definitely not if you have it monogrammed). I learned that you have to ask about exactly how much of the dash will be covered and how every seam will look like, and it's not enough to take the sales person's word but better to talk with the factory. Many factories are local and will sell directly to the public, usually for slightly more than what other dealers charge, and they can make a mat in as little as ten minutes, while you wait. Many mats include glue or velcro stick-on pads, but don't use them because I've heard of chunks tearing out of old dashboards when a vehicle inspector tries to lift the mat to check for the VIN. Just tuck the mat at the front, between the dash and the bottom of the windshield. Any lumpiness in the mat will go away as heat smooths it out, but it can help to leave heavy objects on it every night for a few days. Don't forget to apply vinyl preservative to the dash before covering it with the mat because the mat doesn't completely eliminate the need for such protection. I've had the best luck with DashMat and Dash Saver (Covercraft). I returned the mat I ordered from Wal-mart because it covered only the top, but they may use different manufacturers, depending on region.
larrymoecurly, Thanks for your informative post! I just ordered a DashMat online, based on your recommendation. Happy Holidays-
The 96 Accords are not any better. I think I got the Dashmat from Shucks auto parts...about $50 but the glare on the windshield was so bad when I first got the car the $50 was definitely worth it. It has a flap for the passenger side airbag to deploy.
