Here are some before and after shots of my new 2nd gen interior.

Well, I have been poking around at the thing for a week or so, a couple hours here and there. I'm not done yet, going to detail the steering wheel area when I pull it to replace the clock spring. Otherwise I'm mostly done with it for now, or at least good enough, I wasn't trying to get it to new but also didn't want to be driving around in a petri dish. If anybody has any questions feel free to ask away. I don't use any chemicals for cleaning anything ever, only baking soda, Seventh Gen unscented dish soap, and vinegar, not really sure if chemicals would have gotten things better as I've never used them.

 

That taco has been through some stuff...

 

I should hope they all have or they'd be minivans parked in the mall while mommy helps Madison and Cody Build a Bear

 

Trucks cost too much to treat them like shit. But I guess if you are made of money, go for it.

Was a construction worker and ranch hand. Just sold my work truck for $3,000 over market value because it was a 15 year old truck in pristine condition (no longer do that work).

Could never do that to a vehicle. Work truck or not.

I can't disrespect anything that takes years of hard work to earn.

 

Time costs too much to value trucks and money over it, you wake up and you do what you love and enjoy in life, you do what you're passionate about. If your passion is protecting your truck from getting a scratch or dirty I think that's awesome and it's great you are doing what you're passionate about. I'm passionate about exploring the world and myself so there's no way I would own any tool only to deny myself the pleasure of using it the way I saw fit. Imagine that mentality with a gun, hammer, grill, or anything else meant to be used. At the end of the day, it's something mechanical or electrical (or an accident) that's going to make it cost prohibitive to continue driving our trucks. Just like I have no plans to die rich, I have no plans on totaling out a pristine truck.

Some people love washing and waxing your ride, buffing it, keeping it looking new, maintaining the resale, staring at it with pride after they've washed it, not driving it through trees and bushes or drinking coffees without tops while you hustle out the door to go fishing. In your case it was worth the extra $3.85 a week you got when you sold it to be meticulous like that but for me I don't view tossing that $0.55 a day as being made of money, I view it as getting $0.55 in use out of something and that's all a moot point if something else damages the truck despite your best efforts to protect it. You're going to make somebody happy as hell when they buy it from you!

 

So you just assume that because the interior and exterior of my truck is clean, I don't "use" it? I love getting my truck out on the trails and romping through stuff as much as the next guy, but I have a lucrative job for which I frequently drive around with several of my hospital's executives... I don't think they would appreciate getting in a truck with an interior as disgusting as that

 

I'm understanding a post I made on i8mud much better now. Originally I posted there as it was my go to back when I owned Cruisers but I got very limited responses. Times have changed a lot, there's a new generation who have different priorities and view the world (and things) very differently. I guess many of you only have one car and other peoples opinions to worry about so you have to conform to that. It was like this for me with rock climbing too, when I needed a rope and chalk bag I just hacked up a pair of old jeans and used a leg for the rope and a back pocket for chalk. The current generation wouldn't think of that and learned to climb in a gym, after taking a class.

I find it interesting that you're all so focused on what it looked like with the previous owner versus the improvement or what it looks like now. Maybe that's a mentality thing, generational thing, upbringing, I don't know and it doesn't matter, I just think it's curious as my brain would see the improvement and focus on that versus how the prior owner used it. I've always been a fain of hail damage, buying totaled vehicles and rebuilding them, having body panels that don't match and things like that. But I've also never had a payment on a vehicle and don't much care what people think about my ride.

You guys are certainly superior at many things though I'll give you that.

 

I was actually impressed at what a dramatic improvement that had been made in the interior. Especially without the use of said chemicals. Sometimes it's just good old fashioned elbow grease thats needed to get things done. I take pride in my vehicles and keeping them clean hell I even enjoy it. As a bodyman and painter for damn near 30 years it's kinda a job hazard I guess. I detail vehicles on the side at times and can't believe the state they're usually in when I get them the pride I find is making the interiors and exteriors look as good as possible and seeing how pleased the people are to get them back that way. It's just the realization I took something that looked like poop and made it newish again.

 

This is one of my favorite things in the world actually. I've done it with vintage audio gear, telescopes, cars, pretty much anything you can think of. I don't eat or drink in my ride so other than some desert dust my stuff is fine but I also don't wash it a lot (I live down dirt roads) and I'm not afraid of dents and scratches.

 

I agree you did a great job.

I hate to nit pick, but your cleaning agents are chemicals, and are pretty much the same thing as soap and water.

About the only differences is there are no perfumes added to you cleaners.

I do the same and save tons of money not buying cleaners with fancy names.

 

What did you do with your drivers seat? Mine isn't dirty, but it has some holes, albeit not quite as bad as yours. There are a couple parts yards that will sell a seat in better shape for $175 that will need cleaning afterwards, but I'm curious to hear what you did with yours.

 

I don't mind picking nits, you're correct, I guess I was speaking more in terms of VOCs and such but was technically incorrect. Have you tried 30% vinegar? I've heard it does wonders, I'm really curious to try it.

Drivers seat, basically I pulled the seat covers off, wasn't super tough, there's a guide on here someplace that was very helpful. I made a baking soda paste and scrubbed them with that, then washed them. I patched in the denim and actually like it a lot, I wish I'd had the time and energy to do it in a more matching kind of way. I also switched the bottom foam pieces around as well as the actual covers (top and bottom). This left the more worn parts (previously outside of drivers side seat) on the inside of the passenger side and the least worn on the outside of the drivers side (highest wear/traffic area). For the area where the foam was missing, I could have done a much better job but I just hot glued a piece of sponge to keep the form and shape since it really wasn't going to get much wear.

 

Vinegar is an acid. It cleans very well on certain things.

Don't use it in the washing machine. The rubber used in washing machines is not acid resistant. Basic, or higher pH cleaning agents are fine for washing machines.

Good topic. Easy to get side tracked from your original thread topic.

Again, great job on "Operation Deep Clean".

 

It looks much better now. I'm still highly concerned about the use of the pressure washer though.

I think it's funny too you mention the exorbinant amount of time people put into keeping their trucks clean but how much time did this take you? I would have just told my dad tough shit but I'm not touching the truck. I'd also never purchase a vehicle in that condition. Would not be shocked based on the way the interior was treated, he forgoed changing the oil for 30k.

Hate to brake it to you, but you are one of us. You piss away a lot of time on making your truck pretty too.

Welcome to the club!

 

I will add this, I understand living down a dirt rd is very discouraging as to keeping a clean vehicle. Yes, it's a truck and if used so and not a city or mall cruiser it's going to get bumps, scrapes, and bruises. As a paint and body guy I will suggest it is at least occasionally washed and waxed as regular maintenance. I'm assuming you keep your engine serviced? The paint and body needs to be serviced as well at least to maintain the life of it. Whether you care about it's appearance or not is your personal ideal but to aid in keeping the structure of your vehicle healthy it deserves maintenance as well. If you live in an area where we get snow and the roads are salted whenever the snow is cleared and the salt is gone give the underside a good powerwashing as well it will pay you dividends in the long run. After every snow storm and every off roading trip I put on my rain suit and climb under it with the power washer and have at it. If you live in a community that doesn't afford this opportunity or an appartment make a trip to your local spray wash and give it a good bath. Bird poop is another thing clean it off the paint as soon as you can as it contains acid which can burn the paint. Again, I'm not suggesting anyone needs to keep their vehicle detailed to the 9's but the body and chassis does need some love if you want it to last longer.

 

The Mr. Clean eraser sponges work wonders on the fabric as well. IDk what's in them but they clean really well

 

Oh no, here we go again with the previous owner stuff!

I never did use the power washer on the seats, I ended up taking them apart and I mentioned that a couple times but it was easy to miss. You would have bought the truck for $5,000 and that's where my time investment was actually. I don't really mess my cars, just a lot of dust here in southern Arizona and old mail and stuff but I don't make them dirty. I would say I spend maybe 2 hours a year on the inside and outside of my car cleaning and stuff. I spent I'm guessing 10-14 hours cleaning the Tacoma so I could not feel grossed out in it. I should wax more though and have no excuse for not as I have professional equipment.

As for maintenance, that's actually a large of of why I bought this truck, I did much of it for my dad so I know it's had Mobile 1 every 5k or less from day one, I know it's had Royal Purple in the diffs, the brake fluid, trans fluid has all been replaced and anything that I didn't do was dealer serviced. He also had the extended on it so there was a lot of little stuff that was done by the dealer like replacing the compass when it went out, a clock spring (bad again, horn doesn't work) and the list goes on. I'm also SUPER judgmental about tires, the second I see somebody running Kuhmo, Hankook or some other crap tire I assume if they're cheap on those where else are they cheap. This thing came with new LTX M/S2 and before that were the Terra Grapplers and before that Geolanders. Like I said, I've been there from day one on this thing.

Thanks for the welcome, it's an expensive club to be in but not nearly as bad as my Land Cruiser days.

Thanks, I'm in the desert so little rain or rust, more bee poop than bird poop actually. I agree with everything you're saying though, the outside needs love and I tend to forget about that in general. Maybe toss some wax on once every 5 years and have to wax all three of my rides now in fact. Should be some good before and afters if I ever actually get around to it.

 

That wasn't meant entirely for you. I just wanted to express the importance of exterior maintenance as well. Look for a good wax offering UV protection

 

If you really want to be lazy use a sealer not wax. Wax lasts maybe 4-6 weeks, a good sealer lasts 6-12 months (provided you do handwash only and use PH balanced soaps that wont strip it). Lay it once before summer and once before winter and youll be golden.

 

It's not really pissing away time , for some it can be therapeutic , relaxing and gratifying . The finished product of a nice clean truck makes you feel good . I know what your saying thou

@OP Good job cleaning up your interior