Kluger Dashmat - pic's

[fish475]

Guys and Gals,

I finally got off me backside two weeks back and ordered the dashmat.

It's the "Sunland Brand" by the Haigh peoples in Queensland.

They claim to be the original people in the game and the best etc, etc Blah, Blah.

at www.dashmats.com.au

There worth $50 at Autobarn etc, but I choose to pay $53 at my local auto dealer who has the half a red Cadillic car as his counter who provides better service & advice, whilst has a genuine chat.

Yep, I'm happy with the lowest priced accessory purchase so far, being the dashmat.

Thought I would post two pictures for anyone thinking of getting one.

The part number is from the Sunland is T7801 Kluger 8/07 to current. Edit; two color choices and this one is black.

They come with some velcro stick ons, but I really won't need them and prefer not to.

Park the vehicle in the sun and ensure the mat is exactly where you want it to be and with the orig moulded shape, along with further heat and she pretty much is gona stay kaput there after.

Edited February 4, 2009 by fish475

[holmesie]

Looks great mate - thanks for the pics & part no.s

I'm going to order one myself B)

[slow_sam]

I have one also. Have to say, not keen on the velcro strips. My one looks the same, but does does slide just a little up and down.

[Colonel]

Why get a dash mat? The windshield blocks 99% of UV rays anyway so the dash is protected, especially if you garage your car. I was thinking of getting a dash mat but then thought it's just dead weight.

[Mikeyboy]

If you use a vinyl protectant on your dash and a reflector on your windscreen when parked in the sun, you shouldn't need a dash mat. I thought dash mats were only really for when your dash is already cracked and you want to hide it.

It's a bit like seat covers. You're protecting the car for the next owner and you never get to enjoy it yourself.

[clivia kluger]

Interesting point mikeyboy.

I was looking at the dash today and it looked a bit dry. I wondered if you could Armorall the dash ?

Has anyone else tried it ?

I am always concerned about protecting the dash as it spends all of its time in the sun( depending of course if it is garaged), I have nearly always had dashmats on my other cars except for the last commodore which I always kept armoralled up !

Cheers

Gary

[PC XT]

One way to turn your modern car into a 1970's model, each to there own

[Eargunk]

My dad had one on his holden and it shrunk, does this happen to all mats or was it just a cheap one, IMO i like the mat, gives that clean feeling, or feeling of lying on the rug

[fish475]

I plan on keeping this tow vehicle till I retire (9Yrs), then update to a vehicle that's got 3,000 tow capacity for a nomad tour.

She sits out in the sun at work and in Albury/Wodonga that one long very hot inland summer.

So to me its cheap dash protection and I believe it doesn't turn back the clock 30yrs in appearance.

Jump into the Prado forums and you will read about some serious dash splitting on some curved surfaces there. But that had nothing to do with me getting one.

For me, it's gona do the job I've asked and paid for and any minor dashglare in certain conditions has gone.

I've used the matt/low gloss Armoural designed for new cars to reduce glare on the dash and believe that using this product is far better than doing nothing at all.

I use it quite often on my boats Bimini vinyl top. Although that is stored under cover in a big shed.

Note; Never ever get tempted toapply it to a hot surface or to a surface in the sun. I did that may years ago to an XF Falcon and did unrepairable damage to that dark grey colored dashboard.

[clivia kluger]

Yeh,

Don't know about the 70's look ? I for one don't look at it that way, basically just trying to protect the car. I am using bar towels at the moment, and whilst they look pretty good ! IMHO. I will probably get a dashmat at some point.

As mentoned GArry I have seen the older cars with split dashes and they just look like crap. That is why I have always tried to protect it.

Anyway I would like to hear more on this.

Cheers

[Colonel]

If you do have to park in the sun a bit you should just get one of those flat folding windscreen reflectors. They fit pretty nicely beside the driver's seat and only take 10s to put up. Protects the dash and keeps the car cooler. Do dashes warp and crack because of UV? I suspect it's just because of repeated exposure to heat. In which case a dash mat wouldn't be as good protection as a windscreen reflector anyway.

[Mikeyboy]

Interesting point mikeyboy.

I was looking at the dash today and it looked a bit dry. I wondered if you could Armorall the dash ?

Has anyone else tried it ?

I am always concerned about protecting the dash as it spends all of its time in the sun( depending of course if it is garaged), I have nearly always had dashmats on my other cars except for the last commodore which I always kept armoralled up !

Cheers

Gary

I used to use armorall back 20 years ago.

These days I use Autoglym vinyl and rubber care. It smells better than most of the others and you can control how much gloss you end up with.

It also stops the white marks you seem to get in the Kluger when you touch the dash and door trims.

[slow_sam]

The 70's look will go with the 70's music I play.

I think there are some places that have a much hotter/brighter sun. WA and inland NSW for two. I lived in Melbourne for over 10 years and never had sun glasses, now in Perth I need them most of the time. The UV index used in WA has a different scale rating to Vic. for a start.

[Kesawi]

After owing several vehicles with black plastic dashboards I've noticed that after sitting in the sun for a while they become extremely hot and radiate a lot of heat. Despite running the airconditioning the radiated heat can be unconfortable, not to mention increased a/c usuage. Does having the dash mat deal with this problem or do they still radiate a lot of heat?

[PC XT]

I agree with reducing the heat of the dash board and protecting it but I just dont like carpet as the result.....its seem cheap and takie, but if works who am I to judge my dad used them on his sigma and intergra in the 80's so there could be hope for me yet!

[Colonel]

After owing several vehicles with black plastic dashboards I've noticed that after sitting in the sun for a while they become extremely hot and radiate a lot of heat. Despite running the airconditioning the radiated heat can be unconfortable, not to mention increased a/c usuage. Does having the dash mat deal with this problem or do they still radiate a lot of heat?

Ideally, if you want to address the heat problem you'd have to get a light/bright colored dash mat. However there's a good reason dashes are usually black or grey. Bright colored mats make it harder to see. They can create glare and can reflect on the windscreen at night. So it's probably best in the end to just use a windscreen protector/reflector when the car is parked in the sun. Perhaps a dark colored dash mat would protect the dash a bit but it's still going to create heat.

Edited February 6, 2009 by Colonel

[Colonel]

After owing several vehicles with black plastic dashboards I've noticed that after sitting in the sun for a while they become extremely hot and radiate a lot of heat. Despite running the airconditioning the radiated heat can be unconfortable, not to mention increased a/c usuage. Does having the dash mat deal with this problem or do they still radiate a lot of heat?

Ideally, if you want to address the heat problem you'd have to get a light/bright colored dash mat. However there's a reason dashes are usually black or grey. Bright colored mats make it harder to see. They can create glare and can cause reflections on the inside of the windscreen at night.

Edited February 6, 2009 by Colonel

[Kruzenvax]

So to me its cheap dash protection and I believe it doesn't turn back the clock 30yrs in appearance.

+1.

[fish475]

Great comments guys and the topic is certainly generating the thoughts of ownship of one or not.

Remember, the Freddie has a one big mother of a dash.

I do have the large sized fold out screen protector that I use for extended parks. ie at work.

But things are still darn hot under the silver/blue fold up.

My misses has a mat on her falcon and it's just doing a fine job over the yrs, so me gets one too.

I too play the 1970's to 80's High School Reunion songs via me Star Trekish i-pod gadget as well on longer trips than to work. Had a good ol chuckal at that associated post by Slow Sam. Maybe the Shirlie's "Living in the Seventies" gets the airtime tomorrow morning on me Sat morning shopping trip. "lol"

The info that comes with it, says that due to a lower radiant heat under the mat versus not having one. Assits with the air conditioning performance due to the four outlets feeding from under the dash. With temp's up here at over 40 and 44 tomorrow, its damn to hard to tell either way. Because it's Bl##dy hot day after day.

Edited February 6, 2009 by fish475

[Colonel]

Well for those who do get one I recommend getting some fluffy dice to go with it.

[fish475]

When your driving a larger vehicle, the thought doesn't enter the mind.

But driving a Corolla maybe a fluffy dice is what the misses may request.

Joke off Buddy.

Edit: Mods, may as well lock this topic before it derails either by another poster or myself.

Edited February 6, 2009 by fish475

[Northy]

Well for those who do get one I recommend getting some fluffy dice to go with it.

I would suggest that with your current friendship making skills that you should keep away from the Kluger guys unless you have something constructive to add.