...since it was assembled in Japan in July of 1996 (for 1997 model year).

And it already has a crack in the dash.

I have no idea when it actually cracked, and I didn't notice it about 2 weeks ago when I was stripping some shitty tint off the front windows and cleaned the inside and outside of the windshield (and I usually look 'down' at the dash when I dust it off).

I've frequently used my Sun Shield, especially when I'm at work from 9-5 and it's summer time and temps are probably 110-120 inside when I get off work. I've never used Armor All, as that stuff will just cause it to crack faster if you don't keep up with it regularly, I use a wet rag to rid it of dust usually once a week or so when I wash the car.

This sucks, but oh well, I guess it's almost inevitable with a black dash and the material it's made out of. Luckily, unlike S13 owners, the percentage of non-cracked S14 dashes is still small I hope, so finding a new dash down the road won't be too hard. That means when I go to sell it, it's another thing to replace to keep the value

 

yup.

 

Come look at my dash. You'll feel TONS better. Mine looks like it's about to explode.

 

thats why i always use a sun shade!! the dash in my 86 corolla isn't cracked. the key is to keep the sun off it. my 90 240sx has no cracks either.

 

LOL bill, l3@rn 2 R3@d!!

 

Thanks slash. but that doesnt mean i've used it every time, and have no idea whether the first owner armor all'ed it or used a sunshade for the first 57,000 miles she had it. oh well long as it doesnt get too much bigger i'll be okay, but down the road i'll replace it.

 

Fret not, I had a mint dash I actually swapped in. I Vinylex'd it religiously (better than armorall) and out of the blue it just started to crack. I park in a parking garage and always put up the sun shade. I don't get it.

 

well think about it... in the summer in the shade in a parking garage, its still like 90 degrees.. when you turn your AC on, and 45 degree air is flowing through the dash, thats a huge change in temperature. and your putting that sort of stress on the dash every time you turn the car and AC on.... up north or in japan its not as big of a deal cause the temp differences arent 45 degrees... Makes a lil sense to me at least...

Maybe its just inevitable for the S13, time for aftermarket dashes.

 

Hahah, like my a/c worked then.

I keep the windows cracked (when it isn't raining and is secure enough to do so) while parked, ect. Over a period of a week, the mint dash I had formed a crack that now looks grand canyonish. Time to cover that bish in suede.

 

ok well i guess i forgot to metion that i park in the shade all the time so that might help keep the heat out of the car to begin with. Living in florida your whole life teaches you the tricks of keeping your car cool. 5% tint all the way around helps too.