i'm first owner, and i can tell the second boots were not as good quality as first. No I did not clean them like you did, but obviously you doing something right, but you only did that after 100K. I don't have any air bags on this car. Your ideas are good to put on protectors on this rubber. There is this silicone lubricant used in swimming pools at 6 bucks a tube, designed for chlorine and salt. Maybe we should lather this on it too.