Video on the pro's & cons of alcantara....
3 mins 50 in discusses wear.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aebUNgMhQV4&feature=push-u&attr_tag=_Sl5INjwroVwtYtM-6
( I don't think anyone has told him the gorilla is not real, probably for the best? )
Thanks, the video answers the question, basically expect the steering wheel to wear quickly.
However I did give it a clean tonight based on the auto finesse video, and using the AF product and I have noticed it looks a lot better. When I bought the car it had done 2200miles so I assummed it couldn't have been that dirty however the red alcantara part at the top of the wheel never looked very bright. It almost looked like some of the grey had dyed it a little. I was wrong, a little clean and it has come up bright red again so this shows how dirty the wheel got.
My advice to anyone doing it is just to be patient and be gentle. Before I used the cleaner, although it doesn't say to do it, I gently brushed the wheel first just to see if the piles would fluff up. They didn't but I did see a lot of dust (dead skin I guess). I then cleaned it using very little cleaner and just been out to see how it has dried and it looks and feels much better. There is only 1 small part I think I'll give another go.
So I guess even though the car was used by the manager, the sponge monkeys and techs were not that bothered about clean hands when working on it.