When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
That was a bad repair (cover-up?) job. Looks like someone attempted to fix a wear problem. Take it back to Lexus and ask if this is covered by your CPO warranty. If it is not, I'd look for a replacement skin for that seat at a salvage yard or see a leather restoration specialist in your area.
That was a bad repair (cover-up?) job. Looks like someone attempted to fix a wear problem. Take it back to Lexus and ask if this is covered by your CPO warranty. If it is not, I'd look for a replacement skin for that seat at a salvage yard or see a leather restoration specialist in your area.
Thanks for your advice!
I visited Lexus today and 2 of the 3 areas will be entirely replaced with new leather! They didn't think the 3rd area needed to be replaced, but they agreed to revisit my concern if the leather further changes in condition in reasonable time. This wasn't the greatest experience, but I'm thankful they are standing behind their CPO warranty!
After reading through the entire thread, I decided to go with Leather Master. I was using lexol and now I realized it better off spending a little more to get the desire results. I have never done a deep clean with my leather and I've had the car for 4 years. I got the following items below. I also applied the solutions in the order listed.
My center console was probably the dirtiest spot in the car from years of sand volleyball. Here are before and after pictures. Hopefully you can tell which is the before and after and I hope this can help others decide on what to get.
^Gotta try Leather Masters when I clean my leather seats. Since I have black interior, it hasn't been neccessary. Does anyone know how well they protect from cracking?
^Gotta try Leather Masters when I clean my leather seats. Since I have black interior, it hasn't been neccessary. Does anyone know how well they protect from cracking?
The LM Protector doesn't prevent cracking. Cracking is caused by improper hydration, temperature variability and stretching. Leather that is allowed to dry out, shrinks, turns hard and is then prone to cracking. Leather swells when hydrated and shrinks when it dries. When properly hydrated,the leather fibers plump up and the leather feels soft and supple. When dry, the fibers shrink and the leather is hard and unyielding.
Automotive leather is subject to extreme temperatures, easily reaching 160°F on a hot summer day in the sun to as low as -20° or -30°F in the coldest winter in some areas. Leather swells when it is heated and shrinks and hardens when it is cold, making it prone to cracking. The temperature also plays with the hydration levels of the leather.
Leather also undergoes stretching and creasing from body weight applied while sitting on it.
To minimize creasing and cracking, keep your leather properly hydrated. This will reduce the shrinking/swelling cycles. I'm often asked, "Since our leather is coated with a urethane paint to prevent it from absorbing stains and spills, how do I keep it properly hydrated?"
Coated leather absorbs moisture through a process of transpiration. When you wipe down the leather with a wrung out towel, the water film left on the leather surface raises the relative humidity around the leather and this is absorbed by the leather at a molecular level.
The best approach to take in keeping your leather looking good for as long as possible is to weekly vacuum and wipe it down with a wrung out towel. Every few months, do a careful deep cleaning with a leather detergent like LM Leather Cleaner or diluted Woolite (20 parts water to 1 part Woolite). Follow the cleaning with a wrung out towel wipedown to remove all traces of detergent and let dry. When dry, apply a water-based fluorocarbon protector to prevent dye transfer stains and to minimize wear of the topcoat. (I use LM Protection Cream)
Where possible minimize the leathers exposure to extreme temperature variations. Use a sunshade and/or park in a covered garage on the hottest summer days and keep your car in a garage at night during the coldest winter evenings.
Properly cared for, your leather should last 20-30 years, albeit, not without developing some character creases but no cracks should be evident.
Sorry to say. No matter what I tried or used to keep my leather soft and looking good in my 92 sc400 it didn't work. They still got hard, cracked , and ripped. But my mothers 97 es300 leather is still very soft no cracks .
After reading through the entire thread, I decided to go with Leather Master. I was using lexol and now I realized it better off spending a little more to get the desire results. I have never done a deep clean with my leather and I've had the car for 4 years. I got the following items below. I also applied the solutions in the order listed.
My center console was probably the dirtiest spot in the car from years of sand volleyball. Here are before and after pictures. Hopefully you can tell which is the before and after and I hope this can help others decide on what to get.
great results, im gonna have to do this to my cars as well.
I've a 2004 LS430 Ultra Luxury Saddle interior. There's a lot of different surfaces, the gray roof (alcantra?) the Black leather on the doors, center console and glovebox, and the saddle color door inserts and seats.
What cleaners/conditioners should I use? Also how do you keep these from plugging up the perforated seats?
Also someone previously armoralled the dash- the reflection on the front windshield is rather bad- any way to safely tone down this without resulting in ruining the finish- or has the glossy armorall already removed any chance of this dash being returned to normal?
Can I use the same cleaners for the leather in a 2006 GX470? (Gray leather)
This car is "new to me" since October- bought it looking great and want to keep it that way.
Thanks for your help.
I've a 2004 LS430 Ultra Luxury Saddle interior. There's a lot of different surfaces, the gray roof (alcantra?) the Black leather on the doors, center console and glovebox, and the saddle color door inserts and seats.
What cleaners/conditioners should I use? Also how do you keep these from plugging up the perforated seats?
Also someone previously armoralled the dash- the reflection on the front windshield is rather bad- any way to safely tone down this without resulting in ruining the finish- or has the glossy armorall already removed any chance of this dash being returned to normal?
Can I use the same cleaners for the leather in a 2006 GX470? (Gray leather)
This car is "new to me" since October- bought it looking great and want to keep it that way.
Thanks for your help.
I just tried the leather master kit on my seats (perforated) and since the cleaner and conditioner are water based you don't have to worry to much about clogging the holes. Just use as directed by applying it first to a sponge. Then to the seat.
As for the dash I use meguiars quick interior detailer cleaner. It is not oily and leaves the dash clean and looking like new.
06-30-14, 05:06 AM
