Neofate

iTrader: (1)

Heh, I don't think these pictures look even close to amazing. But it is amazing in person, especially when you sit in the seats, or feel them. The pictures look almost like it did before, imho. Though in person it doesn't.

But, nonetheless -- Thanks you guys.

Also, post in both eyezack.. I do -- obviously.. I like to get the most comments and suggestions (and spread the word/report) to as many people as possible.

Given its a Lexus it belongs here,.. but given its a detail process it definitely belongs on Autopia as well.

I'm finding myself visiting Autopia at least as much as CL now -- (Has more users active I think)

19psi

good write up, your seats look great. even before, they look much better than most 1LS's.

Lexucan

Great work Neo !
And yeah, maybe you inhaled too many Leatherique fumes while "massaging" your seats and it softened your brain too! ...lol...(of course they don't mention that part on the product label.)

Karyl

Hmm... have you tried Furniture Clinic's Grison Re-Coloring balm. It could bring color back to faded leather and can make worn leather look like new.







__________________
Leave sooner, drive slower, live longer
-Leather Dye Guide- | -Leather Furniture Dye-

Neofate

iTrader: (1)

Heh, thanks -- And my brain is already soft,.. The leatherique didn't help any

Neofate

iTrader: (1)

Interesting. I don't have that many spots I consider worn down.. Considering the age of the car the leather is in quite excellent condition. 230,000 Miles it certainly doesn't look it. This recondition 'test' of sorts was just an experiment more than something that was bothering me with my leather. I have several 'spots' I could use something like you mentioned if it helps with worn areas that have cracking and such.

I would purchase it if it really does what you claim, which is? What exactly will it do?

My leather, if faded, is uniform . There aren't faded spots then unfaded spots that I need to take care of,.. But worn spots, sure we all have those on older vehicles.

any links, and thoughts if this would be something I would be happy with?

PushinLEX

iTrader: (9)

Great Job Neo. I admire your detailing dedication!

SeattleGS400

iTrader: (1)

Personally, if I had uniformly lightly faded seats, I wouldn't mess with it. Just keep it conditioned and in like new conditionas possible. Re-staining could be opening up a large can of worms. Leatherique does offer restaining kits--they'll also do custom matching. I'm not quite there.

Anyways, after waiting for shipping from South Carolina, I finally got my 32oz bottles of Rejuvenator Oil (looks like maple syrup) and Pristine Clean (looks like whole milk or creamer) (again $72.81 shipped ground). Once the weather warms up, I'll give my seats a shot (and will post images--although they probably won't do as much justice as in-person, "how they feel" comparisons. I'll report back after a proper test of the products in my 1999 GS400 with black leather seats (including a good 90 degree day or so to soak the seats in product)--hopefully in the next few weeks. To be continued...

SeattleGS400

iTrader: (1)

My car: 1999 Lexus GS400
Color leather: Black

Previous Leather Products used: Lexus Leather Cleaner and Leather Conditioner (my previous favorite); past use, but not a real big fan due to either smell or lack of effectiveness in really "conditioning" (they just seem to make the leather a transient darker color for what I felt was minimal conditioning): Lexol, Meguiar's, and Eagle.

What: Based on what others have said on Club Lexus and Autopia.org regarding how effective Leatherique works to re-conditioning and restore the suppleness of leather, I thought it would be a worthwhile experiment (albeit a $72 one). I figured the other leather condioners were merely minimal softeners, at best, and more likely leather "maintainers". As a car ages and is exposed the elements (i.e. parked outside all day, the leather loses its moisturizers and can harden). At work, I often park my car outside which acclerates the leather aging, and I needed something more robust to recondition to my satisfaction, hence the trial of Leatherique.

Leatherique Description: http://www.leatherique.com/serv02.htm
Ordering site: http://leatherique.org/SearchResult.aspx?CategoryID=10

Of note, I bought the 32oz bottles of Rejuventor Oil (heavy duty leather conditioning) and a 32oz. bottle of Prisitine Clean (a leather cleaner with some conditioning; used to take off Rejuvenator Oil, and for general leather maintenance) for combo special of $55, with ground shipping, about $72 total. Leatherique mentions that the LRO should be applied 2-4x a year for maximum effectiveness. Most users have said that you should really try to get a day that's 90 degrees out, for maximum effectiveness. If it's a little colder, cover the seats in a garbage bag (after LRO application), and use a hair dryer to work the LRO into the seats).

PROCESS AND INITIAL IMPRESSIONS
I finally got around to attempting the initial application of Leatherique Rejuventor Oil today. I vacuumed up my car, then, I got a clean old toothbrush and brushed the seams, and stitches around the leather trim to get excess dirt out of it (Dirt is the bane of leather and can prematurely wear out your seats, so get it al out!). Next, I wiped every leather panel down with a clean terry cloth towel (microfiber would be ideal though) dipped in dilute (10:1 water/woolite mix) to clean up the leather.

Once the leather was dried, I liberally applied the Leatherique Rejuventor oil by hand to every leather panel (be very careful to not spill it on your carpeting as it can stain it). If you are potentially allergic, use a medical exam glove over your hands when applying the Leatherique. I did the leather head rests separately and sealed them in a plastic bag to sit outside. Although the instructions say to apply 4 oz per seat, by the time I got done I probably used about 4 oz. total--maybe I wasn't liberal enough... I applied by hand each surface twice. I put a 33 gal clear garbage bag around the vertical portion of the front seats to create 'steamroom effect.'

Right now the car is sitting outside in the sun--it's about upper 60's, and I don't think it's hot enough for it work optimally. I will have repeat this once it gets much warmer or try the hairdryer trick later today or tomorrow. Nonetheless, my initial impressions so far:

1. The leather immediately soaked up Leatherique Rejuvenator Oil (LRO).
2. By the time I got around to applying the second coat to the rear seat backs (the side closest to the back windshield, where it gets lots of sun exposure, and probably my driest leather (some wrinkling/shrinkage was evident and it was starting the process of turning to cardboard), I noticed that they were significantly softer. It wasn't just a semi-hard piece of leather, but pliable again (subjectively, about 33% softer). I surmise that if I let the sun work in the LRO, this will soften up nicely.
3. The Leatherique turns to a haze in about 15 minutes (on some portions of leather panel). Per Leatherique, this haze is the dirt, grime, air pollution, and perspiration salts being lifted out of the leather seats. The haze is rather tacky and sticky.
4. I applied JRO to the door panel leather, and it didn't quite soak in as expected. Either the door panels are vinyl or maybe that I once applied Armor All to it a long time ago (yikes--I know, I know), and the silicon in Armor All might have sealed up the leather, so LRO can't get in.
5. My leather seems a half shade darker upon application--a good thing, and not exactly unexpected. Makes the leather appear newer.
6. Some of the driver's side bottom seat folds in leather (think creases) are relaxed and aren't as prominent.

I'll put some Pristine Clean to get the LRO off on Sunday (or Monday), and will report later. So far, the initial impressions are very favorable. I don't have pics, as pictures cant' convey softness of the leather.

Anticipated Instructions for Pristine Clean: Spray onto the LRO-applied leather, let sit for a few minutes, then wipe off. Wipe off leather with clean terry cloth towel (or microfiber) that has been dippedin water and ringed dry. With a new cloth, I'll buff the leather to a dull shine. To be continued...

SeattleGS400

iTrader: (1)

Update: Looks like more sections of my seats are hazing up. Nonetheless, to get things moving along, I decided to place my Vornada VH2 Vortex fan inside my car. I put the rheostat setting around 85-90 degrees (auto shutoff). Why am I using this fan? It has a temperature setting autoshutoff, and also, it will shut off if it's tipped over (i.e. while I'm sleeping).

I moved my driver's seat as far forward as I could, placed a medium sized box on the driver's side rear floor, and put the fan on top of the box and aimed the fan towards the other rear door. My driver's side rear window was lowered a little--enough to get the power cord out--to minimize heat loss. I'll leave the fan on overnight. The car's cabin will be warm and cozy for the LRO to work into the leather fibers, so I can clean it up with Pristine Clean and use my car again tomorrow afternoon.

If it's not going to be 90 outside (as it was around 60 today), why not make it 90 inside the car instead?

BTW, Neofate, how much softer would you say that your leather is post Leatherique treatment? By your estimation, where does Leatherique rate among leather conditioners that you've used?

cpcc

Its an awesome product.

SeattleGS400

iTrader: (1)

This morning, I left the clear 33 gallon garbage bags (40 gall bags would work fine) on the front seat vertical seatbacks, and placed a garbage bag around each of the lower, flat front seat cushions. It was around 70 today, and I let the seats bake out in the sun.

As for sun exposure vs. temperature, temperature is the most important factor, as it allows the LRO to work into the leather fibers. Direct sunlight can potentially damage the leather (UV exposure, and it can cook up the seats a very hot temperature)--ideally, a hot, cloudy day would be best conditions for applying LRO product.

I applied a 5th coat of LRO today when the sun was starting to come out in the late morning (I've probably used about 7oz of LRO product so far), and that was when I decided to let the product sit on my seats covered for another day. The back seats are uncovered (too hard to completely cover with garbage bags)--I may consider removing the rear seats from the car and covering them next time I do this, depending on the outcome of this initial application. Alternatively, I may place a garbage bag cut in 1/2 and place it along the top edge of the rear seats (rear parcel shelf leather) to help seal in the heat and create the "steam room" effect for that area--probably my best option at this point.

My updated impressions after 28hrs of LRO sitting on my seats (a couple of hours of afternoon sun, 1 night with thermostat space heater inside the car (in cabin temp was maybe 85 degrees), and 1 full day outside in sunny 70 degree heat): The front seats feel MUCH softer than what I can remember in a long time (this is from sitting on top of the garbage-bag covered seats)--SIGNIFICANTLY softer than any other product I've used so far. The front seat head rests literally feel like new. The back parcel shelf (where I had the most dry leather) seems about 50% softer--when the sun comes out again I may have to massage the LRO in a bit better, but so far the leather conditioniing has been better than any other leather conditioner product I've use to date. The back parcel shelf leather is probably the most hardest hit area of any car in regards to drying out. This is one location, if my car was new, that I'd spend more time conditioning to prevent the drying of leather (and it's also part of what I'm going to cover up tomorrow with garbage bads).

Like Neofate, I'll take off the LRO with Pristine Clean, clean cotton towels, and a bucket of clean, warm water for rinsing the towels, on Monday after another day in near 70 degree heat--I want the 7 oz. of applied LRO to fully soak in (2 full days outside may be overkill--who knows, it can't hurt). You'll need to buy a cheap spray bottle to apply the Pristine Clean (I bought some from Fred Meyer for $2.50 for a 8oz. spray bottle)--the Leatherique company should have provided you a sprayer for what you pay....