jpcdmd

I can't be the first one to have this happen. Significant tear in the perforated leather on my driver's seat. What is the most appropriate way to fix this properly? One guy told me to have an upholstery shop replace the leather, then have him dye it if the color didnt match. I'm not too keen on "dyed leather" - the only dye jobs i've seen weren't actually dye jobs, they looked like someone rattle-canned the leather. It looked sprayed-on and it looked like crap.

I would prefer new factory leather but worry about the cost. Any other solutions?

2lucky

Geez, it's painful to look at that picture.
There's an enormous difference in the quality of work from various trim shops.
Most local automobile restoration businesses could tell you who the real craftsman are.
That color/patina may be tough to match. I'd be inclined to get at least a couple of opinions.

Jabberwock

Call a couple of Lexus used car departments in your local area. Ask for the used car sales manager - tell him about your torn seat and ask him who they use to fix their leather. These guys deal with restoring damaged leather seats on a ongoing basis for their used and CPO cars, so I'd take it to who ever they use.

V8_Fan

You have have your dealer replace the leather cover. It's attached by hog rings from the back & bottom.

LS430inDE.

This isn't a solution, rather--a question. Curious---how did that happen?

jpcdmd

Well the car has almost 150K miles on it, so the leather has gotten a little stretched and worn. I think it ripped from a metal button on the back pocket of my jeans, but I'm not sure. I just noticed it one evening when I was getting into the car. If the flap is laid flat it is not very noticeable if you're not specifically looking for it.

jpcdmd

Yikes. Got a quote from Bell Lexus in Phoenix for the lower seat cover.

$1119.00

DDLexus

These don't look much better, but for $200, it might be an option
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2001-...ht_1766wt_3841

Jabberwock

$1119 wow that's expensive for a seat bottom cover. I wonder what a whole seat would cost? 10K? Crazy. I'd take it to some independents - I had a seat cover bottom replaced a few years ago for less than $100 but it was not leather.

AlexusAnja

OVER $1K for just a leather cover ?!?!?!?! Ugh....

It's true, the sum of the parts of a car do add up to more than the whole. I figure an LS430 in parts is probably worth $100K, while whole thing used is only $25K..

Since the color is close, how about using magic puddy, heard that stuff is strong enough to hold up to an elephant...

But seriously, since the new route at dealer is not really price worthy (unless you think $1K is a good price), then I'd go with used on ebay or through a junk yard. The only thing is, not many LS430 in junkyards right now (not many LS400 for that matter), so that might be a hard route too.

Anyway, good luck finding a good solution. Wasn't there some "leather patching" thing they had back in the '70s. It was some sort of puddy or something, you brushed it on, put a piece of heating paper or something. Then you ironed it and the rip "magically disappeared" and although it went on three shades darker than the surrounding leather, once ironed it was a PERFECT MATCH. Wonder if something like that might work here.

usermel

WOW, over $1,000 is sky high. I have seatcovers on my front seats and the backseat has been rode in maybe 50 times max in 9 years! Very sorry it happened to you i know its very aggravating. Has to be an idependent that can do a repair for cheaper instead of full leather seat cover. Then the other seats wont match as well. Has to be a place in Arizona that can repair the tear for less than $500 or even less!!!L.G.N.M

Jabberwock

I am sure you can find a big city leather and upholstery shop that can patch or repair that seat for a lot less than $1000. I'd call a few more Lexus or Toyota dealers and ask if they will give you the name of a leather repair person that they use for their used cars. The guy Sewell Lexus in Dallas uses is a magician with leather but I think he is in house.
You might also check to see if you can order the part online and get an upholstery shop to install it - that may be less expensive way to go.

rcpeters

Just to lighten up this thread a little, I had a torn leather bottom seat cover on a Jaguar I once owned. Same problem with the cost of factory covers or prices charged by upholstery shops.

Here is what I did: I bought the original leather for about $200. (sold by the square inch) from an upholstery supplier. Took off the torn cover, went on a weekend cruise from Los Angeles to Baja California ports. Had a day at Ensenada, took the old cover and material to a shop, came back in the afternoon and picked up a new cover. I think the labor was about 50 bucks. Looked exactly like the original. It helps if you can speak Spanish.

I was taking the cruise anyway, just took advantage of that trip to get my seat cover made. Oh, by the way, although the leather matched, my new cover looked newer than the passenger seat bottom. That is the disadvantage. However, the new seat bottom exactly matched the seat back of the driver's seat.