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Looks great. However, this method may not work for ventilated seats because the liquid will likely clog the holes. I wonder if the leather protectors recommended in the detailing forums actually degrade the artificial top coating faster???
Yeah, it would appear that it would clog the holes. I was just commenting on the work that was done in regards to the refinishing..
It clogged very few holes and I painted the rear half of the ventilated center section. Just keep some toothpicks nearby when painting on the new finish so you can attack those clogged holes while the stuff is wet. Like spray painting, the way to a good finish with the foam brush on these seats is several lighter coats with ample drying time in between.
I only put 48k miles on my 2010 RX350 before the lease was up, but the leather seemed to be in brand new condition, save for some creasing. I'm almost 300 lbs and I parked the car outside in NY summers and winters, so the car experienced 20* to 110* interior temps. That car had the Luxury Package with Parchment semi-analine leather. I'm surprised that the leather would have started to deteriorate in the next 40k miles.
I think that is a higher grade of leather. My 2011 HS250h has the semi-aniline, also in Parchment and it appears a little better quality than the regular Parchment in my RX350
You can read through here on the other models, through the MB forums, BMW forums, and yes even the Corvette forums like mine and find folk tickled to death and some on a rant. There isn't one where everyone is perfectly happy. If you buy from a dealer (new) and something is wrong it should be apparent during the initial warranty period. Work with the dealer to fix it. If you buy used from a 'reputable' dealer you should be able to get things fixed prior to delivery. Other than that there is normal wear & tear always.
Let's keep this a help and assist thread and not a rant or we'll (us bad bad mods) will have to shut it down. Nothing different here than any other respected luxury model.
Originally Posted by RX469
With all the variations of these 21 posts, is there a leather expert that can give us an objective professional analysis of Lexus leather? Edited by mod
I know this is an old thread but which kit did you use for the below? Is it just the dye or did you actually use the filler, etc?
I have a similar issue although not as bad as the example in the pictures and I was thinking of just buying the Leather Renew dye but not the whole kit as I don't really have any actual holes and didn't think the "bondo" part was needed but maybe I should for any excess wear or creases that could be worn through the outer layer.
I plan to order today so any input would be greatly appreciated!!
Originally Posted by vince22
hey clutchless,
after no response from lexus headquarters, finally had time today to repair my 2010 semi-aniline front seats, im pretty satisfied with leatherrenew repair kit, need to unclog a few holes though.
heres before photos with driver and passenger seats.
Old threads never die. I am still disappointed with the "leather" on this Lexus. In reading older posts, I did bring the car to a Lexus dealer and even had Lexus Canada look at the leather. Both parties labeled the condition as normal wear. But, when asked what is the criteria for "normal" I received no answer. My guess is "normal" meant they all look like that.
When comparing it to other "luxury" cars, I compare it to my 1995 Camry leather interior with 350,000 KM which has no cracks in the leather.
I think I used the filler for a couple of cracks on the side bolsters, but would never use it on the ventilated section. Just follow their instructions and it will turn out just like the photos!
What is true with Lexus, as with just about every manufacturer, is that the leather used today is thinner and less desirable than ever before. Also no two leather hides are identical. Some pieces are better than others but regardless of the hide quality, if you paint it, apply a topcoat and imprint a grain pattern, it will look good for a while. I can state that the leather in my first RX330, a 2004, was much nicer than that in my 2014 RX350.
IME, what we have today is lesser quality leather than we had a decade past. Is it good enough? In general, I'd say yes, it is good enough and in most cases it will last the life of the vehicle given reasonable care.
Is faux leather any better? Its too soon to tell but it may well be a better choice given it is a more uniform material that is not prone to maintaining proper hydration. Each piece should be nearly identical whereas real leather may have areas of underlying weakness prone to creasing or hidden blemishes or scars. Uncertain how heat and cold will leave this product after a few years and it is possible as this material ages it will be a huge fail.
I wouldn't say that I'm disappointed in my 2014 leather but it is clearly a step down from my older 2004 leather. I seldom keep a vehicle for a long time so for me its good enough if it will maintain it's appearance for 5 - 10 years. I will likely consider NuLuxe in my next vehicle.
10-27-14, 08:23 AM
