deanz

I'm on the waiting list for a Silver SC430 here in Atlanta and I had a question about the interior color options.

Does anyone have an opinion as to what color interior I should settle on?

The Ecru would be better in the direct sunlight (more reflective), but may get dirty much quicker.

The Saddle may hold up better to discoloration, but it would absorb more heat and it looks....well - different. It definitely does not look bad, just a lot of orange in that Saddle color, which you don't see too much in automobile interiors.

Which one do you think goes better with the Silver exterior?


Thanks in advance for your input.


Regards,


Dean

Christian

Go for the saddle. In germany the wood you get with the saddle leather looks alot better than the bright wood. I still would get a black one with saddle.

1NICESC430

I decided on black leather with my silver SC. In my opinion, it's the only color that goes with silver because of the intense contrast. But you know what opinions are worth.

Being in Atlanta, you would probably not want to scorch yourself on the black, but here in upstate New York, it's really not much of a problem.

Before I decided against getting a dark color exterior, I thought black/black, green/saddle, blue/ecru, would be very nice combos. In fact, those are the original three choices I gave my dealer.

I would probably salivate over Solo's car (but he'd kill me).

janet

In matters of taste there can be no argument.........

I chose the ecru because of the contrast and, well hey, i just like the cleaner look. But it's a practical matter as well, being in Houston. Antigeek says i'll have to recondition the leather more often than with other interior colors. Any recommendations on what products are best for that?

2SAVVY

For the leather I have been using Mother's Leather Conditioner and or Cleaner.. It works great and the Coco butter smell I frankly enjoy..
You can also look at Zaino's leather treatment too.. I didn't buy any yet but when the Mother's runs out I might try some..


Back to what interior colour that goes well with the Silver like 1NICESC430 said Black is the only one I think goes well with this colour with Ecru second and Saddle being my very last choice.. If I didn't have so much of a distain for Black cars the Saddle would be my #1 choice by far for that colour.. WJS's car will look HOT!!

antigeek

Wow. This is a tough one -- clearly up to taste alone.
Personally, in this case, I would choose the Ecru.
The saddle interior in my Midnight Pine is a great transition from the dark exterior to a bold interior. I would think it's too bold for the silver exterior.

Janet, your comment on that the Ecru will require more maintenance causes me to rethink my position -- a little. I _think_ that the Ecru will show more stains and discoloration, but the first sign of any stains may be a helpful indication to maintain the seats well. I'll have to keep more of an eye on time rather than looks on mine in order to keep them perfect. My experience comes from well-worn seats in my SC400 that slowly moved to smoothing and cracks over time, especially AFTER the summer, where a little sweat didn't help things.

I think the advice goes all-around: keep the leather clean, and condition it twice a year. Without past experience with leather, I'm still pretty sure that it'll keep them looking great for many years to come. I admit that I had the SC400 detailed only once a year, and it cost me some serious wear on the driver's arm rest and console, which I didn't think about. Keep 'em clean to elminate deterioration, and conditioned to reduce wear.

Thanks.
(BTW, I love this forum!)

WJSOLOMON

Pace yourself big Guy........Photo Opertunities don't start until Saturday @ 10:45 AM.

PS - Please don't drowl on my Saddle Leather.....

WJSOLOMON

From the different Models that I have seen, the Saddle Interior is a very bold Statement, and takes a pretty bold exterior color as a compliment, as does the darker Interior Wood decor.

Personally, from the Silver that I have seen, the Lighter Wood trim and the Lighter Leather lend themselves more to the Light Silver Exterior.

But to each eyes', their own definition of Beauty, Fashion, and their perferred Design Statment for this Automobile's Classic sculptured flow of it's Body Lines.

After all. it's AMERICA, dudes (and dudettes!).................

1NICESC430

Although I would probably still have purchased a silver/black, I sure wish I had been able to see a few of these SCs before I purchased mine. I have a hunch I would have fallen in love with a blue/ecru and allowed passion to overrule logic.

So far I've seen only two besides mine; another silver/black in the dealer's showroom, and a white one on his lot. I have yet to see one on the road - other than my own reflection in a storefront window (don't we ALL look?)

RodF

It's only a matter of opinion, but my choice is Ecru, because I prefer the "blond" look of the Maple to the Walnut wood interior. I would have gone with the saddle if it was a little less red and a little more tan, but again it's only a matter of personal preference. Word of caution on the Ecru - any smudges will show up clearly, so you have to keep it impeccably clean. But we all do that anyway, right?

deanz

Thank you everyone for your input on this difficult decision I need to make. I really appreciate your views and opinions....it's all been very positive and helpful.

I do have one other question on this issue....Has anyone seen a Sliver SC430 with a Saddle interior yet? If so, how did it look? If anyone has any knowledge of a picture of one - please let me know.

I only ask this because out of my current choices, it is the only one I haven't seen in person (or a even of picture) yet.

Thanks again.

WJSOLOMON

Dean - If you look closely at the Exterior Color Page in the current SC 430 Brochure printed in 2/01 for the 2002 Model, try letting your eyes look diagonally down about a 30 Degree Skew Angle (From close to 2:00 O'Clock down to 8:00 O'Clock) from the Upper Right Hand Corner of the "Millenium Silver Metallic" Paint Swatch, down through the "Saddle Leather" Swatch, and finally down to the Lower Left Hand Corner of the "Burled Walnut" Swatch. That's a Lot of Dark Colors for the Lighter Colored Silver Paint, compared to matching up the Lighter "Bird's-Eye Maple" / "Ecru Leather" / "Millenium Silver Metallic" Options.

Remember too that regardless of what Interior Leather Color you choose to finally go with, that the Car will come with the Lighter (pretty much the Same Color as Ecru Leather) Colored Head Liner and Winshield Pillers. The Dash and a large part of the Large Upper Door Panels are all in Black. There is a good picture on Page #25 of the Brochure, that does a very nice job of showing you how balenced and distuingiushed the Ecru Interior looks with the corresponding Birds's-Eye Maple Interior Wood.

Also, looking at the Silver Color on Pages #10 & #32 when the Hard Top is Up and In Place, you can see how Neat the entire Exterior looks when you have the Side and Rear Windows Tinted a Smokey Shade of Black.

Personally, the Ecru will show any dirt or smudges (DO NOT CLEAN YOUR WINDOWS WITH NEWSPAPER - it eventually gets smudged on the Ecru-Colored Visors and Head Liner, and takes a pretty strong Cleaner to remove it.)

( Remember - "THIS IS NOT YOUR UNCLE'S KIA!")

While the Ecru will Lighten up your New Car's Interior over the Black, there would be a Lot of Black that the Seats would tie in with, but those High Quality Leather Seats will soak up a lot more Heat, in the Warmer Weather months.

Hope that some of this Info can be of assistance for you, in making your Final Color / Leather Interior / Wood Trim Choices for your New Car. You can also "Design and Fashion" your proposed new SC 430 on LEXUS's Web Page: "lexus.com".

Good Luck, and let us hear how your Car's Choices finally turned out!

WJSOLOMON

[QUOTE]Originally posted by janet

"Antigeek says I'll have to recondition the leather more often than with other interior colors. Any recommendations on what products are best for that?"

Janet - Most Lexus Owners making Posts herein seem to lean very strongly towards the Two Very High Quality "ZAINO" Leather Cleaner & Conditioner Products: Z-9 "LEATHER SOFT SPRAY" CLEANER, and Z-10 "LEATHER IN A BOTTLE" TREATMENT AND CONDITIONER.

Personally, I prefer the ZAINO Products over the Coca-Butter Smelling Leather Conditioner from "MOTHERS", because it seems like that the ZAINO Products keep the original "Connally Leather" type Oil aroma enhanced, rather than try and mask over it with Mother's Coca-Butter aromas.

Try both, and see what works better on your Leather, in your part of the Country, and of course - which ever appeals more to your senses of signt, smell, and touch.

janet

I know you're in line for a silver SC430....but have to report seeing a model with Egyptian Sand Pearl/Ecru which "lives" at some lofts just down the street from me......absolutely stunning!!

I remember thinking "champagne" when i first saw it, but the actual color is far more luxuriant.

Deanz, i've still only seen the black interior on Silver models and it looks terrific, but can't offer a comment on alternatives.

Thanks for the recs on leather cleaners/conditioners. Will make note for when it's time.

The Dudette

DROD2045

how about some people post pics of their beautiful interiors