Hello,

I just picked up an 02 430, and would like to preserve the leather, as I’ve seen some of these seats really dry rot. Any recommendations on your leather routine so that I can fully moisturize / preserve these seats?

 

I'm partial to Griot's Leather Care. Been using it for 20 years and my seats are still as supple and flexible as new. Leaves the car smelling like a new baseball glove or shoe store. I apply it liberally on a hot day usually 3-4 times a year - just slather it on with my bare hands - and the little ventilation pores allow it to soak in behind the leather to actually reach it. Mine are the ivory 'dyed' leather which really means it has a tinted polyurethane finish painted over the actual leather but the little holes allow it to soak in from behind. Griot's Leather Care is like a thick yellowish lotion. If you don't wipe it off before it dries it does leave the seats kind of...well not really sticky, but not slippery, so you don't just slide into them like normal. So I keep a bottle of Meguire's leather cleaner spray that I use after letting the Griot's soak all day to remove that leftover film. I don't think I've ever seen these brown seats before so maybe they aren't dyed but natural saddle leather? If so the Griot's should soak right into them.

 

leatherique works quite well. my car is parked outside which presumably has accelerated drying out the leather despite tints and heat shields. ended up soaking up a ton of the rejuvenator oil. left the seats extremely soft with a matte finish. more intensive than the typical wipe-off leather cleaner though.

 

Reviews on this are great, I got some of this for my car and my sons car but haven’t used it yet. Like nvwls said, it’s more intensive, needs to sit for 24hrs or so in the heat.

 

Isn't it a bad thing to get all the leather cleaner product into the ventilation holes? Clogs them?

 

Well I can't speak for Leatherique (although I have thought about trying it before) but the Griots actually gets absorbed into the leather and doesn't leave anything in the holes. After 20 years of use the perforated holes in my 2003 are still clean and clear.

 

Nice Ultra Luxury edition with Bordeaux and Cherry Wood! Those seats are already a little gone so I don't know how to advise you on restoration, but no over-the-counter product is going to restore those to new, but they can still look and feel great. I use Lexol, but I know Griot's, use to live near the company, and like @nvwls said, Leatherique is good but more intensive. The upside of a UL is you have Napa leather upgrade, which is more genuine and softer, but the downside is it needs more care.
My 04 is the regular semi-Aniline, which is nice and easier care, but not as soft. I literally conversed with Lexus and all they could recommend is wiping it down with a 10% Woolite solution. I still treat it once in while.
As for the perf holes, I would say squeeze your rag more and rub a little more. That will thin it and work it in to where you won't clog holes. Sounds like @thellmer and @nvwls have the process down so consult with them on technique.

 

I was a little worried about their condition. I know I can’t make them new, but I very much want to save them and avoid any cracking. It’s a shame how they were neglected.

 

Do you all consider these seats too far gone to be saved?

This is an interesting vehicle. Single owner, but not great service records. Garage kept, but not necessarily loved. Needs the major maintenance items taken care of. I don’t mind doing that, but I really want to make sure I can save/restore the leather for many years of service before overhauling the mechanicals.

 

I think they will look and feel a world different after a good saturation and soaking in of either Griot's or Leatherique - perhaps repeated monthly for a few months until they have really soaked it all in. Post some after pics once you do it!

 

Not completely new, but I agree with @thellmer , if you stay vigilant, maybe even more than monthly, for a little while, you may see amazing results and then you could just go into maintenance mode. You made a good point in that there are no obvious cracks; the interior honestly just looks dehydrated. If you commit, please do post pics back here in about 3 months. I would love to see what you could do. That is a very rare interior.

 

What exterior colour will allow you to spec that interior colour?

 

I too have used Lexol over the years as the leather conditioner of choice. I restored a 60 Mercedes 220SE Convertible many years ago and soaked the original red leather seats with Lexol over a course of a few weeks. It actually helped revive the thick leather so that the seats could then be redyed. . Is Lexol still used by shops anymore?

 

Not as fancy as you guys but I just wiped down my seats with Meguiars Gold Class leather cleaner.

 

Black Cherry Pearl. Needless to say… this car has lots of red.