Leather Care

[Steve Cochran]

I am a new own of a 95 red NSX. The first thing that needs to be done to the car is some leather care. The seats are very dry to the touch and need help. They have not started to crack that I can tell. What is the best product to use to get some softness back into the seats?

 

[coolnsx]

Steve if you visit search you will find lots of info about Zaino, Leatherque, Lexol and many other products both for maintanence and renovation of your leather. I have had great experience with Zaino's Leather products but the others will also have their supporters.

 

[DonDavis]

leather care

Steve, you might also want to check out the thread about the group buy for custom seat leather done at NW AutoLeather. Prices run about $650-800 depending on stitching, perforation, embroidering, etc. A search on leather will turn it up, I'm sure.

While not exactly stock original, most of those that got in on it were pretty happy.

Don

 

[ffffanman]

Maguires leather ready wipes!

My leather is in pretty good shape, so I just picked up one of those plastic bottles of Maguires leather wipes the other day.
One piece for each seat and one for the dash really helped things out. My seats are black. These would not work for worn or really dirty leather. Just to maintain what you have once you get yours really clean and conditioned.
Trev

 

[nsxsimon]

whatever you get, I would recommend a sep. cleaner from conditioner.. I personally use zaino's leather cleaner and leather conditioner

 

[spdntckt]

Griots also has a 'leather rejuvinator' product which works fairly well. you may want to try a few treatments of this
http://www.griotsgarage.com/catalog.jsp?&SKU=11141

 

[pt91]

Griots also has a 'leather rejuvinator' product which works fairly well. you may want to try a few treatments of this
http://www.griotsgarage.com/catalog.jsp?&SKU=11141

I have used this as well and agree it is decent. Be careful if you use it on the steering wheel. It creates a slippery surface even when buffed.

 

[Acura NsX Pilot]

Maybe I should make a new post but I hope this isnt too off topic of this thread.

Would you take care of your home leather furniture in the same way you take care of the leather in the car ?

 

[nsxtasy]

I use Zymol Treat leather conditioner. It contains beef collagen, the same stuff that Mother Nature puts into leather to make it soft and supple.

Would you take care of your home leather furniture in the same way you take care of the leather in the car ?

Basically, yes.

 

[NSX 3.0]

I use Zymol Treat leather conditioner. It contains beef collagen, the same stuff that Mother Nature puts into leather to make it soft and supple.

Basically, yes.

I second that Ken I ran out of Zaino Leather cleaner and conditioner and picked up some Zymol and it works great. I thought my seats were clean took a white cotton towel used the cleaner and man the towel turned brown with dirt. Applied the conditioner and the seats are super soft and new looking again.

 

[Brian2by2]

Im drawing a blank right now, but I have a product on my one of my trucks that is for extremely dry leather. It's a 3 day process that you rub it on generously (after cleaning of course) and then you wrap the seats in a plastic bag to prevent stuff from settling on it and to keep the air in and prevent the product from drying too much. After three days, you wipe it off and the seats are like BRAND new....

God I wish I could remember the name...I'll check on Monday when I get a chance.

 

[D'Ecosse]

sounds like leatherique .........

 

[Steve Cochran]

Thanks for all the great advise...I am going to try Zymol Treat. I will let you know how it goes.

 

[foxy-abby]

Steve,
Please let us know how the Zymol worked out for you. I am a new owner as well, and I would like to treat my seats also. Mine seem to be in great shape, but I want to keep them that way.
Anyone else out there tried the Meguiar's wipes? Everyone likes easy, but do they actually work? Thanks.
Jesse

 

[NSXLNT]

Isn't there some type of "sealer" on the factory leather that renders these conditioners useless, or at least, not as effective?
Bailey, any of these products will work great on furniture. Just check it on an inconspicuous spot first. I've always had great success with Lexol products. These may darken light-colored leather slightly, and never use on suede.

 

[svalleynsx]

Re: Maguires leather ready wipes!

One piece for each seat and one for the dash really helped things out. Trev

I hope you're not using any on your dash. You probably already know it, but the dash is of a vinyl material, and not leather.

 

[Arshad]

I used meguiar's on my dash as well (is it that big a deal if you use the leather wipe on vinyl?). I wouldn't recommend it though because it leaves a very 'shiny' finish, and even though I put it on last year once, and I tried to buff it out, I still have a reflection in my windshield that is quite annoying.

 

[AcuraNSX]

I used Zymol Treat last weekend and all I can say is that it definitely improved on the dryness of the leather, the grayish black leather was restored more closely to the original onyx color. Is it the best leather product I have ever used? Can't say, this is the only one I have used on my recently purchased NSX. All I can say is I believe in the product! It doesn't use petroleum distillates as a base, it uses oils and collagen to help restore dryness. Is it an improvement over the old seats? Definitely, but will do another treatment to fully nourish the leather. I can say one thing, after buffing it with a terry cloth towel, it makes the leather look more naturally new than most other products that are still greasy after a final buffing!


All right, question for everyone. Where do I find out what in our cars is leather and what is vinyl? For example, I know the dash is vinyl, but what about the glove box and the arm rests, that is the driver's side, center rest, and passenger's side???????????

Any ideas?

Thanks and I hope my info helped

 

[coolnsx]

Leather or Vinyl

If you search the FAQ you will find that information.

 

[NSXNEV]

Folks-

I have used the Zymol products as well as the Griot's stuff, but I feel that the Lexol 2 step is the easiest to apply and gives great results. I even use it to treat the NSX luggage each year!

 

[nsx1164]

Isn't there some type of "sealer" on the factory leather that renders these conditioners useless, or at least, not as effective?

Yes there is a factory-applied sealer. AFAIK it does reduce, but not eliminate, the effectiveness of these products. The above products are all good.

I suspect it also helps remove the "leather smell" that I wish the NSX had in the first place

 

[JJCNSX]

baby oil?

Ok... i am willing to get lite up like a Christmas tree in June now..


Try baby oil... you will see. Many years ago, an article i read about skin care (i did it for my ex gf,,, damn it) it says, one of the best facial skin care product you can buy... is baby oil .... well, but unfortunately, no one believes it..


Few years later, when i first read about baby oil on leather seats from some auto detail expert of an auto magazine,.. I was skeptical.. Back then, I had a supra tt, and the leather on the shiftboot wrap are as dry as sandpaper.. So, I figure, I had nothing to loose, I gave it a try, applied oil on my hand, and rub the oil onto the dry leather. and it INSTANTLY soften my hand and the leather wrap.. From dry paper feel to normal leather feel.... So, I applied it again next day, it soften it even more.

This made a huge believer out of me, I then proceed to apply on the rest of my supra tt leather.. Then, on my mom's bmw,.. and now i just applied on my NSX.. it made a HUGE difference.

Granted, i also have Lexol cleaner & conditioner.. I am only planning on using it AFTER baby oil treatment.

try,.. it wont hurt.. only 99 cents a bottle.. if you dont like it, you can use it else where

-jjc.

 

[JJCNSX]

well, i just went on to apply an additional coat of Lexol conditioner onto my NSX (i had baby oil on last night) and my A4..

Somethings i noticed instantly are:

1). leather absorb baby-oil way faster than lexol
2). i had a cut finger, i had no problem with baby oil.. and when i applied lexol, it has this sting sensation to my cut..
3). it seems that babyoil soften the leather as much as lexol, if not MORE... (i think more.. but, maybe just me)
4). i prefer scent of baby oil than Lexol (smell like cheap plastic)

these are NOT scientific experiment.. just me

-jjc.

 

[Arshad]

That's crazy enough that I think I'm going to try it! What's the process with the baby oil? Just rub it in? Or do you need to let it sit in the sun for a day or anything like that?

EDIT: A quick google on "baby oil leather" gives a few different links all advising NOT to put baby oil on leather as it weakens the leather fibers. In the two instances I saw, one was referring to leather jackets and the other to a saddle I think. Comments? Any leather "experts" here?

 

[JJCNSX]

try, and please let us know what you think.

Please do NOT do it under the sun.. this is not sun-block lotion you know..

Do it in you garage..
procedure.. well.. i think i wipe the seat clean with clean water
let try
put babyoil on my hand... and apply on the seats
and slight press (rub) it..
let dry
and come back do the same in 15 min..
(do it liberally,, babyoil is cheap)

i normally let it dry overnight.. and wipe clean with clean terry towel.

whoa.. there you go

-jjc.

That's crazy enough that I think I'm going to try it! What's the process with the baby oil? Just rub it in? Or do you need to let it sit in the sun for a day or anything like that?