Keeping new leather seats from cracking

I plan on purchasing a new Lexus with leather seats. It has disturbed me to see so many pre-owned vehicles with leather seats (3-4 years old) with cracks in the leather I keep my cars for atleast 10 years and want to do my best to preserve the leather. There are so many products out there such as Lexol, Leatherique, Armor-all leather cleaner etc. Some are all-in-one products, some have seperate cleaner and conditioner. Please share your advice on keeping the leather seats in top condition. Which products? How often to treat? etc.

Reply to
piclistguy
Loading thread data ...

On 5 Nov 2006 15:56:23 -0800, snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com graced this newsgroup with:

autosport.com has an excellent leather cleaner and (separate) conditioner. Also, you can't go wrong with Lexol.

There's no excuse for cracked leather seats. That's just because the owner is plain lazy. It only takes a quick swipe with a decent cleaner and conditioner about every 3-4 months to keep the leather soft.

Reply to
amstaffs

Can't the dealer do that during their routine check sessions every 5000 miles? And you are right - Lexus leather does crack! There are some other brands which use thicker leather and it does not crack, but those are luxury cars.

Reply to
mcbrue

I've used several varieties of all in one cleaner and conditioner and my leather in my 99GT still looks fine as far as any cracking. It does show some abrasion in one small area, probably from cheap leather.

Reply to
Ashton Crusher

I agree.

No, it takes the MANUFACTURER using decent upholstry-grade leather, not cheap bonded leather junk like thay all do today.

Reply to
Steve

==============Leatherique Oil twice a year Prestine clean as needed for quicker light conditioning Leatherique is applied the reverse of most leather treatment products. The rejuvinating oil is allowed to soak in, lifting out impurities, followed by a light application of Prestine Clean, damp cloth and then buffing with dry cloth. Leaves no slick or glossy residue, deep cleans, conditions. Sun is hard on leather. I live in Southern California where the sun can get very hot, but I don't like tinited windows, so when parking I use sun shades, front, side and rear. I too have seen neglected leather destroyed by prolonged sun exposure. Leather stays like new.

Reply to
Daniel

On 6 Nov 2006 09:48:52 -0800, "Daniel" graced this newsgroup with:

sounds like a great product. Any recommendations where to get it?

tks

Reply to
amstaffs

On 5 Nov 2006 21:05:22 -0800, "mcbrue" graced this newsgroup with:

The absolute worst condition of leather I've ever seen was in a C280. The leather was so badly cracked that it made crunching sounds when I pressed on it with my hand.

And it doesn't have anything to do with the thickness of the leather. All leather is, is basically, skin. If you don't keep it protected it WILL dry and crack on you...and it certainly doesn't matter what hood emblem it happens to be resting behind.

If you don't want to take the effort to take care of the leather, don't buy a car that has it.

And you *don't* have 5,000 "routine checks" in a Lexus. Or, for that matter, any car.

Reply to
amstaffs

==========================LEATHERIQUE, 106 Englewood Road Aiken S.C. 29803, (877)395-3366

formatting link
BTW, last week Prestine Clean removed ink marks from a ball point pen poking out of the pocket of my teen age passenger. Took a lot of rubbing and several applications, but did remove it the next day, without harming the finish or color. Looks like some of the black dye from new clothes also rubbed off on the leather - removed that rather quickly. Leatherique is more costly than other products, but you probably only need to purchase once a year. Got their start rejuvinating cardboard hard leather in a classic Jaguar, details are on the web page.

Reply to
Daniel

I used those products on my 2003 ES300 with excellent results. The beige leather now looks like new.

Reply to
Bob

If you don't want it to crack, don't sit in it and don't put it in the sun.

Yes conditioning the leather routinely will help delay the wear and tear on the leather, but if you're looking for factory leather after 5 years of use, think again. If you don't ever sit in it, yes. You can't expect to keep it perfect for that long though, let alone 10 years. It is going to crack, just a truth you must accept. But definitely do the routine conditioning, this will keep the leather soft and supple and comfortable, as well as delay the onset of said cracks in the leather.

Reply to
NYLexSC

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.