Thread Update...leather quality {PICS}

[gregk24]

I recently started a thread asking how everyone's leather was holding up, for comparison purposes. I purchased my 2012 Accord EX-L about 2 months ago and have noticed how the leather is creasing and wrinkling quicker than I expected. It is a 3 year old car so it obviously had some wear from the previous owner, I just don't know if this is excessive or not. We had a 1999 GMC Suburban and the leather had plenty of wrinkles, but it was about 12 years old before we traded it in, most of those years with kids crawling all over the seats...so that's to be expected I suppose. Some of you asked for pics so here they are! This is what the leather looks like right after a cleaning and conditioning treatment. Cleaned with a mixture of 15% or so of Woolite Delicate's in water, then conditioned with Lexol leather conditioner. As you can see in some of the pics, there are spots where the vinyl has either worn off, or has been scratched off. I saw a couple small cracks in the right passenger seat bolster also. Normal or not?

Drivers lower left seat bolster

Pressing on drivers seat

Sitting in drivers seat

Passengers right upper seat bolster, notice the small cracks

Small crack in rear seat

Overall the seats look decent, its just the creasing/wrinkling and the small cracking that worries me

 

[BRZED]

Looks like normal wear and tear to me. Nylon velours or Artico will remain pristine much longer, but they are manmade synthetics.

 

[wemay]

That looks normal Greg. Get a good leather cleaner/conditioner and wipe it down every now and then. Lots of good brands out there. I use Lexol or Mother VLR...

 

[JHZR2]

The small "crack" looks more like something ripped/punctured it slightly to be honest. The rest look normal to me.

 

[geekster]

^^^I've used the Lexol before and it's really good. I found another one that I like as much if not more and that's Leather Nova cleaner and conditioner. Works like the Lexol, I just like how my seats look, feel, and smell after the Nova better. I also use the Nova on my leather furniture.

 

[rshaw125]

The leather interiors in cheaper cars are not high quality. The leather in my Explorer is low grade. I Lexoled it regularly and it helped some.

 

[Mr Nice]

I prefer cloth to leather. I've used Lexol 25 years ago with great results.

 

[OVERKILL]

Creases and wrinkles are normal however some of that weird looking tearing and stuff makes the material look pretty thin

Here's the interior from my old M5:

The car would have been about 13 years old in this pic IIRC.

 

[Colt]

The leather in most vehicles today is coated and applying conditioners doesn't do much if anything because the conditioner can't penetrate the leather's coating.
I used to use a conditioner but now just go with Protectant 303 to protect against the sun’s harmful UV Rays.
If it makes you feel good to use a conditioner,continue to do so.

 

[WANG]

Motorcycle Consumer News did a comparison of leather conditioners a bunch of years back and Lexol was a top pick of the bunch that they tested. I was a mink oil man before that, not that you would want to use it on your seats, haha! So I'd keep on with periodic application of the conditioner of your choice and enjoy it. Then again, I have read before that automotive leather has a coating on it that doesn't allow the conditioner to reach the actual hide, so it may not be as effective there than it would be on say leather furniture or riding gear. The seats look good to me, though.

 

[CBR.worm]

Other than the rear hole/crack they look good. And they may have been a puncture.

 

[gregk24]

Thanks for the input. As a family, we have only owned 2 other cars with leather interiors, 2 90's Suburbans...do I don't really have a lot to go off of.

 

[bourne]

Chemical Guys leather cleaner and conditioner combo has been working very well for me. Smells fantastic ( like leather ), soaks in easy, no need to wipe after.

 

[Trav]

Other than the small hole/rip or whatever it is they look totally normal.

 

[Gasbuggy]

I'll have to post a pic of my 05 CTS-V. It has real leather and is holding up well. Had a 2015 CTS for a while recently, had some [censored] man made leather material instead.

 

[gregk24]

Originally Posted By: Shark
I'll have to post a pic of my 05 CTS-V. It has real leather and is holding up well. Had a 2015 CTS for a while recently, had some [censored] man made leather material instead.


Yeah post up those pics!