Best leather conditioner for a convertible?

[mets2010]

Looking for a good leather conditioner for a convertible. I was trying to decide between a leather master product which seems to create a " barrier" but doesn't say anything about uv protection or a product like blackfire or nanoskin feed which says it has uv protection. Any help is appreciated

 

[swanicyouth]

I recommend CarPro Fabric & Leather or G Techniq L1. Both create a mechanical barrier and have UV protectant properties. Both will also help protect your seats against sweat, body oils, and wetness. Both last a while and wont attract dirt.

 

[mets2010]

Thanks for the idea, I was looking at carpro but didn't see it had UV Protectants which is something I want for a convertible. Of carpro and gtechniq which would you recommend?

I recommend CarPro Fabric & Leather or G Techniq L1. Both create a mechanical barrier and have UV protectant properties. Both will also help protect your seats against sweat, body oils, and wetness. Both last a while and wont attract dirt.

 

[stevenKidman]

Preserve leather made with natural ingredients like lanolin and mink oil, plus UV protections. We also Restore your Car's Leather Interior by using different restoring products with Gliptone Liquid Leather Scuff Master, a specialty product line available through distributors on the web. Other products that we have heard work quite well are Lexol Leather Care and Leather World.

 

[swanicyouth]

Thanks for the idea, I was looking at carpro but didn't see it had UV Protectants which is something I want for a convertible. Of carpro and gtechniq which would you recommend?

They both UV protect. CarPro goes farther and may last longer. Clean the seat very well before you apply it. L1 leaves more of a matte look.

 

[mets2010]

do those "condition" the leather as well or are they purely protective coatings?

 

[WAXOFF]

I knew a guy who had an interior trim shop and did auto restoration work. He always told me to use a cream based product and work it down in and around the stiching. He said when the leather started to dry out the stich area would be the first to go becasue the would act like a knife and cut the leather.

 

[swanicyouth]

do those "condition" the leather as well or are they purely protective coatings?

The theory goes you can't "condition" coated leather by normal means. Your just protecting the urethane colorant layer on top. There seems to be some controversy over this. However, if your leather has a urethane colorant layer and a clear protectant layer on it from the factory to protect it, I can't believe much is penetrating it.

If its in good shape, the best thing I believe you can do is protect it with a product with both UV protection and one that provides a long lasting mechanical barrier. My experience is that "conditioners" offer little if any value and may actually attract dirt.

However , I do know that the colorant layer will wear eventually on bolsters and other spots that receive a lot of mechanical abrasion from the person sitting in the seat. That I know. So, providing a sacrificial barrier should protect and prolong the finish on the seat.

Also I believe the best thing you can do for leather is to keep it clean. Frequent cleaning, even just wiping the coating down with water and a towel, should also help prolong the leather's finish.

 

[ScottB]

The first think to consider is what type of leather you have, likely finished leather. Then look to products designed for them. Einszett, LeatherMasters, 303, and Carpro are made for coated leathers which are used in most OEM automotive settings.