To condition leather or not?

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volrus

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I just bought a 2008 Lexus ES 350 and the leather seems to be in very good shape. However, I'm hearing very mixed reviews...all over the place in fact, on whether or not conditioning the leather on the Lexus is a waste or a benefit. Can I possibly get a definitive answer? From what I understand the leather is coated. For that matter, are there any vehicles other than exotics that don't have coated leather? Sorry, back on topic...I've always used pinnacle conditioner (admittedly a large reason is the smell) on my vehicles and never thought of it being a waste but now I may have been wasting money and time on past vehicles doing it! I just finished cleaning with Ultima Interior Shampoo Gel and trying to decide if I should condition. Can someone tell me the following:

1) What is the harm/benefit of conditioning my coated leather?

2) If I shouldn't condition, what do I do to protect it? Just use an interior protectant...spray on and wipe off?
 
Types Of Leather

Use this site to find out if your leather is "coated" or not. If its not then condition away. If its coated you have to go to a protectant i.e. 303 or BF interior etc.... I

also used Pinnacle cond and loved the smell but ultimately it never penetrated thru the coating. Just my 2 cents. I asked the same question a month or so ago.

Good luck
 
Can't say I've ever heard of "coated leather", see, this site you learn something new everyday. I know this, leather is dead skin and you've gotta keep nutrients in it, so I say treat it twice a year, that coating cant' last that long, remember what they said about clearcoat....ummm, yeah, no waxing needed.

I've been using Griots leather conditioner for many years, awesome!
 
Klasse Act said:
Can't say I've ever heard of "coated leather", see, this site you learn something new everyday. I know this, leather is dead skin and you've gotta keep nutrients in it, so I say treat it twice a year, that coating cant' last that long, remember what they said about clearcoat....ummm, yeah, no waxing needed.

I've been using Griots leather conditioner for many years, awesome!
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"Coated" may not be the right term to be honest. Maybe someone can correct me if that isn't it. Basically, it's some type of coating over the leather. If it wasn't coated, the leather would soak up water, etc. and mine doesn't which would lead me to think that it isn't going to soak up leather conditioner either.
 
Most vehicle leather is coated (usually thin vinyl). Just keep it clean and occasionally wipe it down with 303 or Optimum leather/vinyl cleaner/conditioner...or some equivalent.
 
Your Lexus leather is coated. It is a split leather hyde that has been tanned and painted to make it look nice and uniform. Uniform in color and texture. Much like vinyl, it is coated with a urethane paint. You are looking at paint not leather.

This leather is best treated with a product that will prevent dye transfer. These are water-based fluorocarbon protectants. Leather masters or LTT products come to mind. These products will keep your painted leather from dye transfer and stains.

Leather is made soft in the tanning process and no conditioner will change that. Want to keep your leather soft keep it hydrated. Wipe it down weekly with a wrung out white cotton towel. Keeping the leather clean is the best thing you can to to preserve the appearance, softness and longevity. Most of the conditioning products were designed for uncoated leathers and contain oils and waxes. These actually are not good for protected leather as they increase the rate of soiling and abrasion.
 
^ Not trying to refute what you said there but my first car, a 2000 Contour SVT was conditioned using the old Megs leather first, then they came out with a 2 step product and then I found Griots and it was over! I treated my seats alot and when I sold the car (after 5 years) the d/s didn't have anything close to what you'd even call "average" wear, they looked that good, so IMO treating the dead skin (leather) is a smart thing to do.

BTW Jim, your "poor man's Ferrari" is amazing looking, cool music you've got there too, got it on right now!
 
What do you do when the coated seat begins to sho signs of dryness by wrinkling up, even having white marks show up on what was once a smooth surface?

It's almost like the coating is cracking, revealing a white substance underneath. The seat itself isn't cracked open or ripped, by I can tell they're getting really dry. I have Lexol, but this doesn't seem to make a difference in the dryness. So what product do I need? I thought about leatherique, however, I am not sure if it will soak through the coating and into the leather to soften it. The seats are in a '98 Buick Regal. The front two are the dryest.
 
Hoytman said:
What do you do when the coated seat begins to sho signs of dryness by wrinkling up, even having white marks show up on what was once a smooth surface?

It's almost like the coating is cracking, revealing a white substance underneath. The seat itself isn't cracked open or ripped, by I can tell they're getting really dry. I have Lexol, but this doesn't seem to make a difference in the dryness. So what product do I need? I thought about leatherique, however, I am not sure if it will soak through the coating and into the leather to soften it. The seats are in a '98 Buick Regal. The front two are the dryest.
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With that old of a leather and how its wrinkling and dry the seal is cracked and any quality leather conditioner will work good. Leatherique from what I hear does wonders. That will be the next thing I buy for my seats.
 
I'd suggest you take a jewelers loupe and inspect the cracks to be sure that they are realy cracks and not excess conditioners or detergents that have dried in the creases.

Putting an oily conditioner on cracked leather is a no-no. The oils will seep into the leather hyde and loosen the topcoat's bond surrounding the crack, eventually making it larger and more severe.

Use a water-based fluorocarbon protector. This will be absorbed by the leather and will dry, offering protection and not degrading the bond. It will not repair the crack but it will not make the crack worse either.

Keep in mind the crack is not in the leather hyde but rather, it is in the painted topcoat. When cracking of protected leather begins you are no longer just treating leather but must now think about restoration if your goal is to make it look like new again. You can't fix cracks with a conditioner.
 
I use APC from Megs 6:1 to clean leather ... I use a boars hair brush and agitate and foam up really well - the results have always been fantastic .. After just cleaning, the leather looks soft and supple and quite frankly I don't always condition it
When I do I use Lexsol
99 % of all the vehicles have coated leather - think of it as clear coat on paint - all your merely doing is washing the surface and the conditioner is the wax on the paint ... Does the conditioner ever reach the pores of the leather? Who knows ...
Now I just read someone say something about a water based flouro carbon product ..... Now that captured my attention and will cause me to stay on this site for another half hour lol!
 
I too have had these questions and I contacted the fine folks at Leatherique for an answer. I've been using their products for the past two years and my clients and I have been very pleased with the results. I order through AG.

I wrote the following statement and had it approved for posting by George ([email protected]) with Leatherique.


"The Leatherique Rejuvenating Oil and Pristine Cleaning System does work on today's modern automobile coated leather interiors. The Rejuvenating Oil does permeate the coated leather, reaching to the fibers of the leather to refresh the leather and to push containements to the surface. The Pristine Clean solution is used to clean the coated leather of the containements and provides a low luster protective barrier to the coated leather surfaces."

I do not sell their products nor represent the company. I use their products and have been happy with the results. I hope this helps.
 
Hoytman said:
What do you do when the coated seat begins to sho signs of dryness by wrinkling up, even having white marks show up on what was once a smooth surface?

It's almost like the coating is cracking, revealing a white substance underneath. The seat itself isn't cracked open or ripped, by I can tell they're getting really dry. I have Lexol, but this doesn't seem to make a difference in the dryness. So what product do I need? I thought about leatherique, however, I am not sure if it will soak through the coating and into the leather to soften it. The seats are in a '98 Buick Regal. The front two are the dryest.
Click to expand...

I have an 03 Buick regal and I know that we have plastic coated leather. My 2 front seats have cracks in them but the backs are perfect. I still add some aero 303 to my entire interior every few months.
 
jfelbab said:
Your Lexus leather is coated. It is a split leather hyde that has been tanned and painted to make it look nice and uniform. Uniform in color and texture. Much like vinyl, it is coated with a urethane paint. You are looking at paint not leather.

This leather is best treated with a product that will prevent dye transfer. These are water-based fluorocarbon protectants. Leather masters or LTT products come to mind. These products will keep your painted leather from dye transfer and stains.

Leather is made soft in the tanning process and no conditioner will change that. Want to keep your leather soft keep it hydrated. Wipe it down weekly with a wrung out white cotton towel. Keeping the leather clean is the best thing you can to to preserve the appearance, softness and longevity. Most of the conditioning products were designed for uncoated leathers and contain oils and waxes. These actually are not good for protected leather as they increase the rate of soiling and abrasion.
Click to expand...

great info.

I only use Leather masters or LTT. But I just got some Ultima interior gaurd to try as well.

When I used Pinnacle leather conditioner it actually made my seats get very dirty , very fast. I went to wipe the leather down 2 weeks later (of course with a white microfiber towels) after applying the leather conditioner and found out I needed to re-clean the seats and start over with a proper protectant.

The thing I prefer with the Leather masters or LTT is that they do NOT make the seats at all slippery or slick. Products that make leather slippery are a huge no no to me. So hopefully the Ultima product does not do this otherwise I will not use it.

Like you mentioned Leather Conditioners, even the ones for protected leather have caused my seats to hold onto dirt.
 
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