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I am having a problem with the material on my door panel armrest cracking. I use the armrest frequently and lean my elbow here when I'm changing radio stations on the steering wheel buttons but I feel this is excessive wear for a car with only 50K miles. Has anyone had this problem and were you able to get this repaired? I am not excited about replacing the entire door panel at $800-900.
You may find someone to cosmetically make the armrest look better and hide the disfigurement for a while, but it won't be like new...and it won't last long if you continue smashing your elbow into the same area.
I would recommend finding out who your Lexus dealer (or any local dealership) uses to detail their used vehicles and contact them to find out what day they are usually at the various dealerships. They usually setup somewhere nearby the dealership and oftentimes cater to individuals that want to drop by for easy and quick repairs (PDR, interior repair and dyeing, small repainting, windshield nick repair, etc.) Be prepared to pay for their expertise in cash...
Go to a leather repair place they can make it look much better for $100 or less. Or I think you can buy just the padded armrest part. Also check ebay/junkyards for used door panels.
Its synthetic leather on the door panels, but any leather shop can fix it.
I have over 95k on my 2013 GSh and I always rest my arm on the door panel armrest but I have zero wear, still looks new.
You may find someone to cosmetically make the armrest look better and hide the disfigurement for a while, but it won't be like new...and it won't last long if you continue smashing your elbow into the same area.
Not true. I've worked with a particular person whose been in the upholstery business for decades. He even ran multiple shops. I've personally seen his stellar work and on one, he charged several hundred dollars while the competitors were in the thousands. Don't think for a minute that a "skilled" craftsman can't make things happen. I know for a fact through personal experience that it can.
Considering that its fake leather to begin with you'll probably be able to get it filled in with those rubber compounds that many leather repair places use and they'll paint it back to original color. You'll probably be able to get a pretty good restoration with a professional to where you'll barely notice the difference.