Leather Seat Dye
04-09-19, 01:47 PM
#16
Instructor
I also did try the Woolite trick with a soft toothbrush and it wouldn't even touch those stains. It lightened up some of the dirt around the bolster a bit but not enough to make any real difference....and there is that hole that needs to be fixed. Unfortunately someone before me was a little too aggressive with the brushing and cut through the protective layer down to the leather so there's not much to do except get the damaged pieces replaced.
Edit to LexusNAZ... the shop will remove the seat, pull the covers, cut new leather for the four pieces (2 bolster pieces upper and lower), stain, resew and reinstall.
Thanks for the replies though: appreciate the responses.
Last edited by Tootsall; 04-09-19 at 01:55 PM.
04-09-19, 02:14 PM
#17
I'd love to have been able to do that but as you can see I'm in Canada and shipping from the US is ridiculously expensive (to say nothing about customs fees, etc.) Looking at the prices from the "parts sellers" in the previous thread I figure it would cost me 3X to 4X the repair cost to replace the seat. There aren't that many wrecking yards with Lexus of a recent year in them up here (I couldn't even find one with 2003 Camry wheel covers a few months ago!)
I also did try the Woolite trick with a soft toothbrush and it wouldn't even touch those stains. It lightened up some of the dirt around the bolster a bit but not enough to make any real difference....and there is that hole that needs to be fixed. Unfortunately someone before me was a little too aggressive with the brushing and cut through the protective layer down to the leather so there's not much to do except get the damaged pieces replaced.
Edit to LexusNAZ... the shop will remove the seat, pull the covers, cut new leather for the four pieces (2 bolster pieces upper and lower), stain, resew and reinstall.
Thanks for the replies though: appreciate the responses.
I also did try the Woolite trick with a soft toothbrush and it wouldn't even touch those stains. It lightened up some of the dirt around the bolster a bit but not enough to make any real difference....and there is that hole that needs to be fixed. Unfortunately someone before me was a little too aggressive with the brushing and cut through the protective layer down to the leather so there's not much to do except get the damaged pieces replaced.
Edit to LexusNAZ... the shop will remove the seat, pull the covers, cut new leather for the four pieces (2 bolster pieces upper and lower), stain, resew and reinstall.
Thanks for the replies though: appreciate the responses.
04-09-19, 04:03 PM
#19
I'd love to have been able to do that but as you can see I'm in Canada and shipping from the US is ridiculously expensive (to say nothing about customs fees, etc.) Looking at the prices from the "parts sellers" in the previous thread I figure it would cost me 3X to 4X the repair cost to replace the seat. There aren't that many wrecking yards with Lexus of a recent year in them up here (I couldn't even find one with 2003 Camry wheel covers a few months ago!)
I also did try the Woolite trick with a soft toothbrush and it wouldn't even touch those stains. It lightened up some of the dirt around the bolster a bit but not enough to make any real difference....and there is that hole that needs to be fixed. Unfortunately someone before me was a little too aggressive with the brushing and cut through the protective layer down to the leather so there's not much to do except get the damaged pieces replaced.
Edit to LexusNAZ... the shop will remove the seat, pull the covers, cut new leather for the four pieces (2 bolster pieces upper and lower), stain, resew and reinstall.
Thanks for the replies though: appreciate the responses.
I also did try the Woolite trick with a soft toothbrush and it wouldn't even touch those stains. It lightened up some of the dirt around the bolster a bit but not enough to make any real difference....and there is that hole that needs to be fixed. Unfortunately someone before me was a little too aggressive with the brushing and cut through the protective layer down to the leather so there's not much to do except get the damaged pieces replaced.
Edit to LexusNAZ... the shop will remove the seat, pull the covers, cut new leather for the four pieces (2 bolster pieces upper and lower), stain, resew and reinstall.
Thanks for the replies though: appreciate the responses.
04-09-19, 04:17 PM
#20
Instructor
Will do. The work is booked for this Thursday. I will have to let it “set” for a few days and then apply some protectant but anything would look better than what currently “is”. On this topic, if I were to eventually spring for a replacement with the thigh extender, would the electrical connectors be the same as current? (8-way).
These are the guys doing the work: http://micropaintlethbridge.com/
These are the guys doing the work: http://micropaintlethbridge.com/
04-09-19, 04:29 PM
#21
Replacement is best yet it takes a lot of labor and skill with hog rings and a weekend to remove re-skin and re-install the seats. The re-dye is an affordable fix that will last 3+ years repair would be viable (That is what the dealership does). Something needs to be done before the crease rips completely. The only problem the leather is so soft that a used seat unless its perfect will be another ticking time bomb.
Lseat.com has a replacement leather skin for the seat for $299.00
Lseat.com has a replacement leather skin for the seat for $299.00
But if there are hog rings involved, it's not that hard to do...I actually used zip ties instead of hog rings. They're so much easier to do & still retaining the seat covers w/out any issues.
04-09-19, 08:34 PM
#23
Unfortunately, these seats have a polyurethane clearcoat applied over the dyed leather (regular leather seats and "semi-aniline" seats). So dye won't "soak into" the leather, it just sits on top of the clearcoat and wears off very quickly. There are leather "paints" that will make the seat look nice for a short time, but these, too, wear off in a couple of months. The only real solution is to replace the worn leather sections at significant cost (the upholstery shops have to buy a larger quantity of leather than it takes to repair your seat - that's why it's so expensive).
It will age similarly to how the factory seats age, ive had factory seats become faded and worn out in a year or less, and sometimes they last years and still look good, all depends on how you use them.
You can make a before and after thread on them to show the difference
04-09-19, 08:50 PM
#24
I dug up my old thread from 4 years ago, sorry the photos are bad quality
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/aut...sure-coat.html
I wish I documented a lot more of my projects, my favorite was a Bentley flying spur, I did the whole interior , 2 front seats, rear seats, middle compartment, glove box and a few miscellaneous interior pieces
My least favorites are the bmw burgundy, I did a 650 coupe and a older M5 and I really struggled both times with the color.
Its a reddish brown type color that for some reason is very hard to match
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/aut...sure-coat.html
I wish I documented a lot more of my projects, my favorite was a Bentley flying spur, I did the whole interior , 2 front seats, rear seats, middle compartment, glove box and a few miscellaneous interior pieces
My least favorites are the bmw burgundy, I did a 650 coupe and a older M5 and I really struggled both times with the color.
Its a reddish brown type color that for some reason is very hard to match
Last edited by 1WILLY1; 04-09-19 at 08:54 PM.
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LexusNAZ (04-10-19)
04-09-19, 09:37 PM
#25
04-10-19, 09:56 AM
#27
The leather "paints" are also polyurethane , similar to whats already applied at the factory . Ive been doing leather refinishing off and on for 6-7 years and ive never had the coating fade or come off after a few months.
It will age similarly to how the factory seats age, ive had factory seats become faded and worn out in a year or less, and sometimes they last years and still look good, all depends on how you use them.
im in Toronto also , if you need some help with your seats shoot me a pm sometime
You can make a before and after thread on them to show the difference
It will age similarly to how the factory seats age, ive had factory seats become faded and worn out in a year or less, and sometimes they last years and still look good, all depends on how you use them.
im in Toronto also , if you need some help with your seats shoot me a pm sometime
You can make a before and after thread on them to show the difference
04-10-19, 07:06 PM
#28
I apply it with an HVLP sprayer
04-11-19, 07:19 AM
#29
You can see that his situation requires much more than a re-dye. I would normally recommend a dye for masking stretch marks and other flaws, but that seat is going to need a lot more than just that to make it look like the luxury car it is. And why bother spending money on a dye to only half-fix the issue? If I am going to fix the seat, I'd want it to look amazing.
And, if you look at the design of these seats, you can see that it's not nearly as involved as it used to be. So, I'd definitely go for a recover versus a dye.
And, if you look at the design of these seats, you can see that it's not nearly as involved as it used to be. So, I'd definitely go for a recover versus a dye.
04-12-19, 05:52 AM
#30
I had this done 3 months ago on an ES350. The person I took it to sanded the seat surface lightly, cleaned it all up, repaired any small imperfections and then sprayed the seat with 3 coats of leather dye. He finished it up with a thin layer of clear coat. The seat looks really good now. It cost me $165 for one seat and back surface. I only did the driver's seat.