I have a 2001 Lexus GS430 with black leather interior. The leather is pretty dissapointing. It has kind of a hard rough waxy feeling to it and not the soft supple feel I want. I have tried several products to try to soften it up like Mequires conditioner which did not help, I then tried Griots leather conditioner which did not seem to do much if anything, I then ordered Leatherique which from reading on the internet is supposed to be the best at treating and softening up leather. I am pretty dissapointed after spending all that money on it and reading all the praise that it seemed to have no affect on the seats either. I just tried Griots leather rejuvintor and it did not have an affect either. I have applied these products with a heater in the car to warm up the interior and let them sit in the sun during the summer. Is the leather in the Lexus GS that poor quality and supposed to feel hard and waxy? Does anybody recommend any other products to treat the leather. Someone suggested using Fast Orange to clean the seats as it will remove grime crud and grease that other products can't but I am unsure if it will harm the leather. I thought leatherique would work, I only did one application at a time but I think I will give it one last shot and try 3 applications and then covering it up with saran wrap. Anybody have any other suggestions?
Getting Lexus leather softer
- Thread starter lexusgs
- Start date
jfelbab
New member
lexusgs said:
Yes, I have used the brands you mentioned and a few other too. My favorite is the product sold by Lexus. They sell a cleaner and a conditioner. The conditioner does the best job of any product I've used at turning hard leather into buttery soft leather. It even removed a lot of creases that I thought were going to crack. Try a couple applications a week apart. If you live in a warm climate apply and park in the sun with the windows closed for an hour before buffing. I don't know how this well this works in the colder climates.
imported_mirrorfinishman
New member
It is not that the leather is of poor quality. It may have more to do with the protective coating that is applied to leather in many of today's vehicles. Basically, it is what it is. The protective coating is there to help keep the uv rays from attacking and breaking down the leather. The result is a feel that is a lot less soft to the touch. At this point, you are probably better off just leaving it alone. Apply your favorite top coat of protectant and give it a good cleaning from time to time.
I think your best bet is to try the Leatherique again. If you apply around 3 oz. of the RO per seat and let it sit out in the sun with the windows rolled up for at least one full day when the temperature is over 80 degrees the leather will get the most it can from the Leatherique RO. It will help quite a bit but with today's coated leather it will never be exactly buttery soft.
I have a 99 GS400 that I bought a couple of years ago and I had the leather replaced .... the replacement leather I got is just a little bit thicker than the OEM and cost me around $1,200 including installation.
I have a 99 GS400 that I bought a couple of years ago and I had the leather replaced .... the replacement leather I got is just a little bit thicker than the OEM and cost me around $1,200 including installation.
-80s Benz-
New member
As has been stated, for coated leather, there's not a whole lot you can do. Most of the more modern leather treatments I've tried (presumably intended for coated leather) don't really penetrate much, but smell nice and leave a little shine. Lexol smells bad, but actually penetrates *very* well, and works great on uncoated leather. Actually, olive oil will soften leather like nothing else, you just have to be careful as it (supposedly, but not in my experience) can go rancid and damage stitching. Once again though, that might be a moot point if your leather is "coated".
cheers
cheers
jfelbab said:
What exactly is the product sold by Lexus you are talking about? Do you have a link or picture or exact name. I have seen about 3 different products sold by Lexus or what Lexus officially carries or recommends. I read on another forum where some people have said the Lexus conditioner did soften their Lexus seats where the other products failed to but was not sure exactly what product. The Lexus dealer where I live does not sell the Lexus conditioner.
gmblack3a said:
I have done 3 seperate applications of Leatherique and more or less just poured into my hands so I could work it around the leather. I would not say a put alot of it on or completely soaked my seats but I put enough to cover them completely. I have used about half of the 16oz bottle doing the seats 3 times and a leather jacket 3 times. I would say it sat in the sun for about 4-6 hours maybe more and then I removed the residue with the pristine clean the next day. I applied the stuff in the sun twice and once in the garage with a space heater in the car. Their was really no change in the way the leather felt before I first applied it.
jfelbab
New member
lexusgs said:
This stuff. I get it from the Lexus Parts people.
tom p.
Active member
lexusgs said:
The Leatherique treatment during warm/hot weather, not mid-winter.
-80s Benz- said:
The coated protected leather is kind of a controversy as many say if it has that protective coat that you are not really sitting on and feeling the actual leather but the waxy protective treated coating and their is no use in conditioning it to make it softer/supple, or nourish it because the conditioner will not penetrate this coating and will just sit on top not affecting it. But others say the protective poly coat on most leather interiors is porous and the leather and coating can be conditioned and softened using conditioners that are able to penetrate it. I talked to the people at Leatherique and Griots as well as a few others and they said their products will migrate into and penetrate the top protective coating to treat, condition, and soften the leather as well as soften the protective coat for a nice soft supple feel. I would think if the leather was coated and protected where conditioners can't penetrate it then the leather or protective coat you feel would always feel the same as new and would not get harder, rougher, or waxier. When feeling my leather and applying the products it just honestly does not appear or feel to me that anything is really penetrating and treating the leather or making it softer/suppler and that it is almost a lost cause.
I don't think all car leathers that have a protective coat are supposed to be this rough, hard, and waxy feeling because I have sat in cars that have smoother softer leather and know they are the more popular coated leather. My parents Acura TL and CL tan leather is much more smoother, softer, and suppler and the TL is 2 years older then my Lexus and it has only been conditioned once with Mequirs leather conditioner. Considering the price differences of the Lexus GS it should have superior leather in which I am afraid it does not.
I know my protected leather will not feel as soft and supple as the non or minimal protected more stain prone expensive aniline leathers but I think mine is rougher then it should be. The only possibility that I think may affect the treatments is that there is a level of grimey waxy coat on top of the leather/coating that has sealed in the dirt, salts, etc from a cheap or inappropriate cleaner/conditioner and is stopping the Leatherique from penetrating/conditioning and softening and I will need to use a heavier duty cleaner like Fast Orange or something citris based because most leather cleaners are unable to lift and remove that built up grime because they are designed to be as easy as they can on leather and more for simple maintenance not cleaning heavier soiled leathers. My leather does not look dirty but when cleaning it with "safe products" it does not seem like they are really getting too much up as there is little dirt on the towels. From what I read Lexol is not good at all at getting heavily dirty or grimy leather seats clean and more for maintaining a already clean leather interior.
As for olive oil softening up the leather I have never heard of anyone trying that but it may be worth testing on a small area. Thanks for the advice guys and I welcome more advice or experiences.
tom p. said:The Leatherique treatment during warm/hot weather, not mid-winter.
I did the Leatherique treatments last summer when it was hot/sunny out. The last time I did it was at out cottage on the beach and it was sunny and the temp was well into the 90's. After these treatments the leather felt just as rough and hard as before I applied and I noticed no difference which was pretty disappointing after paying so much for it and reading all the positive remarks on the internet.
I know people who put a space heater in the car to heat the interior up if doing it in the winter or if it is too cool out which I think should work if I do not want to wait a couple months for it to be very hot outside. I read where someone else mentioned they put saran wrap or trash bags over the Leatherique right after applying it heavily to keep it in and force it to soak in with fairly good results.
jfelbab
New member
The leather in the Acura comes from the same manufacturer that provides the leather for Lexus. GST Autoleather's showroom is here: http://www.gstautoleather.com/automotive_leather_showroom.asp.
They provide leathers for many manufacturers as you can see in the showroom. They also provide the cleaner and conditioner to Lexus.
They provide leathers for many manufacturers as you can see in the showroom. They also provide the cleaner and conditioner to Lexus.
Woob
New member
P&S Sales makes the Leather Products, they are based in California. I've heard good reviews of their product. Also Leather Master might be another solution.
I have heard very good things about this and seen some very nice before and after pics of some dried leather in an old BMW
http://www.autogeek.net/conhid.html?gclid=CJGCr_yDtYoCFRSJgQodl34rOQ
Try it
http://www.autogeek.net/conhid.html?gclid=CJGCr_yDtYoCFRSJgQodl34rOQ
Try it
tom p.
Active member
lexusgs said:
Yes, I believe this is the best strategy. I left my seats covered for a couple of days. It definitely works when permitted to do so (time + heat).
They suggest using up to 4 oz of RO per seat. That sounds like a lot but works well as an initial treatment.
It's important to capture their logic as it opposes what others say: Condition first (RO), clean afterwards (Prestine Clean).