What Product on thick GM leather(99 Trans Am)

This leather is definitely a coated leather. 'Conditioners' containing oils, waxes etc cannot penetrate through the finish on the leather so will only sit on the surface and if left there will attract more dirt and oils.



It is the finish that you need to clean and keep protected and products that are designed to be absorbed by the leather are not going to work.

Use a water based cleaner and a fluorocarbon protector and you leather will keep on looking and feeling good without leaving harmful residues on the surface and it will not take very long to do.



Protectors can be simply tested to make sure they are doing what they need to.



Hope this helps
 
judyb said:
This leather is definitely a coated leather. 'Conditioners' containing oils, waxes etc cannot penetrate through the finish on the leather so will only sit on the surface and if left there will attract more dirt and oils.



It is the finish that you need to clean and keep protected and products that are designed to be absorbed by the leather are not going to work.

Use a water based cleaner and a fluorocarbon protector and you leather will keep on looking and feeling good without leaving harmful residues on the surface and it will not take very long to do.



Protectors can be simply tested to make sure they are doing what they need to.



Hope this helps
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So any specific products then? Is 303 something I should be using as far as protection? What bout the cleaner?
 
I dilute woolite 10:1 and just wipe my leather seats down with it once a week.



I read a good tip a while back about applying conditioners that's worked well for me: instead of using an applicator pad or towel, pour some product in your hands and work it in that way.
 
kopimon said:
I dilute woolite 10:1 and just wipe my leather seats down with it once a week.



I read a good tip a while back about applying conditioners that's worked well for me: instead of using an applicator pad or towel, pour some product in your hands and work it in that way.
Click to expand...



What exactly is woolite? I've been trying to figure out what conditioner to use, if any. First things first, im gonna go out and buy some Lexol Ph Leather Cleaner and clean up the seats really good. Lexol Cleaner any good ??
 
judyb said:
This leather is definitely a coated leather. 'Conditioners' containing oils, waxes etc cannot penetrate through the finish on the leather so will only sit on the surface and if left there will attract more dirt and oils.



It is the finish that you need to clean and keep protected and products that are designed to be absorbed by the leather are not going to work.

Use a water based cleaner and a fluorocarbon protector and you leather will keep on looking and feeling good without leaving harmful residues on the surface and it will not take very long to do.



Protectors can be simply tested to make sure they are doing what they need to.



Hope this helps
Click to expand...



Expert advise gets no better that from this source. Stay away from oil based cleaners & conditioners as well as products not designed for leather (like Woolite). Stick with a water based system like Leather Masters and your leather will stay looking perfect. I switched my regiment over and noticed a huge difference with the way my own & my clients leather is looking. Much less resoiling and no cracking/wear.
 
Indeed Judy has some great advice. Thats the answer that I was looking for, a water based conditioner. So Leather Masters is what i need, correct?
 
wannafbody said:
Zaino or Mothers works well on TA seats. Nothing really softens them though.
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thats the problem. i wanted to make then a bit soft if its even possible, i might just start putting 303 on the seats.
 
The seats on your TA look great. It looks like you have been doing something right on them:)



I have been wondering myslef on what is really the best thing to be using on my leather seats, GM leather but not as thick as the stuff on the f body cars. I have been using Zaino Z9 and Z10 but are these product truly good to use to keep the leather protected from craking, wrinkling, and fading for many years if used frequently? Is the Z9 and Z10 water based?
 
RedlineIRL said:
The seats on your TA look great. It looks like you have been doing something right on them:)



I have been wondering myslef on what is really the best thing to be using on my leather seats, GM leather but not as thick as the stuff on the f body cars. I have been using Zaino Z9 and Z10 but are these product truly good to use to keep the leather protected from craking, wrinkling, and fading for many years if used frequently? Is the Z9 and Z10 water based?
Click to expand...



I can tell you I used z9 and z10 on my gm leather seats for 11 years, 210,000 miles and the car was never garaged. Lots of exposure to sun and other elements. I'm a mtn biker and hiker and the seats got plenty dirty and always cleaned up well. The leather was still good looking when I sold the car. The z10 is nice in that it gives the seats a nice luster without being glossy. I also use the z9 and z10 on plastic and vinyl interior pieces as well as the rubber door seals and love it. Gotta love that smell too! Passengers always comment on how good the interior looks and smells.



Not a great pic, but I took this just before I sold it:

2860340113_0f268d6dd9.jpg


There are some reflections that look like scuffs, but they are not.
 
gtppilot said:
I can tell you I used z9 and z10 on my gm leather seats for 11 years, 210,000 miles and the car was never garaged. Lots of exposure to sun and other elements. I'm a mtn biker and hiker and the seats got plenty dirty and always cleaned up well. The leather was still good looking when I sold the car. The z10 is nice in that it gives the seats a nice luster without being glossy. I also use the z9 and z10 on plastic and vinyl interior pieces as well as the rubber door seals and love it. Gotta love that smell too! Passengers always comment on how good the interior looks and smells.
Click to expand...

Thanks that is exaclty what I wanted to hear, from someone who has put some miles and years of use on Zaino treated seats.:xyxthumbs I'll keep using it then
 
Never tried the Zaino cleaner ( I use woolite 8:1) but the Zaino conditioner works good and smells great. I heard Duragloss products are very simular and will try them next - as they are at the local CarQuest.
 
I dont know if duragloss is available localy because im in Canada. Is their leather conditioner water based?
 


This leather is definitely a coated leather. 'Conditioners' containing oils, waxes etc cannot penetrate through the finish on the leather so will only sit on the surface and if left there will attract more dirt and oils.



It is the finish that you need to clean and keep protected and products that are designed to be absorbed by the leather are not going to work.

Use a water based cleaner and a fluorocarbon protector and you leather will keep on looking and feeling good without leaving harmful residues on the surface and it will not take very long to do.



Protectors can be simply tested to make sure they are doing what they need to.



Hope this helps



Striker:



I was much like you regarding treating/conditioning the leather in my car. Tried several different products, different application processes, etc.



Finally, I read all of Judy's archived posts. I suggest doing the same. She knows more on this subject than most of us will during our lifetimes (helps that she deals with leather as her profession). From what I gather, she can't or won't recommend a specific product, but by connecting the dots, you can figure out which products to use (I used the Leather Masters products exclusively now, but would guess there are others that fit her criteria).



I use to make leather care much harder than it is. I spend less than 2 hours a month now. With a garage queen such as your TA, I'd guess it will be much less than that.



As far as making your seats less stiff/firm, outta my territory.



Bill
 
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