coated automotive leather...

[wannafbody]

read elsewhere that automobile leather is vinyl coated. Is this true? and are vinyl protectants the best for automotive leather?

[JasonD]

Vinyl coated? I`ve never heard this. Could someone have possibly been confused with the fact that most automtive seats are only leather on the actual *seating* surfaces and vinyl on the rest?? This isn`t the case with most high end luxury cars, but is the case for almost all the others.

[stevet]

Yes it is true that some automotive leather seats come vinyl top coated. Mine are.

[JasonD]

If this is the case, how can they even call it leather? If the back of your seat is vinyl, and the front of your seat is top coated vinyl......well, that`s a vinyl seat. What ever happened to getting what you pay for??

[stevet]

Originally posted by JDookie

If this is the case, how can they even call it leather? If the back of your seat is vinyl, and the front of your seat is top coated vinyl......well, that`s a vinyl seat. What ever happened to getting what you pay for??



The same way your clear coated aluminum wheels are still aluminum wheels. The top coat is a protectant to seal the leather. Most modern automotive leather seats are coated.



Do a search on coated leather.

[Ben Kenobi]

Thanks for clearing that up Steve. I knew they used some sort of coating, just didn`t know what it was!



Paul

[stevet]

Originally posted by Ben Kenobi

Thanks for clearing that up Steve. I knew they used some sort of coating, just didn`t know what it was!



Paul



Hi Paul it was good meeting you at the Megs detail day. Go to Properautocare.com (CMA) and read thier articles on interior car care. Read the section on leather care they explain about the vinyl top coat and what to not use on it.

[salty]

Basicly if you wet it with water and it changes color then it is not coated.

[Ben Kenobi]

Thanks Steve, will do on the articles. I agree, if it changes color then it`s not coated!



Paul

[togwt]

Quote: If this is the case, how can they even call it leather? If the back of your seat is vinyl, and the front of your seat is top coated vinyl......well, that`s a vinyl seat. What ever happened to getting what you pay for??JDookie



If you look at the US Materials Specification for leather hides youâ€â„¢ll realize how far away from this automotive â€Ëœleatherâ€â„¢ actually is.



Since the late â€Ëœ80s early â€Ëœ90s 80% of vehicle manufacturers have used covered leather for their interior upholstery. Itâ€â„¢s made from natural hides, but uniquely treated with a light pigmented urethane resin coating or a vinyl covering to make it more viable for automotive seating. It retains the softness of natural top-grain leather but resists fading in direct sunlight, leathers worst enemy



FWIW- this is one of the reasons real leather cleaners do not work on automotive `leathers`

JonM

[wannafbody]

I`m guessing that`s the reason that ProtectAll ASC worked so well at softening up the leather car seats-most of the real leather conditioners didn`t do squat

[wannafbody]

second question- are a lot of the automotive leather conditioners really just vinyl conditioners or is a leather conditioner really different from a vinyl protectant?

[Slackmeister]

Originally posted by JDookie

If this is the case, how can they even call it leather? If the back of your seat is vinyl, and the front of your seat is top coated vinyl......well, that`s a vinyl seat.



LOL, I agree. Personally, I never understood why people pay extra for leather seating that feels like vinyl. Well, it does smell different......:nixweiss

[stevet]

Originally posted by wannafbody

second question- are a lot of the automotive leather conditioners really just vinyl conditioners or is a leather conditioner really different from a vinyl protectant?



I think some of them claim to be good for both leather and vinyl. A true leather conditioner would not be good for vinyl. The oils are the last thing that vinyl needs. Go to 303products.com they have excellent info on vinyl care.

[togwt]

Nappa Leather-is suede (the underside of a hide)

Mercedes-Benz, MB-Tex is vinyl

Aniline- is a dye not a type of leather

Etc, etc

JonM