Before I get My Leather Re-upholstered, One Last Gasp to See if Anything Can Be Done..

P

P Rock

New member
I've had my 2007 Porsche 911 Carrera for a little over a year. As I get more into detailing, I start to notice things that didn't bother me when I first bought the car. After owning it for over a year, the interior has become one of my favorite parts of the car and I've become anal about it. The seats were clearly neglected by the original owner...the bolster areas are badly cracked/creased and there's an area that looks like something spilled on it causing that area to be extremely stiff and hard compared to it's surrounding areas. I couldn't capture this on camera because it kinda looks normal, the way it feels is what's wrong. There are also some glossy areas. The parts of the seats that don't encounter lots of contact still look good...it's these high contact areas that need help. I've tried Leatherique Rejuvinating Oil and Pristine Clean, Poorboy's Leather Stuff, Lexol..etc.

Can anything be done before I spend the big money to re-upholster? I was quoted $2,000 to completely re-upholster the 2 front seats by a company specializing in Porsche upholstery. Used seats are coming in at $3,000 and up and even those aren't perfect.
I just want it to look and feel new and stock again and even through re-upholstering, I'm not sure if it'll look and feel stock brand new.



 
(I am a detail novice) I don't know of something you can apply you self and will fix the cracking and creases in the seats (pro's on here most likely will have options for you to try). I do know most new seats are painted or dyed and covered with a form of sealer or clear coat. I think you seat may have just lost that top seal coat in those affected areas and they are now showing normal leather wear. There are people that re color and seal seats that may be an option cheaper and easier then reupholstering or new seats that you could look into. Also if you are stuck with getting new seats as the other options may not bring them back to a level you can live with you can also look at Recaro or other brand race seats made for Porsche that you may like and may add some extra coolness to the car and make it feel like at least your paying for an upgrade not just a bunch of money to have it look like it should have anyways.
 
trashmanssd said:
(I am a detail novice) I don't know of something you can apply you self and will fix the cracking and creases in the seats (pro's on here most likely will have options for you to try). I do know most new seats are painted or dyed and covered with a form of sealer or clear coat. I think you seat may have just lost that top seal coat in those affected areas and they are now showing normal leather wear. There are people that re color and seal seats that may be an option cheaper and easier then reupholstering or new seats that you could look into. Also if you are stuck with getting new seats as the other options may not bring them back to a level you can live with you can also look at Recaro or other brand race seats made for Porsche that you may like and may add some extra coolness to the car and make it feel like at least your paying for an upgrade not just a bunch of money to have it look like it should have anyways.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the insight! I did look into Recaros (Sportster CS) but then I'm well into the $3,000's including brackets and other hardware. Used seats are roughly the same amount of money which is why I'm considering getting the seats re-skinned.

Using one of those repair kits is also something I've read about but I wonder if they'll hold up or look good. Any real world experience? Let hear 'em...
 
I'd call up your local junk yards and let them know if any 911's come in you'd like the seats (check if any other trims or years are compatible or have even nicer seats too). Should get them for under 1k. Obviously you don't want seats from a 911 that's been sitting in a junkyard for long...

Your 911 forums should be helpful too. A lot of people tend to upgrade to racing seats (at least for my SRT model) or someone could be parting out a 911 due to a blown engine/tranny, etc...

I can relate as my drivers seat is even worse, but I see almost-new used front seats for around $500 on the SRT forums often enough that I'll just replace one day...

Good luck!
 
4u2nvinmtl said:
I'd call up your local junk yards and let them know if any 911's come in you'd like the seats (check if any other trims or years are compatible or have even nicer seats too). Should get them for under 1k. Obviously you don't want seats from a 911 that's been sitting in a junkyard for long...

Your 911 forums should be helpful too. A lot of people tend to upgrade to racing seats (at least for my SRT model) or someone could be parting out a 911 due to a blown engine/tranny, etc...

I can relate as my drivers seat is even worse, but I see almost-new used front seats for around $500 on the SRT forums often enough that I'll just replace one day...

Good luck!
Click to expand...

The same seats are also in the Cayman S so that makes them a bit more available. There are several Porsche recyclers across the country....the seats are still selling for $2,500 and up. Here's an example from a recycler in LA. Porsche 911 996 987 997 Cayman Sport Seats Black Leather Pair | eBay

Yeah, I agree the forums are good places too as a lot of people put race seats in them. Race seats are extremely common since they're regularly tracked all over the world. Been keeping an eye out for that as well...but when they do pop up, they're still very pricey. I may try one of the higher end repair kits first and if I mess it up, then I'll just pay and have them reskinned. This looks very promising...my only concern is how they'll hold up. My Leather World Tech dye restoration (before/after) - R3VLimited Forums
 
P Rock- Why reupholster that? Need it better for concours or somesuch? If it just *BUGS YOU* that much then OK...but to me it's merely the "patina of wear from honest use" and could almost be a feature.

Heh heh, we all have our loves and hatreds, maybe we're just on opposite sides of this particular fence :o

The shop in your area is probably the one my Porsche/Audi dealer used when we had to have such work done (much worse than your situation), and their work was nice but not 100% OEM in the sense that I could tell it wasn't original and not just because it was "new looking", it was just a bit....different.
 
My suggestion is to use this two products:

  • A premium leather cleaner with light conditioners, perfect for cleaning and maintaining leather
  • Restores proteins that are naturally found in leather for a soft and supple feel
  • Completely matte finish that has no greasy or oily residue
  • Apply to your leather and let sit for 15 - 30 minutes, wipe with a warm damp towel and wipe dry with a second towel
  • For maximum results, Prestine Clean is best used after Leatherique Rejuvenator Oil


  • Best leather care product to restore neglected, faded, hardened leather
  • Restores oils and proteins that are naturally found in leather for a soft and supple feel
  • Works best when allowed to penetrate leather for up to 48 hours, ideally in the heat
  • Using a hair drier to heat up the leather surface allows for maximum penetration and best results
  • Apply Rejuvenator Oil by massaging the product into the leather with your bare hands
  • Must be removed by following up with Leatherique Prestine Clean
 
Accumulator said:
P Rock- Why reupholster that? Need it better for concours or somesuch? If it just *BUGS YOU* that much then OK...but to me it's merely the "patina of wear from honest use" and could almost be a feature.

Heh heh, we all have our loves and hatreds, maybe we're just on opposite sides of this particular fence :o

The shop in your area is probably the one my Porsche/Audi dealer used when we had to have such work done (much worse than your situation), and their work was nice but not 100% OEM in the sense that I could tell it wasn't original and not just because it was "new looking", it was just a bit....different.
Click to expand...

Haha...yes, it certainly does bug me. Which dealer are you referring to? Right now, my first options are to have a local upholstery shop try to fix it (without reskinning it) or trying it myself with a kit from www.leatherworldtech.com

Detail Impressions said:
My suggestion is to use this two products:

  • A premium leather cleaner with light conditioners, perfect for cleaning and maintaining leather
  • Restores proteins that are naturally found in leather for a soft and supple feel
  • Completely matte finish that has no greasy or oily residue
  • Apply to your leather and let sit for 15 - 30 minutes, wipe with a warm damp towel and wipe dry with a second towel
  • For maximum results, Prestine Clean is best used after Leatherique Rejuvenator Oil


  • Best leather care product to restore neglected, faded, hardened leather
  • Restores oils and proteins that are naturally found in leather for a soft and supple feel
  • Works best when allowed to penetrate leather for up to 48 hours, ideally in the heat
  • Using a hair drier to heat up the leather surface allows for maximum penetration and best results
  • Apply Rejuvenator Oil by massaging the product into the leather with your bare hands
  • Must be removed by following up with Leatherique Prestine Clean
Click to expand...

Tried it...80 degree day and left it on for roughly 4 hours. The weather is now in the 40's here so I don't think it will be as effective to try again and leaving it on longer. It certainly did make the leather feel and look much better, it didn't do anything for the creases and cracks which is what's bothering me. It's certainly something I will do again next year once I find a way to get rid of these unsightly blemishes.
 
P Rock- Noting that this was kinda back in the day...the dealership that had the work done was the now-bought out Stoddard Imported Cars (Penske bought it, split the Porsche and Audi franchises, split up the various teams of people..I'll spare you the rest).

I *REALLY* don't think you can do much about the creases- leather just develops those the same way your skin does (if you live long enough ;) ) and you can only "plump them up and out" to a limited extent. For what you apparently want, you might be looking at recovering them with new leather so get the checkbook ready and make sure the shop knows how picky you're gonna be; everybody says their work is all that but then when they get a guy like us whom they have trouble satisfying they start making excuses.

Gee, I'm being a real ray of sunshine on this thread, huh?
 
allenk4 said:
Interested to follow your thread

Please document your process with lots of photos and details

Thanks
Click to expand...

Will do...here's my plan. I will order and try the leather world tech repair kit. This thread really has caught my eye and it seems to work pretty well (link at the end of this post). These seats are MUCH worse than mine. Also worth noting in the thread, he gave a 1 year update and the creases started to resurface where he used the filler. My cracks aren't super deep and appear to just be on the surface coating. I won't use the filler....I will just sand it smooth and redye then recoat. Since I'd reskin anyways, I figure this will be a great place to start. Here's the thread.... My Leather World Tech dye restoration (before/after) - R3VLimited Forums

Accumulator said:
P Rock- Noting that this was kinda back in the day...the dealership that had the work done was the now-bought out Stoddard Imported Cars (Penske bought it, split the Porsche and Audi franchises, split up the various teams of people..I'll spare you the rest).

I *REALLY* don't think you can do much about the creases- leather just develops those the same way your skin does (if you live long enough ;) ) and you can only "plump them up and out" to a limited extent. For what you apparently want, you might be looking at recovering them with new leather so get the checkbook ready and make sure the shop knows how picky you're gonna be; everybody says their work is all that but then when they get a guy like us whom they have trouble satisfying they start making excuses.

Gee, I'm being a real ray of sunshine on this thread, huh?
Click to expand...

I actually prefer the brutal honesty over a ray of sunshine :) Your input is greatly appreciated...I will update with results of the leather world tech kit.
 
P Rock- Cool, I'll be looking forward to hearing how it goes. Hey, prove me wrong about the inevitability of creases (and/or anything else!) and I'll be the first to congratulate you :D
 
I've never seen a redye that lasted, looked, or even felt like the OEM finish. They are often damaged by many of the commonly used cleaners too. Maybe all the repair shops around here just suck, but I would ask to see some sample work done where you can see and feel the leather before going that route.

I'd say if it bothers you a re-skin is the best option based on the prices you've listed.
 
Accumulator said:
P Rock- Cool, I'll be looking forward to hearing how it goes. Hey, prove me wrong about the inevitability of creases (and/or anything else!) and I'll be the first to congratulate you :D
Click to expand...

Oh I agree that creases and wrinkles are inevitable...but I know if the car was under my care all it's life, it wouldn't have as much of the issue. I'd like to somehow reverse this then go forward under my care. What triggered the awareness is I was at a car show this past summer and a lot of the other 911's had much better looking seats than mine...some of which had higher mileage. Didn't bother me until I noticed this immediately as soon as they opened the door. Then of course, once I opened my door, it all hit me.

I know, totally OCD about it, I'm owning up to that.
 
P Rock said:
Oh I agree that creases and wrinkles are inevitable...but I know if the car was under my care all it's life, it wouldn't have as much of the issue. I'd like to somehow reverse this then go forward under my care. What triggered the awareness is I was at a car show this past summer and a lot of the other 911's had much better looking seats than mine...some of which had higher mileage. Didn't bother me until I noticed this immediately as soon as they opened the door. Then of course, once I opened my door, it all hit me.

I know, totally OCD about it, I'm owning up to that.
Click to expand...

No, you are fine...

It's just that the previous owner/s probably Never wiped down the leather, so dirt got into creases and started grinding down the finish..

I have seen more Porsche vehicles including Cayenne's that have nice leather but then there are different grades of it too.

Some Porsche leather is very tough and doesnt get all that wrinkled but does get dirty and is hard to clean without a good Leather Cleaner and Steam through a towel...

I am sure the older ones leather is more fragile but still, its the wiping it down to remove the dirt that contributes much to make it or break it..

Just be glad you dont have that horrendous red vinyl one that posted up.... :)

You have lots of great feed back and sound ideas... Hope it turns out like you want it to and stays that way for you..
Dan F
 
Stokdgs said:
No, you are fine...

It's just that the previous owner/s probably Never wiped down the leather, so dirt got into creases and started grinding down the finish..

I have seen more Porsche vehicles including Cayenne's that have nice leather but then there are different grades of it too.

Some Porsche leather is very tough and doesnt get all that wrinkled but does get dirty and is hard to clean without a good Leather Cleaner and Steam through a towel...

I am sure the older ones leather is more fragile but still, its the wiping it down to remove the dirt that contributes much to make it or break it..

Just be glad you dont have that horrendous red vinyl one that posted up....

You have lots of great feed back and sound ideas... Hope it turns out like you want it to and stays that way for you..
Dan F
Click to expand...

Thanks Dan,
I've done endless, nightly research on ways to eliminate those cracks/creases. My girlfriend thinks I'm crazy (she's probably right). Like many others who have chimed in, it sounds like you're familiar with this condition so let me run this by you and everyone else:
I just ordered a restoration kit from leatherworldtech.com. I liked that they use the manufacturer's color code to match the dye. I didn't buy the filler because I think the wrinkles are on the painted surface and protectant of the leather..I don't think the leather itself is damaged so I didn't think there was a need for a filler. Also, in other restoration projects I've seen, it was the filler that eventually gave away that it was repaired over time.
I'll use the cleaner they supply then sand down the existing dye and sealant until it's smooth. Then redye and reseal..using light coats and allowing it to dry for 30 minutes between each coat. I'll go with 3 light coats of dye and same for sealant. For maintenance, I'll wipe down regularly with something that's not too harsh. I'm hoping it holds up like stock over time with proper care.
I figure if I mess this up, then I'll pay the $$$$ to re-skin the seats.
 
Before I get My Leather Re-upholstered, One Last Gasp to See if Anything Can ...

I've sort of been down this road before. Not with the "cracks", but with the leather color coat wearing on the big side bolsters on my BMW M.

What I tried:

1. Ordered a touch up kit from Furniture Clinic in the UK. These people were supposed to be premier leather gurus.

What I got was a complete kit (black dye). The problem was, the dye came with white tint, and shine and matte compounds. So, now you have 3 variables to modify the basic "black" color.

I couldn't get it perfect. Maybe 65%. I couldn't get the color or sheen to match. I'm sure a leather pro could - but I couldn't.

2. Eventually I took it to a pro. "Seat Fixer" dude. I found him on the Internet. He did a pretty good job. Prolly say 85%. Problem is, it's worn again. It's wearing from how I get in the car I believe.

So, I'd like to follow this thread and see how the OP does. BMW black nappa leather is not jet black. It's almost like charcoal color. You would think it's easy to match "black"... But imagine a BMW sapphire black car - with a single jet black panel.

I'm guessing if you are doing an entire seat - the match isn't as important.

After that, I sort of gave up. Swissvax makes a leather fixer type product that looks easy to use. Problem is, if you want an identical match, you have to mail a leather swatch to Switzerland and the cost for the kit is over $200.

Then there is the auto upholstery shop were I live. I took it to that dude and his solution was to sew in a new leather panel. No thanks. He said dyeing leather doesn't really work well on the car.

Dunno.
 
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