Leatherique causing damage?

B

bma

New member
Hi guys. I don't think I've posted here before, but I use this site often for tips and advice. I wanted to get some opinions on some wear that I'm getting on the seats of my 2012 BMW X6. Here's the story:
 
My last car was a 2009 BMW 335i, which I had for 3 years (only about 30000km). By the time I traded it in it had some serious wear on the driver and passenger seat bolsters....where you rub up against the seats getting in and out. I could not understand it, as I take super good care of my leather: leatherique 3 or 4 times a year, and other leather cleaners and conditioners in between (wolfgang and zaino).
 
I've had my X6 for about a year and a half now, and I have been watching the leather in that area to see if the same would happen. I was happy that there were no signs of wear.... up until last weekend. We had some nice weather so i decided to apply some leatherique and let it sit in the sun. After a couple of hours, I removed the leatherique oil with the leatherique cleaner, and immediately noticed the wear in the same areas as my 335i. It was as if the leatherique removed the outer coating of the leather in that area. I am pretty convinced that the leatherique had at least some part in this damage.  Like I said the X6 is only a year and a half old and about 20000km.  
 
Anybody else experience this? Any thoughts or opinions? Thanks in advance for the help.
 
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Leatherique shouldn't remove any coating or colour from your seats. Remember, your seats have a dye and urethane coating on them. Where you rub getting in and out will eventually abrade the finish exposing the light coloured leather underneath. However, at the same time, dirt and grime can build on that area masking the wear. Leatherique probably cleaned it off, exposing the worn areas. That's my take.

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To me, Leatherique is more of a "system" to attempt to revive dirty / old leather suffering from years of neglect. I don't see a need to slather all that stuff on maintained or new leather. To be fair, I've never used the product... But, I can't see how letting Leatherique bake on your seats in heat is beneficial to a rather new leather coating.

I'd skip it and go with a cleaner and protectant. I like CarPro Fabric and Leather. At this point, you likely are looking at having colorant re-applied to the damaged area(s). Unless, you could get it covered under warranty... Good luck there. Somehow, the dealer will make it your fault.
 
The wear is due to abrasion.  When there is dirt and grime on the leather and you slide in and out of the car it[s like running sandpaper over the leather topcoat.  Eventually it will wear away. If the leather is soiled, this abraided area might not be as visible as after it is cleaned.  Which is I believe what you are seeing. This damage can be avoided or delayed by keeping your leather clean.  Vacuum and a wipe-down with a wrung out cotton towel should be on your routine maintenance agenda every week or two.  I am a believer of using a leather cleaner every 2-3 months followed by a Leather Protector, not a conditioner.   Again you need to reduce the abrasion to avoid this damage. A leather protector adds a layer of protection while drying silky smooth to the touch.  OTOH, a conditioner often leaves an oily, greasy or grabby feel and this may act to gather and hold dirt and dust increasing the opportunity for further abrasion.


 


You now are at a point where restoration is needed.  This will require a re-dye and a respray of clear-coat.  I'd suggest taking it to a  leather restoration specialist in your area.
 
bma said:
Thanks for the replies. I think i'm going to try this stuff to repair the worn area:


 


http://www.leatherrepairkits.com/colorflex.php
Click to expand...


If you are about to attempt this DIY also don't forget this:


http://www.leatherrepairkits.com/clearcoat.htm


 


But before you start, I'd still suggest a quote from a professional Leather Restoration Specialist in your area.  You may be surprised by the price and the guarantee.  The pro will custom color match the repair, see that the patina matches and that the grain pattern is preserved. A pro will have better tools, products and experience going for him and as this is a relatively young vehicle, it will likely wear better over time than a DIY.  In other words, a pro can make it look like it never happened.  
 
I did my best to repair some leather damage - and I can tell you matching the color isn't easy. The seller may tell you it's a match, but you will have another issue with sheen (matte/gloss).

Black seems like it would be easy to match - but to me it's not. There are a lot of shades of "black" that are more like anthracite.

Honestly, if it was me, I'd look into Swissvax Leather Healer. I've never used it, but it seems perfect for what you need to do. The other possibility is to sand the whole leather panel down and have it re-colored or try to do it yourself. But, the results you get will be the results you get... Good luck.
 
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