New car - Is it even POSSIBLE to keep the leather in THIS condition? Need advice

F

Frankieplus

New member
I just bought a new car. Nissan Murano Ti and it's the first car I've owned with Leather Trim and Seats.



Now is it even possible top keep the leather looking exactly as it is right now? Which is bascially..



MATT FINISH - No shine whatsoever.

Not slippery at all.

Soft to touch.

Very dry feel.



What steps should I take to keep the leather exactly as is OR is this impossible?



1. Should I just clean it with a damp chamois and that's it? If I do this will the leather eventually crack due to no conditioning product?



2. Should I use a cleaning and conditioning product even now and again and if so which one WONT leave any shine or make the leather slippery?



3. Are most products designed to care for old leather? How about caring for new leather as a maintenence thing?



Can someone please advise me on how to best keep the leather in the same condition that it is now as I'm happy with it like this :)



Thanks!





-Frankie
 
That's the other problem, I don't know which mild cleaner to use that won't cause problems down the track..



I purchased Optimum Leather Protectant to use as a mild cleaner but it leaves a mild sheen and is slightly slippery. I tested it on my couch.



Can you recommend a mild cleaner? I was looking at Chemical Bros webiste just before.. How about their cleaner??





-Frankie
 
As a long time LM user I'd give them high rating. I have some ivory Italian leather that is over 20 years old that has seen nothing but LM cleaner and protectant and it looks like new today.



IMHO, The things that age leather in order of significance are:

1. Dirt. Dirt acts as an abrasive as you enter and exit your vehicle. This can cause a shiny appearance and even wear through the thin topcoat. Keep your leather clean by vacuming and wiping with a wrung out 100% cotton towel weekly.



2. Temperature. Automotive leather takes a lot of abuse from temperature. When leather gets hot it gives up moisture. Keeping your car's interior cool is difficult but will extend its life. Use a sunshade and keep the windows cracked when parking in the summer sun. Temperatures inside a car can still easily reach 150-160 degrees F. When the leather is at those extremes, moisture evaporates from the leather fibers. Park in a shaded ramp when possible or in your garage.



3. Moisture loss. Leather easily loses moisture as mentioned previously. It is not all that easy to rehydrate leather as it has a urethane topcoat that is fairly impervious to water penetration. Raising the relative humidity level around the leather allows the leather to regain lost moisture. A weekly wipe-down with a wrung-out cotton towel will help. I occasionally will toss the towel under the seats after the wipe-down for a couple hours to aid in rehydration during the hotter summer months. The back-side of the leather is not coated and the leather fibers are IMO, more able to accept this hydration via the elevated humidity levels. When leather fibers lose moisture they shrink and when they get rehydrated, the leather fibers swell. This is where most creases likely develop and may eventually lead to cracking of the topcoat.



4. Chemicals. IME, outside of a regular cleaning with a mild detergent and a wipe-down to remove any remaining detergent, the leather will not need any conditioning. I do use Leather Masters protectant for the purpose of preventing dye transfer and soiling/staining and it does a good job. I can also say that the finish that is left by LM Protection Cream is exactly that of your new leather. That is, no added gloss, no slipperiness or grabbiness and a soft hand and a dry silky feel.



LM is not the only company that makes a good leather protectant but they are one of the top two that I have experience with. A protectant (water-based fluorocarbon) is much different than a conditioner. Conditioners tend to contain oils, waxes and/or silicones. Conditioners do not prevent dye transfer nor do they usually leave the leather feeling dry and silky. Many conditioners that I have tried left the seats glossy, slippery, tacky or grabby. They left a film on the leather topcoat that tends to retain dirt and increases abrasion as I slide into or exit the vehicle.



IMO, leather needs regular cleaning, hydration and protection.



Products for cleaning that I have used and can recommend.

Woolite Original formula mixed 10:1 or 20:1 (water to Woolite) makes a good high foaming cleaner

Leather Masters Strong Leather Cleaner. Can be diluted 2:1 (water to LM) to make a more gentle cleaner)



Products for protection that I have used and can recommend.

Leather Masters Protection Cream



Products for stain removal that I have used and can recommend.

Leather Masters Super Remover
 
Frankieplus- Welcome to Autopia!



Besides the LM stuff (which *is* very good; it's in my top two or three choices), you might look into the offerings from LeatherDoctor. Their Protectants (offered in both "Buttery Feel" and "Draggy Feel" for seats and steering wheels/shift knobs respectively) are great with regard to "drying dry" and not being slimy the way so many leather treatments can be.



And yeah, other than some creases/etc. from being flexed/used, it's possible to keep leather just like new. And the creases/etc. can often be kept minimal.
 
Nice to meet you!
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+1 for Leather Masters. I just took this pic today as I have my car for sale, but it's 4 years old now with 54,xxx miles and still looks like new.



20120328-_MG_6692.jpg
 
RaskyR1 said:
+1 for Leather Masters. I just took this pic today as I have my car for sale, but it's 4 years old now with 54,xxx miles and still looks like new.



20120328-_MG_6692.jpg
Click to expand...



Very nice Chad! Should be a quick sale.
 
RaskyR1 said:
+1 for Leather Masters. I just took this pic today as I have my car for sale, but it's 4 years old now with 54,xxx miles and still looks like new.
Click to expand...
Very nice! The left bottom bolster on the driver's seat is a huge problem in terms of showing wear for Honda/Acura. It looks like that has held up well in your TSX :)
 
alpha said:
Very nice! The left bottom bolster on the driver's seat is a huge problem in terms of showing wear for Honda/Acura. It looks like that has held up well in your TSX :)
Click to expand...



It has some creasing and a little wear by the seam, but overall I feel it's in really good shape, especially compared to some other TSX's I've seen (two of my co-workers have them).
 
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