Leather seat refurbishing?

[tbromley]

Hi Guys,

I looked at Wiki on this and I don't believe I found the answer to the question I have about refurbishing the color of the seat. Has anyone used a dye or even shoe dye on the leather of their seats to get the color more even. I have a 91 and while the seats are in very good condition they had seat covers on them for a long time, which seams to have kind of worn the finish in a splotchy (maybe not the right word), but the color is not even or really nice and completely solid if you know what I mean. Kind of like an old bomber jacket that's in great shape but has an inconsistant color as if it was old, and in this case the seats are of course old.

I plan to just redye the seats and then care for them with the right products that I did find out about in the Wiki articals. So I think I'm good on the reconditioners but I want a good easy to apply dye so that I can get these seats good and black - like a new one.

Is that possible, seems that it would be but I'm wondering about local products that you could get at a nice shoe shop or somewhere else you guys might know about or perhaps you could explain a process you've had good success with.

Thanks all your help is greatly appreciated,

Tim
Atlanta and finally my car will be done this weekend - going to see Barney on Saturday. Yaaaaayyyy!

 

[Big_D]

This thread was posted a while back...

http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/showthread.php?t=45458

 

[tbromley]

Thanks Big D, that was nice of you to look that up. I appreciate it.

Have you tried color plus? I'm just wondering if a shoe care product would work as well. Like a liquid black shoe dye or polish. Even if it wears off it seems that it would be easy to reapply.

Tim

 

[Big_D]

Your welcome :smile: I like helping fellow owners out.

I haven't tried any color restore product. I keep conditioning mine with hopes they will hang in there. I was considering having them redone in the future.

http://www.leatherseats.com

 

[4AU4LIFE]

It seems like not to long ago, Leatherseats.com was doing a GB on her in the Vendor section.

 

[clr1024]

Thanks Big D, that was nice of you to look that up. I appreciate it.

Have you tried color plus? I'm just wondering if a shoe care product would work as well. Like a liquid black shoe dye or polish. Even if it wears off it seems that it would be easy to reapply.

Tim

I have

Here is my opinion from the same thread.

http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/showpost.php?p=789331&postcount=39.

It's not a bad product your seats will not look new but depending on your current condition can significantly improve the overall appearance. It's pretty easy to do as well.

I wouldn't use shoe polish just because I would be afraid of it coming off on my clothes. Just my $.02.

At some point I am going to get new seats made though, just to freshen up the interior.

I haven't daily driven my NSX in quite some time now at least a couple years so the wear is a lot slower. I still want to get new seats.

 

[tbromley]

Does Honda make new covers? Can't you get OEM? I don't understand how anyone does this themselves as the sectional view I've seen would suggest either stitching or a lot of gluing.

Has anyone gotten new seat covers that is participating here? I still think that coloring your seats - although considered temporary- it beats not doing it and having semi worn looking seats. If I had the money I'd take my car to an upholstering shop and have it done. They also do this kind of work too - so you can always pay for something you can DIY and it wouldn't look any better than what you can do yourself with a little elbow grease.

The black seats shown on the long thread Big D sent were awesome. I can't imagine if my seats looked close to the before picture of the black seats - check em out- and I got the "after" look that I wouldn't be tickled pink. It only takes about 48 hours to do all this. For a hundred or less it's money well spent. No way you can go wrong.

There is another product out there that is as good if not better than color plus - it's called Leatherique.com check it out. They have kits and complete instructions for useing the product.

Thanks guys

 

[clr1024]

You have a few options, although I don't think the Honda OEM one is one for replacement covers:

1) quickest and easiest and cheapest, although not the best is the color plus.
2) leatherseats.com and do it yourself
3) leatherseats.com and pay someone to install (some people have had better results versus the DIY)
4) have it custome done at an upholster. (from what I can tell this option is pretty close to buying the leatherseats.com and paying to install)

Here are some links of installs:

http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/showthread.php?t=96913&highlight=leatherseats.com

Here is a link to a leatherseats.com group buy:

http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/showthread.php?t=120112&highlight=leatherseats.com

Concerns about leatherseats.com (this maybe a DIY issues versus paying a shop to do it)

http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/showthread.php?t=117280&highlight=leatherseats.com

This is what I am leaning towards doing, custom upholstery like this, nothing flashy, looks OEM:

http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1121643&postcount=20


Hope this helps.

 

[tbromley]

Carl,

Thanks for taking the time to post here with all the links. That was mighty nice. There is a guy here in Atlanta that my good friend and owner of Automobile Atlanta recommended - a guy named Twan - he says he's the best. I'm going to go see him.

Mine don't really need redoing yet but if I can get a job like the one in the links you sent that was AdvanCap I believe, the one with the pictures shown over and over that was custom done in SoCal I would do that in a new york minute. Did you see the price he paid - 1100 for seats, suede inserts and door panels too. Man you can't beat that but So Cal is the home of the customizers. That's where all the good folks are out there. I just hope that Twan is as good as this. I will surely show him these pictures and if he doesn't think he can do that good then I'll go somewhere else.

I'll tell you 1100 a shot if you kept the car 10 years and did it twice - that's not too much to pay. I'm going the custom route.

Everything I saw from "leatherseats.com" sucked. I didn't see one application that I liked.

What about OEM though - I guess if you lived in Japan they had a refurbishing project going on at Honda for this. It's in the coffee table book on the NSX. I don't live in Japan - so maybe Twan is the answer???

I'll keep you posted. How bout down there in Orlando - good upholsterers down there?

Thanks for writing I really appreciate it.

Tim

 

[tonyb]

I have a '95 that the leather was looking kind of worn in spots and little stiff. My son works for a local auto dealer (No CO) and he recommended I have the guy that reconditions seats for the dealer do mine. I brought the car to them on the day they visited the dealer. It took about an hour and they charged me $60. They have spray dyes (like spray paint) and applied a conditioner to them - it came out great. That was 2.5 mos ago, so the wear factor is still TBD, but the leather is still shedding dog drool from Fiona, my english bulldog...

Visit a couple local auto dealers, speak to the lot techs to find out how good their guy is, find out what day he visits and get in contact with him.

Even if I have to do it 1X year - it completely hid the wear and tear and the color matches. You ccould also buy the spray dye and apply yourself, but the guy mentioned the stuff he uses is ~$50/can.

TB

 

[tbromley]

You know after getting my car home the seats look really great. I teated them with Zymol and they're fine. It looks almost new in the cockpit. I'm very lucky and happy and man is it fast! I still don't get it. All these young bucks must have a track outside their door - I don't know where I'm gonna use the power it has much less what a super charger would put out.

 

[clr1024]

Carl,

Thanks for taking the time to post here with all the links. That was mighty nice.

You are welcome, always try to help out a fellow enthusiast when I can.

the one with the pictures shown over and over that was custom done in SoCal I would do that in a new york minute. Did you see the price he paid - 1100 for seats, suede inserts and door panels too.

Yeah I saw what he paid, I was leaning towards that option. For that price it's a no brainer to me. I would probably do the exact same thing to. They also did the armrest to match, if you didnt notice. They removed the NSX badge on the arm rest...the one that burns you every hot day...if you haven't figured this out yet...you will soon enough:biggrin:. If I get mine done I am removing the emblem.

I'll keep you posted. How bout down there in Orlando - good upholsterers down there?

When I get around to it I will do some more research, so their could be but I am not aware of any right now.

Congratulations on your car, I am sure it was worth the wait.