wondering if the Leather Covers on a LX450 can replace the old tired cracked and torn ones in my 96 Toyota LandCruiser.
Any Leather experts out there?
Any Leather experts out there?
Leather Covers LX450
- Thread starter redshiftquasars
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I got a quote today from some local Upholstery outfit as such for material & labor:
first & second rows, 2-tone, all 100% leather seat including side & back, installed for $1350.
first & second rows, 2-tone, 50/50 leather (front seating area) & vinly (side & back), installed for $1100.
First & second rows, 50/50 leather, installed for $950.
I may just go for the ultimate 100% leather.
x2 for AATLAS1X, excellent quality and service!!
Doug
Doug
Since I don't have the heart to take out the seats & spend 12 hours installing seat covers, I thought it's better leave it to the professional for the whole package with warranty & close by my area too.
I finally made up my mind for the 100% full leather 2-tone, front & second rows, with all the armrests, even the back & sides will all be leather!! all for $1350 installed. Probably sometime next week, I will post some pictures of the results. I see the leather match & it's not bad!
word on AATLAS1X! I bought a vehicle from a member on here that had the first and second rows replaced and they make the vehicle feel like new!
I would go with the known quantity/quality of aatlas1x/Metric TLC and get a quote on the install from a local shop, FWIW.
That's was my plan A when I call around to get installation quote. It was insane, the labor ranges from $900, $375 & $195 from 3 shops. I picked the middle one & decided to go with plan B & let them do the whole package with one year warranty. IT saves me some troubles if the kits do not fit or something went wrong.
I had mine re-done by a local shop and I wish I would have gone with Aatlas or whatever his name is. I do recommend ordering new seat cushions. New leather on worn out cushions is only half done to me. Ideally, the kit from Aatlas installed by a local shop with new seat cushions would be my first choice.
Can you put a LX cover on a Land Cruiser, sure I guess it could be done, but the foam is different.
Since I don't have the heart to take out the seats & spend 12 hours installing seat covers, I thought it's better leave it to the professional for the whole package with warranty & close by my area too.
I finally made up my mind for the 100% full leather 2-tone, front & second rows, with all the armrests, even the back & sides will all be leather!! all for $1350 installed. Probably sometime next week, I will post some pictures of the results. I see the leather match & it's not bad!
I hate installing leather or even vinyl on the old 40's it tears up my hands and my fingers kill me the next day. Call me a pussy, but paying $400 is a bargain in my eyes to do both rows, head rests (bitch) and door arms rests.
Read and understand this fully and ask questions if you are unclear.
DO NOT DO 100% leather
There are many great craftsman out there that do great work, but don't let them practice on your car without knowing some facts.
- Leather shrinks as it cures over the next three months. If 100% it will NOT stretch and will TEAR at the weakest points. The vinyl on the sides is there for a reason, to allow stretching.
- I use top grain Australian hides with no scars that are automotive grade, not split grain. Split grain is the much cheaper portion of the hide and not as strong. It looks soft and supply as it is, but not for automotive.
- "J" strips are what came on those covers and new is used to attach cover to seat frame.
- I use new and correct color carpet backs on 2nd row.
- I uses color matched zippers on arm rests and 2nd row.
- I use foam on the seat faces that is flame retardant if you install heated seats and there happened to be a short in the electronics.
- The vinyl we use use is a faux leather, so it matches the grain and color.
They may be doing 100% leather as they cannot match the vinyl to the hide. How are they attaching the side bolsters to the seat frame? Are they using your old zippers and carpet backs?
I am not telling you buy mine, just giving you some facts to make a decision.
It is nuts that you get such a range on install, the only thing I can say is that every small son and dad shop's are the best. They do the best work, have a clean shop and just know what the end result is to be.
Shane
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I dropped off the LX450 in the shop for a complete 100% leather seat works. It's a local family business with 30 years in this business. They will even add foam where it needs. I will post pictures after it's done in a couple of days. Can't wait to see!!
Hop online and buy a drivers seat cushion from a discount Lexus parts house...
The drivers seat is the only seat cushion that has noticeable wear. If you do allow them to install sheet foam, know a few things.
1. The seat face middle and low back is the most area that can have foam added. Why you ask? Because the listings (sewn edge that has material attached that is pulled into cushion and hog ringed to wire at bottom of cushion) is boxed and will keep the square added material in place. The bolsters on the bottom and back will not hold added foam and will bunch up and look like a sock was lost in the cover when attached.
Post up the pictures of the back side of your covers and ask them to remove them and not to cut them off. (words of wisdom here)
Best of luck,
Shane
The drivers seat is the only seat cushion that has noticeable wear. If you do allow them to install sheet foam, know a few things.
1. The seat face middle and low back is the most area that can have foam added. Why you ask? Because the listings (sewn edge that has material attached that is pulled into cushion and hog ringed to wire at bottom of cushion) is boxed and will keep the square added material in place. The bolsters on the bottom and back will not hold added foam and will bunch up and look like a sock was lost in the cover when attached.
Post up the pictures of the back side of your covers and ask them to remove them and not to cut them off. (words of wisdom here)
Best of luck,
Shane
yardbird88 said:
I wouldn't have gone that route, but heres hoping your satisfied in the short and long term.
I wouldn't have gone that route, but heres hoping your satisfied in the short and long term.
I was thinking about buying from Shane and let them install. But If something doesn't fit, it will cost me to ship it back & forth so I decided to let one shop does it all. This shop seems like a reputable family shop that intends to stay here forever. They do lots of dealer's, local sheriff's and yatchs too.
100% leather seat for 97 LX450
It's finally done for a grand total of $1350 included labor, all 100% 2-tone leather front, side & back of 1st & 2nd rows with 4 door arm rests & center console rest and added padding where needed. The leather is much better than I expected, very soft with texture, thicker than OEM's, workmanship is good.
I like the smell of NEW LEATHER!
It's finally done for a grand total of $1350 included labor, all 100% 2-tone leather front, side & back of 1st & 2nd rows with 4 door arm rests & center console rest and added padding where needed. The leather is much better than I expected, very soft with texture, thicker than OEM's, workmanship is good.
I like the smell of NEW LEATHER!
More leather!Some more....
The 2 tone color that I picked matches quite well to the dash & OEM 's sandstone.
They sewed the carpet at the bottom of the 2nd row seat to the leather's seat cover... the back of the 1st row is also leather. OEM had faux leather at the plastic cover at the back of the 1st row.
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