Cheap Leather?

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Manhattan

Manhattan

10 Year 15 Year 20 Year
Joined
Jun 22, 2005
Threads
182
Messages
3,014
Location
Atlanta
Website
www.prequel.agency
If someone showed me the seats in my 100 and told me "The seats are out of a car that stickered for $62,000... Guess the Make, Year, Miles..."

I'd probably guess... hmmm "1983 Mercedes with 225,000 miles?

I definitely wouldn't guess "A 2006 Land Cruiser with 48,000 miles"

Toyota seemed rather confused in the build of these things - incredible, frame, body, drive train... Then it seems some of the Camry team must've snuck across the hall into the Land Cruiser area and started ordering their leather and plastic trim pieces.

Seriously though... really wondering what to here. At the rate these seats are going, they'll be splitting next year. I've owned the truck since April and have cleaned and conditioned them a few times, but the damage is done. I could cover them with Wet Okoles... I guess. Anyone had any success with warranty coverage on wear items like this? Ideas?

IMG_2185.jpg
 
Metric TLC

its not cheap, but it is worth it.

I just did this job 3 weeks ago, my truck is a 98 with 200k miles and this is the second time the leather has been replaced on it. Made a world of difference.

6298637803_69aefcf1a4_z.jpg


The other option is to use leatherique which people have had some good results with. Costs about $200 and it will soften, re dye and fills ome cracks in the leather.
 
Leather upholstery requires regular maintenance or you'll have that. It is a 5 yr old vehicle now and a few years of neglect can take a toll. My 2001 still looks factory new, but both of my previous '96 cruisers had leather like the ones in your picture on the driver side. I suspect the difference is the PO of my '01 cleaned and conditioned them from time to time. That reminds me that I should do the same...
 
Yeah... the previous owner was a douche in the wrong truck for sure - used it to tow his motorcycles, ALL mats were completely grease and rust stained (from motorcycle parts I guess), cargo area and tailgate have tears in the trim... and the weather stripping was all pulled out - clearly from dragging parts in and out... the exterior had to be buffed to eliminate tons of scratches, there are/were cigarette burns... and it took a ridiculous effort to get the smoke smell out...

The PO should've bought a base F150 AND a nice sedan... but I know, I know - A. His money, his choice. B. No one forced me to "rescue" this 100 ;)

The funny thing is now I get comments like "Wow. That thing is in amazing shape for a 5-year-old truck" They should say "NOW" that thing is in amazing shape...
 
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ENGINE er said:
Metric TLC

its not cheap, but it is worth it.

I just did this job 3 weeks ago, my truck is a 98 with 200k miles and this is the second time the leather has been replaced on it. Made a world of difference.

The other option is to use leatherique which people have had some good results with. Costs about $200 and it will soften, re dye and fills ome cracks in the leather.
Click to expand...

My driver seat is cracked in my '99, I was going to look into replacing the front seats this winter. Did you go thru a dealer for the leather?... or is there a better source? Was this a do it yourself job?
 
Mine has sat in GA heat and winters un-garaged for 11 years now. Soon to be 12 (wow, shes getting old!, wait that doesn't sound right...) and my leather looks a little better than that. I guess the PO really was a seat slider. I would clean it with some leather cleaner and condition it every month. May bring back the softness and keep the wear down from this point forward.
 
jasong said:
My driver seat is cracked in my '99, I was going to look into replacing the front seats this winter. Did you go thru a dealer for the leather?... or is there a better source? Was this a do it yourself job?
Click to expand...

the link is the first line of my post. They are a mud sponsor by the name of metric TLC. I did front and back seats and they fit great.

I call it a DIY job but ive been wrenching for 10 years and the last 5 were spent working for professional race teams. Even with my experience i had never done seats before. It was a PITA and took me all of 2 full days to get it finished and looking good. Its hard work but its not complicated.
 
Poke around for a thread on some leather cleaner from Altantique or something like that. Someone did a great job with crack filler, dye, and cleaner, seats looked freakin' awesome after. Mine looks like ass and I want to replace with Shane's kit so bad, but with 3 young kids I'm not laying out the grand only to have them trashed again.
 
Manhattan said:
Yeah... the previous owner was a douche in the wrong truck for sure - used it to tow his motorcycles, ALL mats were completely grease and rust (from motorcycle parts I guess), cargo area and tailgate have tears in the trim and the weather stripping was all pulled out - clearly from dragging parts in and out... the exterior had to be buffed to eliminate tons of scratches, there are/were cigarette burns and it took a ridiculous effort to get the smoke smell out...
Click to expand...

And you're surprised about the condition of the seats?? :confused:
 
Hello my fellow FJ convert.
First off, my dad has owned an auto upholstery shop for nearly 40 years and i worked there a lot during my teens, just to show where i am coming from.

All the cleaning and condition in the world is not going to repair heavily used and cracked leather.
Malco is the cleaner my dads shop uses to clean leather and it works wonders. It is so strong i wouldn't use it directly. Spray it onto a damp sponge. You can get all the dirt/grime out of the cracks, which then reduces their appearance. Works fantastically on cleaning plastic as well.
Amazon.com: Malco Leather & Plastic Cleaner Professional Results 22 oz: Automotive

And then they use a conditioner called Byron's Hyde Conditioner. Though, i can't find any good links to this stuff.

The leather will feel much softer after this and look better, but the cracking will still be there.

Your other option would be to replace it/have it replaced. You can probably still get OEM replacement sections (like just the lower cover by itself), though, it will be pricey from Toyota. IMO, i wouldn't just replace the lower section, it will not look right with the bottom looking brand new and the upper being old/cracked. As for the leather "filler" stuff, my dads shop does not use it because it does not hold up over time.

I am not sure where Metric TLC gets their kits from, but IMO, Katzkin is the best aftermarket leather supplier in the industry. I have installed lots of various other brands and Katzkin makes a great product. My dads shop charges about what he is charging for the kits, only that is the installed price. Labor for just the front row of seats would probably be about 2-4 hours. I installed leather into my FJC and it took me about 6 hours for front and rear.

Someone else asked "did you go through a dealership?" There is not a single dealership in this city that would do this job. A lot of the jobs my dad gets are from dealerships. You bring your car in, then they take it to an auto upholstery shop, and then add on extra to that price. Just try and find a good auto upholstery shop.
 
Trunk Monkey said:
Poke around for a thread on some leather cleaner from Altantique or something like that. Someone did a great job with crack filler, dye, and cleaner, seats looked freakin' awesome after. Mine looks like ass and I want to replace with Shane's kit so bad, but with 3 young kids I'm not laying out the grand only to have them trashed again.
Click to expand...

I did the same with products from ColorPlus - called Surflex. However it didn't last. Ask the guy in the above referenced thread a year or so from having done it, how his is holding up.
 
Greeting,


Here is the thread on new leather Also see my sig line to look at the pics when I removed mine for patterning. They was fugly with 199k on the clock.

Now would I replace yours if I was you? No I wouldn't as there is some great cleaners and conditions out there. One that comes to mind is "leatherique "I use Lexol I can also tell you that it will be ugly after first cleaning as your pulling all the crap out of the leather. Do not use a brush at all or use any dye.

I would also talk you out of buying a seat bottom as it wont match. Toyota used a polished split grain leather for all their interiors. I use a top grain as the durability is much higher and it wears nicely, but being top grain it has it has a texture and wont match.

I vote to clean it several times and then use a good conditioner.

Shane
 
AATLAS1X said:
Greeting,


Here is the thread on new leather Also see my sig line to look at the pics when I removed mine for patterning. They was fugly with 199k on the clock.

Now would I replace yours if I was you? No I wouldn't as there is some great cleaners and conditions out there. One that comes to mind is "leatherique "I use Lexol I can also tell you that it will be ugly after first cleaning as your pulling all the crap out of the leather. Do not use a brush at all or use any dye.

I would also talk you out of buying a seat bottom as it wont match. Toyota used a polished split grain leather for all their interiors. I use a top grain as the durability is much higher and it wears nicely, but being top grain it has it has a texture and wont match.

I vote to clean it several times and then use a good conditioner.

Shane
Click to expand...

Spoken like an honest business man.
 
AATLAS1X said:
I vote to clean it several times and then use a good conditioner.

Shane
Click to expand...

What happens when you ask an expert?

This:
Before...
IMG_2185.jpg


After...
photo-12.jpg


Same seat. Really. Cleaned. Conditioned. Stunned.

THANK YOU!
 
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2000UZJ, I had my '98 front seats replaced about three years back as the drivers seat had cracked (did not clean and condition enough). The parts guy at the dealer told be about Classic Soft Trim on Amwiler Industrial Dr in Doraville, said they and other dealers get seats done there. They do a big business shipping the seat kits out around the country. It was $375 to have the fronts replaced including arm and head rests. The color matches but the leather is "pebbled" / has a grain to it, not smooth like the original seats. I passed at the time to do the 2nd row at the same price because my kids were still little. Figured when they beat them up more I would replace them too.

I am very happy with the seats although if I had ponied up for new foam, the seat kits would be a little tighter. It does not bother me, for $375, it made my 10 year old truck look a lot better. They have held up great and would definitely do it again.

Manhattan, Great cleaning job on your seats!
 
Klaus,

I will take some pics tomorrow when it is light out and post.
 
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