Before
After:
I used a kit from Seat Doctors. They sell color matched dye, filler, and clear coat. Took a little trial-and-error but I think I got about 75% of the visual upgrade of new leather, for about 5% the cost. Here’s a little of the process:
The center armrest was in the worst shape, so I stated there since I could handle it more easily than a seat. Start:
Filler. It took about 3 skim coats to build up the surface, I used a silicone spatula to level it and a 400 grit sanding sponge to smooth between coats:
After that, 3-4 thin layers of the dye, dabbed on with a little sponge. For me, that was the method the worked best after trying wiping and spraying. The key is to work light and quickly, one hand-sized section at a time. The dye is thin, so it runs easily and dries fast.
Pretty much the same process on the seats, but I went lighter on the filler knowing the leather would be getting stretched and pulled. Also whip-stitched the couple of small tears in the bolster. That definitely looked like combat surgery, but filler did a good job hiding it. I pulled the seats out of the car so I could work around them, but not 100% necessary. Good excuse to clean underneath and lube your power mechanism, though. I found almost enough spare change to pay for the dye
After:
I used a kit from Seat Doctors. They sell color matched dye, filler, and clear coat. Took a little trial-and-error but I think I got about 75% of the visual upgrade of new leather, for about 5% the cost. Here’s a little of the process:
The center armrest was in the worst shape, so I stated there since I could handle it more easily than a seat. Start:
Filler. It took about 3 skim coats to build up the surface, I used a silicone spatula to level it and a 400 grit sanding sponge to smooth between coats:
After that, 3-4 thin layers of the dye, dabbed on with a little sponge. For me, that was the method the worked best after trying wiping and spraying. The key is to work light and quickly, one hand-sized section at a time. The dye is thin, so it runs easily and dries fast.
Pretty much the same process on the seats, but I went lighter on the filler knowing the leather would be getting stretched and pulled. Also whip-stitched the couple of small tears in the bolster. That definitely looked like combat surgery, but filler did a good job hiding it. I pulled the seats out of the car so I could work around them, but not 100% necessary. Good excuse to clean underneath and lube your power mechanism, though. I found almost enough spare change to pay for the dye
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