Bob, that looks great. Definitely the nicest looking aftermarket leather skin I've seen.
Good seeing you the week before last!!
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Bob, that looks great. Definitely the nicest looking aftermarket leather skin I've seen.
Good seeing you the week before last!!
Incase anyone wants to try the fill/repair/paint method. I think it looks awesome!
http://www.clublexus.com/forums/sc-4...lor-match.html
I have some experience here with vinyl dyeing with aerosol paint. In fact, I used SEM vinyl dye spray can products to change my BMW interior from blue to black. SEM is a tad bit pricier, but people online had great results and so I followed the herd. Here's some pics of the rear seats and side panels:
Before:
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5148/5...d3ce94abce.jpg
After:
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2638/5...e829e97d41.jpg
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2741/5...dae1d9591d.jpg
Even the arm rests turned out great:
http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6078/6...fecff365e8.jpg
So the problem with that writeup is that vinyl paint will not stick on leather very long. I have read that fact time and time again. I was going to go that route (vinyl spray paint) to apply to my aftermarket craigslist leather seats, but in the end, I read too many experiences of vinyl coming off leather. So I bought a Leatherique kit, but even that didn't prove to be good either (I know I couldve done better prep work).
In anycase, do NOT put vinyl dye on leather :)
Check this out bob.. http://www.clublexus.com/forums/sc-4...lor-match.html
as well as this http://www.78ta.com/HTAF/index.php?topic=28336.0
Seems it holds up well if you do the proper prep work. I read the key is to make sure the leather is CLEAN and to clean it with something like brakecleen or lacquer thinner. Apparently it opens up the pores of the leather and allows better penetration.
CJM,
Definitely agree that prep work is key. I'm sure it works, but my recommendation is to use leather dye for leather and vinyl dye for vinyl. From what I read, its the adhesion spray that opens up the pores of the leather not the cleaning agent. I personally would never use brake cleaner to clean leather. I would use something more mild or something formulated for leather. I would use a flexible adhesion primer too since leather is pliable.
Leatherique has really good info about leathercare, cleaning, and prep for redyeing. There are some other site too on the interweb that cover the topic.
Bob,
Read more than a few disappointed reviews about leathrique but very few negative on SEM. They sell a leather/vinyl adhesion promoter as well. Reason you want to clean the leather with something so harsh is apparently its silicone impregnated and thus this is why most of the products fail.
Im willing to give it a shot, I dont see how my wheel could be any worse really. Right now its flaking off at the 11-1 o'clock position and its very worn there. Hey worst case I waste 20 bucks and my time, then I can slap a wheel cover over it.
ETA: SEM also makes a leather specific product-but guess what not in the tan color for my interior. I wish I had black sometimes..woulda be so much easier.
Im willing to give it a shot lol. Worst that happens is I dont like it and do a wheel skins.
I went today to try and get the paint but they didnt have any at the distributor near me. Gonna hafta order it.
Yep been over a year and I need to do this BAD. I have a 2" long x 1/2" wide hole at the 12 o'clock position. Id just remove the leather but wtf its black underneath. Makes no sense since the rest of the entire interior is oak. Guess they cheaped out. Wonder what you woulda got if you got the base model and an oak interior..black wheel?
Bob, any idea if you can get the pics working again I can see how it looks a bit better?