<ALL> Leather seat project

["Richard F. Viehdorfer" <viehdorfer@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hello to everyone,
I'm starting a project which I thought would be of interest to owners of older
BMWs. My 1986 535i has leather seats which are beginning to show age,
primarily due to sun damage, and perhaps some damage from using improper
materials for maintenance and upkeep. For a daily driver which is parked
outside, the rest of the car is in very good condition all around, which makes
my dilemma with the upholstery all the more acute. I thought my experience
with a major recondition-ing and re-dye would be something many of you could
learn from.
First of all, what are the options available to you? The first, replacement,
simply isn't an option due to the cost, not to mention availability. Besides,
my seats have no major damage. Not even the drivers side bolster is
significantly worn.  The second, re-dye, is the obvious choice. I considered
having a local detailer re-dye the seats. This detailer, by the way, is a
national franchise and does work on the used BMWs at one of the largest BMW
dealerships here in Denver. After talking with some folks at those
dealerships, and looking at the quality of what was being done, I passed. The
reason? They are in essence spraying a light lacquer or other solvent-based
color coat on the leather; it apparently cracks off after a time. This was not
a  long term solution for me. I wanted something that was much more permanent,
but more importantly, I was alarmed at the continued deterioration of the
leather in the car, especially in the rear, which typically doesn't get nearly
the wear that the front seats do. The only reason for this sudden change over
the last year is sun damage. In places, the leather was getting that 'hard
cardboard' feel, and the dye was beginning to lift off. Also, I was getting
more surface cracking, indicating that the leather was drying out and splitting.
I started by looking for products, or a re-conditioning system, that would
aggressively halt the damage, feed the leather, clean it, and prepare it for
re-dye. I also wanted a  more user-friendly and longer lasting dye than the
lacquer sprays (which I could buy from my shoe repair shop!).
I started my search, naturally, by contacting some of the resources available
to all of us here on this digest. In my next post, I will detail what's
available, what I chose, and how I got started. I will tell you what I have
learned, how I am doing it, and what results I have. I will also tell you what
problems I have experienced. Please stay tuned, and don't be afraid to comment
to me personally. 

Rick Viehdorfer

The [DIY] Leather seat project

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