My S-type has black leather, with a black dash. The dash looks dull ‘with a whiteness in the cracks”
It looks sun faded. But it also looks like that on the front console where it wraps around.



I have tried . . . Connolly Hide Care: Connolly Hide Care, also referred to as Hide Food, is the best leather conditioner to use on fine leather. In fact it is the only conditioner recognized by Jaguar and other fine automobile makers to treat their leather.

Also tried . . . . . Chemspec’s Leather Cleaner and Conditioner : Is specially formulated to safely and effectively clean smooth, pigmented leather. This is an advanced, professional-strength cleaner that will easily clean surface dirt as well as dirt that is trapped in the grain of the leather. Replenishes and prolongs leather’s natural beauty - As leather ages it may lose some of its natural oils. Chemspec’s Leather Cleaner and Conditioner replaces those lost oils to maintain and prolong the leather’s natural beauty while keeping it soft and supple.

And have tried a Furniture Polish with Lemon Oil that I have used for years on leather with great results.

Is this a natural phenomenon of the Jaguar leather, the way it is suppose to look?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

I was going to recommend that you apply a dressing or conditioner to it to restore the luster... but it looks like you already exhausted that route. I would try checking on an auto detailing forum and ask around for product recommendations. Possibly, the conditioner you are using is meant to condition and treat the leather to avoid cracking rather than preserve/restore color. There may be another product that is fit for the job. Personally I don't know - but I'm sure those guys on the detailing forums do.

 

Also, I own an x-type and not an s-type so I don't know for sure... but are you sure that your dash is leather? Maybe you are using the wrong product to condition it. It may be plastic or vinyl. It is rare for real leather to be used on areas that aren't actually touched when seated. Vinyl is much cheaper and people never know the difference as long as the parts that they touch are real. Something to think about. If you are using leather conditioner on vinyl, that may be the issue.

 

I don't know about the products to use, but the dash is real leather.

 

If you do not find any solution, just add a dash mat

 

[:'(] I don't know, dash mats are so ugly, and I've always seen them as a way to hide uglyness and cracks.

 

Hey Cajun, Are you the original owner? If not maybe the previous owner put some sort of wax on the leather and now it is dried and cracked! I would try a soft brush with some leather cleaner on a small spot to see if it changes. The wax or whatever maybe preventing the leather treatment from penatrating.

 

I think it looks more like sun-fading than something actually on the dash. Since it is real leather, you could always use leather dye on it. Black isn't the hardest color to match, and even if it doesn't match exactly just do the entire interior of the car and it will all look the same. Plus, leather dye is dirt cheap and really easy to use.

 

OK Guys here is the deal with my leather. It is notcracked.
Just looks sun faded, but even the front dash "not exposed to the sun"is faded.
Now I am somewhat versed in Leather "through one ofmy companies"and this is a mystery.

When i put a conditioner on it , it looks great for a few hours. But the next day, it lookslike crap.

BadMojo you make a good point, I am not the original owner. The car came from Hollywood, California.

But the leather is not cracked, just seems really dry. I will try a horse hair brush
And some neutral cleaner , and will let you all know the out come.

As always . . . .Thanks

 

Actually I was referring to whatever they might have put on being dried and cracked not the leather. I use armour all or turtle wax leather wipes and my dash looks like brand new! I never had much luck with all of the expensive leather products.

 

Just for curiosity's sake I'd try: this. It is the best protectant I know, but I'm not sure about it's restorative properties. All I do know is that anything that has been protected by it has never shown signs of UV fade or cracking (and this is in the Miami sun). You should be able to grab a bottle at some auto parts stores and at the very least any boat supply place will have it (it works great on bimini/T-Top fabrics).

Good luck.