about four score and seven years ago...lol j/k not that long ago. I posted about getting that good old jaguar leather smell or some semblence of leather smell back. Lo and behold, went to visit the car the other day while it waits for the box, opened the door and the smell I was looking for hit me smack in the face. Go figure it's still there. I guess driving around everyday got my used to it.
Man, wish my noses didnt get used to it so I can actually smell it everyday. Hell, my nose dont get used to the garbage smell i nthe air here. Why it got to get use to the leather smell.
But still goign to condition the leather but may go scentless so I wont risk loosing that smell and ending up with interior that smells of old tar and turpintine with a hint of lemon.

 

you can always try these

 

Have you tried one this yourself?

I bought the bottled versions of Gliptone's leather cleaner and conditioner a few years ago which was supposed to give the aroma of real leather.

The cleaner was very effective as was the conditioner but the aroma reminded me of wet cardboard.

Graham

 

I haven't - I went with new Connolly replacing all the vinyl in the car...a bit more work than an air freshener, but it now smells delicious!

 

Very interesting. I had a VDP so pretty much everything was leather. Where is the vinyl in the XJR and approximately how much did it cost you for the upgrade, if you don't mind me asking? I'm very interested in this.

 

I bought a full hide of autolux warm charcoal, about £500. Replaced B post, parcel shelf, wing mirror backs, front kick panels, door pockets, and other stuff.

 

My XJ sport had a lovely untouched leather smell. Neutral.
And despite the continued use of Lexol conditioner Which
smells of wet cardboard), it maintained this good smell.

The XJR had a recent leather repair (I sure hope it holds
together, seats in this colour look awful when worn out badly)
and headliner. So it smells sort of sweet, rather like an old Audi.

I prefer the Jaguar leather smell. Hopefully it comes back.

Incidentally, my last car had a headliner done, and as far as
I could tell it still smelled nice after the glue smell went away.

On the other hand, the headliner is too thick on the XJR, and
none of the overhead stuff fits quite right. So it needs
replacement, and since I have done a standard headliner
before, Alcantara suede material would be nice this time around.

Ian

 

Thinking about getting some leather scraps and putting them under the seats and various other places in the interior. I think in the VDP, most things are already leather, good condition, and although the leather people, about two shops taht work on automotive stuff interiors, are ok and the work looks ok as long as you dont look upclose. And since the interior is very good condition, besides that blasted baby seat outline in the back seat bottom cushion, I rather not have them butcher it in order to get new leather smell.

Still have to find scentless or "real" leather aroma cleaner.conditioner which so far the search has been futile.

Still eyeballing the connolly stuff as that is the last thing I heard of that I havent tried yet but all out of GB. Not too keen on international transactions as many do go ok, there is always something that can go belly up. Last time, I was left holding the bag and no product and no one could or was willing to do anything because it was an international transaction and they dont fall under US laws. And paypal was a joke (but I must admit I was laughing.)

I'll give it 6 more weeks. If I cant fidn anything then I'ma just say screw it, go to the Cadillac dealership and buy something from there. That stuff they sell there dont smell like the classic new Cadillacs of yesteryear, but smell like kind of what the new CTS and STS smell like. It's a decnt smell, not Jaguar like, but at this point it's about to be any port in a storm mentality. Never been in a Jaguar that smelled like a Cadillac but the way it's looking it will have to do. The BMW stuff smells exactly like new BMWs and brings out that classic new BMW smell even in my old 5 series. The leather looks a little rought aroudn the edges but it smells like it smelled when it was brand new. The Mercedes stuff takes a few days. At first it smells like plain soap but after a couple of days, it brings out that new smell of the MBZ like it was straight out the factory. It's just surprising that Jaguar dont have their own. Was this a Ford decision? Lately I been visiting old Jags around the town the 1988-1991 XJ6s and each and every one of them still smell like the way I remember them when they was new. Heavy, near overpowering leather smell with a hint of wood and mind you some of them was junks sitting there at least 4years, some was some old dude's car that barely reached the 30,000 mile mark, and soem was average daily drivers but all smelled the same. Did they change the formula for the interiors when they made the XJ8 VDPs? Sorry I think I know the answer to that question as I think sometiem around the mid 90s, just about every car maufact. went with less solvents on the interior to cut back on the fumes that linger around, while smelling good and distinct by car make, some said caused health problems (probably some scientist threw a dart at the monthly (What causes Cancer this month board) and it landed on car interiors. That may explain why many cars post 95 and especially 2000 and up smell so vanilla, not the vanilla aroma either, just plain or like plastic in the lower end cars (Nissan and Toyota notorious for this. Each one, brand new, smelled like I was in plastic factory and that's not a compliment. It reeked of the cheapness of someone took a bunch of dollar store toys and melted them down to make the interior of thsoe cars.)

 

My '02 XJ Sport smelled very Jaguar-ish, as did our '03 XK8.
Although the top in the XK8 had a slight oily smell from the roof mechanisms
I suspect. It still smelled good. Like oil-de-Jaguar, not motor oil.

I will say, You do get really used to its smell over time.

 

This is the one and only leather-care product I've encountered which actually imparts a reasonably-authentic leather fragrance. Unfortunately the effect is transitory.

Z-10 Leather in a Bottle: Zaino Store

 

Good info - thanks

For UK / Europe, I've found it available online from:

Zaino Z-10 Leather in a Bottle - Clean Your Car

Graham

 

aint used this one but I'm ordering bottle right now.

 

I don't want "new" leather smell, I want "old" leather smell! Old leather, wood, and a hint of gasoline.

 

I wonder if you can still get English Leather cologne ? ;^)