How to maintain leather seat?
 

Hi all

I have a 2011 XK E50 Edition. It now has approximately 15k miles on the odo, bought new to me with 5k.

One thing I am not so pleased with, is that in my opinion the bottom part of my driver seat looks to wrinkled for this kind of mileage. Eg. my wives mini has similar miles and the leather seats look like new still.

See pictures below of my XK and the sonax general use leather milk I apply to my seats about twice per year.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...c08a6fde4.jpeg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...1e958986c.jpeg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...d88f0fb27.jpeg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...cfe2cb439.jpeg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...fb2b5101f.jpeg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...e2bb024d6.jpeg

Any comments?

Br
ter

Interesting color combo, never seen it before.
That stitch pattern is what I’ve associated with the ‘not full leather’ interior (the seat faces should be).
Looks like the stitching contributes to the effect you have, as the leather stretches in each panel and is constrained to stay there by the stitching. To me, it looks like you need a way to shrink the leather. Probably need an opinion from someone that works with leather.

While wrinkling is a characteristic of leather (and to that extent desirable), the stretching of the material on the seat bottom suggest that the previous owner was quite heavy. And further, to confirm what kjo7xk has written, the pattern of your seats (the narrow stitched panel running down the middle) tells us that your car does not have the full leather interior; this is the pattern of the base model (but the entire seating surface even of the base model is leather) and further, the heavily-grained surface of the material is not the type of leather that Jaguar used for these cars. We can go further. As has just been stated by kj07xk, this colour combination is unique....my conclusion: the previous owner had the white leather centre sections of the seat replaced by heavily-grained black material, leather or vinyl.. It is very striking, but almost certainly not original.
(And for the record: in the cars that have a full leather interior the entire seat, front, top, sides, and back are leather -covered, not vinyl-covered - as is the dashboard, console and door panel inserts.This is the full leather interior pattern: note the fact that the stitching runs horizontally and there is no narrow centre strip running vertically:



https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...b3a726dcfa.jpg

But none of this answers your concern. The black panel covering (which may be leather or may be vinyl) is not the original leather - and it has been stretched; how to shrink it a bit? leather conditioner will not do that. I wish I could give a solution.

If you have a handheld clothing steamer, you might try lightly steaming the surface and smoothing it out. Otherwise the seat cover has to come off and a layer of padding added to push the wrinkles out.

Hi all

Thanks for the comments so far. From reading here on the forum I am aware that I do apparently not have the full leather portfolio interior. But yes, the seat faces are leather.

It is certain that this black/white or white/black bi-color leather interior was the original trim of the E50 edition as sold in 2011 in some European Countries. See below a scan of the original brochure from 2011:
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...fe413aeaed.png

In this German-language brochure it is actually explained that the seats are made in “perforated bondgrain leather”.

br
ter

If you understand the enemy you will know exactly what to do.
Modern Leather has only one enemy- abrasion.

Look at any well used car, only the bolsters on the driver's entry will have deterioration.

A hard wearing wax is all you need- leathergaurd makes the best one to my knowledge, as it does what it should while preserving the 'nose' of the car.
Its the only leather research laboratory in the world. And in Europe.

The 2011 SE (Special Edition) XK that was sold in the UK also had the same seat options.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...be20082aea.jpg

The only "leatherguard" I can find in the UK is selling a leather care and repair service through franchise. What supplier/product are you using?

Graham

Graham, this is the product you need.
Auto LeatherGuard - LTT

The Italian lab that manufacturers this labels it for several companies, thus the ambiguity.
The unique properties tells us exactly who made it.

• Dye transfer protection
• Extraordinary scuff protection
• Wont change sheen
• wont change feel
• wont change nose

This is exactly what is also claimed by the AutoGlym Leather Balm, which is what I have been using on my F-Type leather - and I have found those claims to be true (could it be in fact the same product?). The Leather Balm is a rich, white cream, quickly absorbed - it is an excellent product, widely available - and another is the Lexol Conditioner but this does not make the same claim of dye transfer protection. As has been rightly stated, abrasion is the major issue for modern leathers (but heat and dirt also play a role). Keeping the top surface soft, pliable and lubricated with a proper (non-silicone) conditioner is essential (and now I hear the rustling of those who claim never to have used a conditioner on their leather and whose leather remains "perfect"...each to his own). I am simply speaking from my experience with Jaguar leather over decades.

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...cfaae1fc04.jpg

The 2 products I use are now available in uk.

One is the protection cream and the other is added stain resistance (which also provides scuff resistance)

https://leathermasteruk.com/product/...d-for-leather/
https://leathermasteruk.com/product/...cream-a-and-p/

Here we see another company rebottiling the same product.
https://www.slimsdetailing.co.uk/gte...bacterial.html

No its not!(but it could be the same product assuming they are overreaching in their claims of "feeding" leather)
Keep in mind- its from a company that has no competence or history with leather.
They claim: Leather Care Balm is a carefully blended emulsion containing soaps, natural oils and polymeric surface proofing agents which nourish, moisturise and provide protection from marks and staining.
Leather Care Balm is primarily a feeder and protectant for use on clean or pre-cleaned leather.

This is contrary to the core belief of the leather institute. They want to keep oils off the clear coat, so as not to soften it and aid its deterioration.

:icon_deadhorse:

Leather care has been discussed in many threads, with a wide variety of opinions as to which products are best. This is what came from the Jaguar factory, strapped to the left side of the trunk of my 2009 XKR Portfolio.


https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...796f406c86.jpg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...fca73265b5.jpg
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...f4748e0bba.jpg


For the history of automotive leather and proper care, see my posts ##4 and 5 in this thread: https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...esidue-205115/

The aftermarket leather product closest to the OEM Jaguar Leather Cleaner and Conditioner that I have found is Griot's Leather Care, available on Amazon. It has a thin, almost watery viscosity that is able to penetrate polyurethane coated automotive leather to keep it clean and supple. I've been using it for many years and my dashboard and seats are still like new.

Use Leather Dye for an Easy, DIY Seat Damage Repair
 

Several years ago, I noticed that the Ivory leather of the upper left side bolster of my driver's seat was beginning to show signs of wear, so before it got too bad I decided to touch it up with water-based leather dye custom color matched from Dynamix of the UK. For details, see: https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...t-wear-122891/
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.jag...e1ec51af57.jpg

It was a perfect color match, and very easy to apply using the supplied sponge. I cleaned the side bolster with Griot's Interior Cleaner, let it dry, and then put a small amount of dye on the sponge and dabbed it on. I was skeptical, but after it dried all of the cracks and abrasions were completely filled in and my driver's seat looked like new! I had to look very closely to tell where the dye was applied.

My driver's seat still looks like new after almost 5 years, but I changed how I get into the car. Previously, I put my right leg in first, and then slid my side against the bolster to sit down, which caused the abrasion to that bolster. Now, I plop by butt in the seat first, and then swing my legs around and in. No more wear to that bolster.

Not to highjack the thread but, that is exactly how I've been entering and exiting as well. It has even carried over to other cars for me too......not my truck though.

+1 being mindful of how you wear the seat and what you wear, is the best maintenance.

Jeans and even corduroy will sand the daylights of that clearcoat.

In the detailing world we actually sanding pads made of denim and corduroy, the most aggressive.

I too went down the rabbit hole of leather care threads here on the forum, and finally said screw it and bit the bullet and bought the stuff at the Jag dealer. A rip-off, to be sure, but I wanted to see. It's a two-bottle set, a cleaner and a conditioner, and like Stuart S noted above, the "conditioner" is more watery than I'd have thought. Seems to work well, and I'm almost out of it (It's good for three applications which I think comes down to about $15 per application)... I will follow Stuarts advice and get the Griot's stuff.

I was wondering - I thought my dash was leather, but now I am not so sure. How do you know if the dash is leather or not?

People seem to forget that all the leather is painted and sealed. Any of the conditioners you use merely stick to the sealed surface, if at all.

The polyurethane coating doesn't stay completely sealed, and it can be penetrated by a thin viscosity leather cleaner and conditioner like the OEM Jaguar and Griot's Garage products. Thicker products can't penetrate the PU coating and just sit on top of it.