"Buying the next best thing"....I know what you mean. I have barely-used bottles of conditioners: Meguairs, Mothers, an almost full jar of Hide Food, bottles of Leatherique Rejuvenator, Eagle1, Pro Leather Lotion and others....I am sticking with the Auto Glym Leather Balm and the Lexol because by experience I know that they work: they do not discolour the leather, they are absorbed quickly, the sticky dirt and salts they bring to the surface is easily cleaned away by a microfibrecloth with an additional little bit of lotion and the surface left is smooth, supple, soft, clean and NOT shiny or slippery.(the latter two being exactly what some of the aforenamed produce). In fact, because my F-type was on the concours field all day yesterday in briliilant sun and high heat, I think I will give the leather dash a treat of Lexol right now (seriously) because it will be exposed to the same concours-field conditions of heat and sun in a couple of weeks.

 

Used the Lexol conditioner on my 2010 after purchasing it with 4,800 miles on it. Biggest mistake I made. Left streaks on the passenger seat that to this day after over 4 years I cannot get out. I should have tried it on a inconspicuous spot first. My error. Regardless, my car stays in the garage and almost never sees the sun. Still smells new. Bottom line is I will not use the Lexol conditioner on any car again. I used it on my dash and the rest of the leather coverings without issue. The Lexol cleaner I have no problem with. Just my 2 cents.

 

Thanks. Yeah, I only have the spray cleaner. Pretty sure it's not any conditioner.
I love how my Jag still smells like new, or maybe it's just that leather smell. But it's almost as good as that smell under my Golden Retrievers ears when I was a kid. Snifff, aaaah.

 

If you really want to know if your conditioner actually soaks in or merely evaporates, do this:
Find an inconspicuous horizontal and flat spot of leather and apply a decent but not excessive amount of conditioner on it. Take a fairly adequate piece of clear plastic wrap and place it over the entire amount, trying to press the edges down well so nothing leaks out. Leave this alone for about 15-20 minutes, NOT IN THE SUN OR HEAT and then see how much remains. Compensate for any leakage or seepage and make your decision.

I've only seen any depletion doing the above procedure one time, and that was on dried and cracked leather on my old Mustang, and I could visibly see on the leather where it darkened just a bit where the worst of the wear was located, sort of spider-webbed-out. I did it again on a 'normal' appearing area and the whole amount remained and the appearance of the leather was retained, other than it was a bit cleaner than it had been. A quick wipe with the conditioner on the rest of the seat and everything matched instantly.

 

It will smell like that for a decade and perhaps more, ask me about it.
The scent is by design and a lost art, distinctly British. (once reserved only for Rolls, I cant believe i have it in an affordable car)
Thats why its essential to not use any chemical that alters that unfavorably.
The Leather Masters products I use have no conflicting aroma to them, its as if Jaguar used the same thing, and in a way they did, as the coating on our leather is made by same Leather Masters.

Good to hear that even the convt has it.

 

Sure sorry to hear of your streaking problem with Lexol. I have always applied a liberal amount, then waitied no more that 2 to 3 minutes to begin working the lexol into the perforated leather into/on the seats. How many miles on the car? I do go thru 2 microfiber towels in the buffing steps which can take 3 minutes per seat.. My 2010 XKs interior is charcol colored with 24,000 miles on the clock. Assume you have tried the Lexol cleaner on these streaks? Or maybe some old fashioned saddle soap? If I had this situation, I think I would continue to put more Lexol on until the surface streaks were moderated. It might take many more coats but it makes sense if you think the product cause the steaking in the 1st place. All the best.

 

A lightly damp towel should be able to work out the streaks. I use one as the weekly dusting of the interior, after the vacuum.

 

I stopped using Lexol, precisely because of the streaking problems, couldn't stand the stuff. Really like the Meguiars Leather Balm.

 

Lexol does not cause streaking if it is properly buffed after application -because of the dirt that the Lexol removes the surface can be sticky after application and absorption. A damp cloth or, better, a cloth moistened with more Lexol will remove thisquite easily. Sometimes more than one application of the Lexol is needed to achieve a uniform finish.
The "conditioners" that contain silicones (often thoseproduced by car wax companies) do not draw any of the dirt and salts to the surface and therefore they leave only a siliconed-smooth surface but they do nothing to "feed" the leather. Quite the reverse. They ensure that no conditioner can ever reach into the leather. But we all have our favourites. The question really is: how long do you want your leather to last without cracking: 5 years or decades?

 

Your loyalty to Lexol is admirable as you find it works for you and has served you well for a long time. But, I don't like the product, it produces streaking and requires more work (buffing) to get the leather to look decent than other quality conditioners I've used. There are other products that I find easier to use with equal results and many others have experienced the same poor effects (which is why I changed to other conditioners). By all means if you like Lexol, keep using it to your heart's content, but don't for a minute assert that there aren't other equally proficient products out there that may, in fact, be preferable. Let's compare notes in 10 years and see if yours is better than mine. I'll still have my XKR, though I might not be able to still drive her.

 

 

..... only ALL vehicle leather is sealed with an impervious sealer that prevents ANYTHING from penetrating INTO the leather. It's like rubbing vaseline on your exterior paint.

 

This would make a great show and tell. How about some pictures for the group to see. Good show.

 

Actually I am not convinced on this considering my XE has not seen any conditioning; just cleaning and looks band new 2+ years into ownership. I swore off any leather conditioners on this car (leased).

 

Even if you are right, the leather treament does permeate the seating because the surfaces are heavily perforated as well as the thread stitching offering paths for the treatments to work.

 

My 2009 XKR is now 10 years old and, except for the driver's seat left side bolster and center arm rest, all the leather is still like new. As mentioned in my previous posts in this thread, I've been using Griot's leather conditioner for years to keep those surfaces clean and supple. I touched up the chafed driver's seat bolster and center arm rest with Dynamix dye and they look almost like new. With proper care, I think the leather interior will last at least another 10 years.

Of course, no one has ever sat in my rear seats. And my XKR has always been garaged.

 

Not the 1st time I have heard positive comments on Griot's leather conditioner. Where did you locate the leather dye you are using with great success?

 

This is exactly why they are able to sell male enhancement lotion to millions- and no one questions about their hands becoming enlarged in the process. Because they transcend logic.

When I was younger and religiously used Leatherique (on the car) I did question them, that it seemed impossible for Leatherique to be absorbed by the leather. So the mickey mouse excuse they gave me was: it goes in through the stitching. Even then I questioned if that was the case you would end up with the leather around the stitching enlarged and softened long before the area you wanted to condition got any.

BTW, nearly all leather is sealed, but the older Rolls Royce and other exotics were not, that's where this whole idea of conditioning got started. There are others that are not sealed like the King Ranch seats, and look at what happens to them, sweat stains.

 

See my Post #39, above, and follow the links. Dynamix is in the UK. Thanks again to WhiteXKR (Steve), the remote control soft top wizard, for the referral.

P.S. Here's the link http://www.dynamixdyes.com/jaguar-le...dyes-182-c.asp

 

You are supposed to use the supplied applicator. duh.....