DFWX

Does dying the color of leather work well?

Another 928 is coming in (an S4!). It is white with a white/burgandy interior.
The front seats are shot, but basically all old leather cracks and white the worst for showing this.

Auto Zone seat covers (or seat covers in general) are not acceptable, but as the wife's car neither are "racing seats". This will remain a luxury performance GT 2+2, not a race car.

The interior is white and burgandy, and we are considering - given all that must be done anyway, to change the burgandy to black.

The dash and console also is cracked to heck - another replacement - but I have a good black console cover (spare parts car) and the dash will be replaced (recovered) - so whatever color we pick.

Also, anywone have a good suggestion of source for new seat skin (not covers)? The quote we have off the internet for new front seat skin is $600 for vinyl and $1000 for leather - both seats.

Any comments on vinyl versus leather? Leather tends to look great new, but does crack over the years - particularly in HOT Texas.

No matter how otherwise clean a car is, ragged seats really distract from the car. Actualy, burgandy and white interior in a white car does not look all that bad, though all burgandy would be a bummer.

Mark
DFWX

Warren928

I think the ultimate upgrade and solution to worn seats would be an e-bay purchase of some porsche 993 or 996 seats, OEM. I have seen other on the rennlist buy a pair for $600-700 and bolt them in. There are many variations of the 928 seats, but the newer model seats are in my opinion nicer and more reliable as far as electrics and leather durability go. I believe they bolt right in and wiring is a 2 prong plug in + and - terminals. Do a search in here for more information, there should be a couple articles.

Gary Knox

I have succesfully used leather softener treatment (Leatherique, or Soffener from Color Plus) combined with leather dye (both brands again, have a bit of preference for the Color Plus offering) to both return seats to the original color, and to change (from Dark Brown to Silver Grey). To change color, I strip the old dye (CitruStrip), use LOTSof softener on the leather, then follow directions for using the "dyes" (actually paint). To renew color, I use lacquer thinner to take the old "dye/paint" off the leather (it actually functions a bit like rubbing compound does on old paint, removing almost none of the good "dye/paint"). Then, lots of softener treatment, followed by new dye. They look GREAT when done.
Incidentally, I also will have a set of PERFECT seats from an '88 S4 (both front and rear) in black. They are in such good condition that there is NO wear on the drivers side bolster!!! (car had been driven by a woman for 55k of it's 70K miles). Contact me if interested - they'll be available ~ 1st of December.
Gary Knox
West Chester, PA

rixter

I'm on my 3rd interior job in a month, dye works fine if you follow directions
there are 3 steps
prep/application/care
as Gary noted above at the minimum rub well with a fast drying lacquer thinner
for application I use a foam brush, multiple thin coats are better than "slappng" it on
care: the biggie.. once done, avoid things that made it fade in the 1st place! get a dash cover, sunshields etc...
I've been a big proponent of SEM dye, lately we've been experimenting with SurFlex here at the shop.. so far the results are excellant
also keep in mind, if you do a "refresh" of certain areas be prepared to do it all!

Jim Nowak

I used this on my Mercedes and it worked great. http://www.worlduph.com/semdye.htm#classic1

FBIII

Gary, I have a pair of tan seats that were poorly dyed black that I am going to dye red. Started stripping the black off with lacquer thinner but the going is extremely slow. The lacquer thinner gets absorbed before much dye is removed. I want to hear more about using citristrip! How long do you leave it on, will it harm the leather, does it need to be neutralized etc. I'm all ears.
Fred

Tony

Ive used stuff from Colorplus in my car. I did it two years a go and it still looks like the day i did it.

www.colorplus.com i sent them a sample of Graphite grey and they matched it perfectly, a quick trip down tot he local Porsche dealer confirmed it.

FBIII

There are so many black interiors that I would feel fortunate to have something different. Burgandy seats with contrasting white piping or white seats with burgandy piping would look nice. I think I would prefer the burgandy with white piping.

Parnelli Joneser

I had great success with SEM brand leather dye, a two step process in aresol cans. Be sure everything is actually leather, my seats had vinyl piping and the dye didn't hold there. On the hide though, it worked awesome. I went red to black...

Gary Knox

Fred, eta al.
The CitruStrip is a mild paint stripper. I let it set until it appears that all the "Old Paint" has been loosened, then peel it off with a plastic putty knife. Ususally find a few spots that need a second treatment. When all the old paint is off, I wash with mild soap and water, then start the "Softener" treatment. I usually treat with softener about 10-15 times, letting the seats set a day or two between treatments. Then, the quick treatment with lacquer thinner removes any surface softener material, providing a good surface on the leather for the new "dye" to bite to.
I too was amazed at how little effect lacquer thinner had on the 'good' dye on seats, but how readily it took off old dye/dirt. I'm now a firm believer in cleaning the seats before using softener, etc with lacquer thinner.
Gary Knox
West Chester, PA

PS: In a few weeks I'm going to send a set of silver grey seats to a shop in Texas to have the piping changed from grey to black (for use in a black S4). I'll post a note after they are returned. I saw Roger Tyson's car at SITM - he'd had his black piping on black seats changed to Red by this shop and it looked GREAT.

FBIII

Gary,
Thanks for the info. I think the citrustrip method will really speed up this messy step in the process. I too agree with changing the piping color. It is very tasteful way of really dressing up the interior. Show us the results. Couldn't the color be changed by carefully dying the existing piping a different color? When I was a kid, some 30 years ago, a good friend did this to an interior. Black seats with tan piping. It was vinyl but both the black and tan were a dyed color change.

rixter

you can dye the piping yourself
get some of the blue masking tape and just tape it off and brush the dye on

SteveCo

Leatherique dye works just fine and I'm sure any premium dye brand would work just as well. Stripping the old dye off is a long and painful job with laquer thinner, but removing it is a must if you want a factory looking result. I'll have to give Citristrip a try as anything would help in getting the old stuff off. Removal of the old dye is imperative if you want to recondition the leather and fix cracks and the like.

Dying leather is in effect just like painting a car: It's all in the prep. The actual dyeing procedure is relatively easy and painless...it's the prep that get you both during the process and after you are finished.

Regards,
SteveCo in St. John's

Ben B

I've always been concerned about re-dying the interior a lighter color than it is. I brown interiors & guess what... I bought a car with brown interior!
If everyone has had success going from a dark color (brown) to a lighter color (like tan), then I'll try the re-dye route also!

rixter

Ben,
this can be done... takes more prep and more coats of dye, but it is possible