I might wipe it with a damp cloth first then apply the treatment, but a thorough cleaning, probably not. Moe, since I am anything but an expert on this topic, maybe you could offer us all some wisdom here...?

Thanks...

 

Thanks for the response. What I've done in the past is apply Lexol generously, then allow 30 minutes to get absorped by the leather, and then wipe off. If feels a little strange at first and I always sat in my car with old clothes first - just to make sure i had wiped it all off!

 

Save your money! Just mix up some Woolite 6 to 1 with distilled water, put it in a spray bottle and clean away. Use 100% USA white cotton towels to see what you are removing.

Lexol is one product that I cannot stand! It smells like goat pee and leaves an odd feel to leather and the smell ugh!

Use 1Z or Einszett product called Lederpflege which is perfect for Porsche leathers.

As much as I love Zaino Z-10 "Leather in a bottle" it's too strong a leather odor for a Porsche. It does the best I've ever seen on leather treatment without going to extreme products like Leatherique. Leatherique Rejuvinator oil works wonders on really dry or cracked leathers. They also have Prestine Clean which you'd think you use first. Wrong, you use the oil first, then Prestine Clean afterwards. This is one of the best leather treatments you can ever wish for. Use it for very dry or neglected leathers. It's like having new leather installed if done correctly.

For daily drivers the Woolite mix will clean very well. In fact, the majority of "leather cleaners" are nothing more than a soap very close to Woolite with coloring and fragrance added. If the leather is sun-struck often, then once a month a good cleaning and treatment will keep it looking new.

I've used Zymol leather products and find them not too bad, but some of the oils in the mix are a bit odd in smell and feel of the leather. If you're happy using, then you'll not hurt anything. Just that there are better treatments.

I have used Estate waxes and the new Glasur made for Porsche. For waxes, these are costly. It all depends on the look you are after. For dark finishes (black/metallic blue, reds etc) I'll use Souveran wax. For those wanting a high shine and longevity I use sealants. Remember, some waxes will attract dust like mad!

11 hours to detail a new car? A bit much in my professional opinion. That's unless you're going to a Concours event where I put the car on a lift to do top-to-bottom cleaning and treating. Even then I never did a car in 11 hours and this includes an Enzo!

Anyway, enjoy the shine as long as it lasts!

Regards,
Deanski

 

Updated pics on first page. 8-12-06

 

Your car looks awesome. The red gauges and the red trim on the matts is super nice!

 

I hate asking price...

What would you guys say it would cost to have that kind of detailing done

 

He's got pricing on his website - www.glisteningperfection.com

 

I agree with the Lexol comment. I use to use Lexol a decade ago and switched to either Meguiar's Leather Conditioner or Zymol Treat for the higher-end details. I personally like Zymol because it's natural and it actally contains beef tallow, fat. It sounds gross, but that helps replenish the oils in the leather. It's got banana oil and coconut oil in it too so it won't smell like a cow As far as time goes, our Vintage detail takes a minumum of 10-13 hours. It's truly a labor of love guys. As for concours work, I don't see how a car can be prepped in 11 hours. I know the prep work for our Best of Show win at Pebble last year took days and the final touched took a day as well. I guess it all depends on the concours and how you want to place. At a regional white gloves concours here in socal, a GT2 I prepped won 2nd overall and 1st in its class. That took almost 30 hours to prep.

 

New leather, from the factory, doesn't really need to be cleaned. It just needs to be conditioned more frequesntly at the start. Mastif hit it on the nail. For the first 2 months, apply leather conditioner every two weeks. Then let it go and you only need to apply it every other month or qurater, depending on your use. I'm glad to see all my talking is heard Thanks for listening Mastif and hope you're taking good care of your baby.

 

Thanks for the kind words Dro. I appreciate your patience and am joyed to see you took it for a spin right after it was detailed. I think these cars should be driven and it makes me happy to see clients enjoying the drving experince. I'm blessed to be a part of it. I'll see you for our tech session when I get back from Pebble next week. Wish me luck

 

Just remember that most of today's leather have a coating on them to preserve the leather and to keep it from cracking. All the oils only stay on the surface of leathers and do not fully reach through. Some will migrate due to wear.

The leathers of Rolls and Bentely etc have mostly non-treated as does the older Austin Healy. As you will see with those, the leather takes on a unique apperance and gets it's own lines and wear. These leathers do need constant feeding and care.

What most leather treatments do is add oils and other emulsions on top of a coating which then feels smooth. You should be using treatments for leathers that are coated. 1Z's Lederpflege is designed for such leather. Don't waste money on boutique oils and treatments as they really do nothing more than soften the coating and stay on top of most. Yes, some does penetrate but not a whole lot.

Cleaning is one of the best ways to keep today's car leathers supple. Stay with treatments specific to coated leather only.

Leatherique is used for very abused leathers and old non-treated leathers. Leatherique works on treated leathers by "pulling" dirt off from the surface. It can leave a very slimy feel if not used correctly and will also film interiors as it works. You have to apply it on the seats, wrap them in plastic wrap and let it sit in the sun. The heat draws out dirt from the leather.

I still feel Woolite mix is a much easier way of cleaning today's leather and can be used for most anything and leave a clean feeling to them.

Here's a simple test. In one area, put a drop of distilled water on the leather. If the water does not penetrate, spreading and darkening the leather, it is a top coated or protected leather. Apply conditioner and rub into leather. Check for darkening,wrinkling or texture change. Top coated, protected leather will
not change. Aniline nubuck and suede will most likely change, precluding its use.

It's still a requirment to "treat" leathers from drying. It's what you use for treatment that has effect on leather. Look for "coated/protected" leather treatments.

When in doubt, you can always revert to OEM treatments/conditioners from Porsche.

Always test an area not visible to make sure whatever you use does not harm leather.

Regards,
Deanski

 

I think the red gauges make the interior I love it.

 

THanks...those and the illuminated door sills are my favorite.