Light leather - Pimp or Simply Disaster ?

[SaigonR8]

With the MACarbon catalogue in one hand, I feel the need to fettle with the leather before I call Stasis for some engine tweaks.

Does anyone have experience with replacing the black side panels in the seats with a much lighter, say Ivory, coloured leather ? Have you found that this is great for the first ten minutes and then soiled forever thereafter by grime that materializes from nowhere, or can this be managed ? If so, by what ? Before you ask, no, I am not driving in oil-smeared jeans and there are no slobbering dogs in the passenger seat.

I have plenty of conventional leather cleaner / conditioner that is used for jackets etc, or is there something out there that makes the leather more resistant to this kind of degradation in the first place.

The red leather in my M6 was absolutely fine and just needed a wipe and condition once a month. But if I am about to do something that I will regret with the R8 then feel free to save me from myself by speaking up !

[maegeri]

I think that light leather is more work to keep clean and doesn't wear well over time. When you have a nice leather jacket, the effect looks good. I'm not so sure in a car. So depends on how long you plan on keeping the car.

Also if they have to remove the panels to replace it, I'd be concerned with rattles afterward.

[mark25]

I think Audi light leather wears really well. My car is 3.5 years old and the leather looks brand new. Their is obviously wear on the seats but I have seen black leather cars of a similar age and they have seats in considerably worse condition than mine. There are also companies who will "paint" the leather for you for around $100 and it will look brand new again I have this done every year or so.

[NVRL8R8]

What exactly are we talking about with the side panels??

[SaigonR8]

Thanks for the input. It makes intuitive sense that the quality of the leather is more important that the colour. I can manage the latter.

Any idea what the leather 'paint' consists of ? Have never heard of this, will have to go and rattle the cage of the local dealer and wait for the inevitable series of blank stares and baffled muttering. Is it a kind of coating/varnish that is applied ?

[SticknClutch]

I ordered my R8 in the light grey leather seats. I can tell you that after doing a trip across Europe my blue pants had worn some of their color into the seat. This can be easily cleaned using leather cleaners.

On my black interior Mercedes I have not had to treat or clean the leather for over 5 years.

[soho]

^ There's a lot of more rubbing of clothing on the R8 seats just getting in and out due to it being so low than in other cars, so the light leather really isn't a great bet long-term. A lot of the used R8s that I've seen sitting the longest have been light leather interiors, V10s included.

[sapien]

You want to see pimp?






Now you know.

[SaigonR8]

Sapien - we are not worthy. That is, errhhmmm, unique, I have to say. I wasn't planning something quite as aggressive but then, in the world of mods, anything is possible as you have just demonstrated.

[M3R8]

Maybe she just likes purple