davepl

When a car starts to accumulate some mileage, like 40-50K and above, you can often start to see wear on the driver seat. This usually takes the form of the leather getting stretched so it looks "loose" and the natural grain wears, leaving the leather smooth and polished.

Is there a way for a decent upholstery shop to fix that without replacing it? Part of me wonders if you can't just tighten up the seams and then somehow "degloss" the leather.

I'm not sure how you could take the shine off of worn leather. Steel wool? 2000 grit emory? Not possible?

Tight, matte leather is one of those "tells" for a new car, and I'd love to know how to preserve/recreate it!

Flame Red

Yes, I have seen mobile auto upholsterers do wonders. You just have to find the right one. If you call the service managers at your local high end Jag, BMW, MB, and ask who they use. It is unbelievable what a good one can do.

TorchZ51

ersatz928

An experienced person with a heat gun can do wonders in shrinking the leather to get out wrinkles and "puckering".....

And gentle use of a wet Magic Eraser pad will remove worn-in dirt and the shineyness.

Bill Dearborn

A lot of times it isn't the leather that is loose. It is the foam underneath that isn't filling the space that it used to fill. All automotive leathers have a protective coating on them to keep out moisture and dirt so I wouldn't use an abrasive on them to get rid of the shine. The leather seat bottoms in my C6Z got fairly loose and floppy and I purchased two of those $40 kits a forum member used to sell. The kit consisted of a fabric that was placed between the foam and the springs so the foam didn't sink down into the spring, some very stiff foam pieces that were glued to the frame to provide extra support to the stock foam and a felt pad that added extra stiffness under the foam. Once all of that was installed the seat bottom filled out very tightly and the leather looked a lot better.

In our Corvettes the leather wear can be reduced by getting in the car properly so the person's butt doesn't rub down the side of the seat bolster. That means sitting down first and then swiveling the legs in. Putting the leg in first will ruin the side of the seat back over time.

Bill

Kenny94945

Do a general internet search, including wrinkles in home leather sofas.
Yes some say that heat gun, heated towels and/ or a steamer gun can reduce wrinkles.

I tend to agree that it is a foam issue.

If you try heat, please let us know and post a before and after photo.

Good luck.

davepl

Mine's still OK - only 6000 miles. I think my highest mileage car right now is my Range Rover with 35K and it's start starting to stretch a little.

I get in the Z "properly" so I don't have any bolster wear and don't anticipate a lot of stretch, but it really feels like a big factor between "new" and "well preserved" cars.

Really I guess I was wondering if you found a good used car with stretchy leather wear, can it be made "like new" reasonably cheaply? Like if someone offered me a good deal on a Wraith but the seat leather was stretched...

anthonyjohn

hi everyone!!!
i want to use a good steamer
so i need to help you
anyone help me tell about good steamer

snomuncher

These are professional units that work very well:

https://jiffysteamer.com/