Can someone give me some insight on caring for the leather and dash trim in a 08 range rover sport. I have only used turtle wax leather cleaner and armor all in past vehicles. I am a little nervous with this light interior and protection not offered from armor all products. Please specify some products to try. Thanks
For the dashboard and trims i like to use 303 aerospace protectant. spray a couple shots onto a mf towels and wipe it down. I like 303 because it doesn't leave a shiney, oily feel after you wipe down + it has UV protection. For leather areas, iv'e been using some griots garage products. Although, I hear nothing but great reviews about Leather Masters products; of which i've yet to try.
Leather does not require 'conditioning' with anything other than water. Keep your leather clean by protecting it with a leather protector and then regular cleaning. On pale leathers where there is the added problem of dye transfer etc. it is crucial to protect the leather as this will inhibit these type of probems and make the leather easier to keep clean. Adding 'conditioners' which generally contain oils and waxes will change the appearance of your leather over time as dirt will build up on the surface and cause a sheen. Conditioners do not protect the leather even if they say they do. Using the correct care methods and products will not alter the factory finish. Your type of leather is 'coated' leather. This is essentially a 'painted' leather with a clear coat finish over the top. The leather may or may not be dyed through with aniline dyes prior to the finish coating. Essentially it is this top coating that needs looking after. Cleaning is vitally important as the top coat will wear away if allowed to become dirty. Dirt on the surface will aslo become ground into the finish by constant abrassion. 'Conditioners', balms, feeds etc (traditionally oil and wax based) cannot penetrate this finish so are not worth applying - they can also leave behind residues on the finish which will only attract more dirt if allowed to remain. A protector will make the finish easier to clean and also inhibit dye transfer etc on pale coloured leathers. Leather however finished has to remain breathable and it will allow the movement of moisture back and forth (transpiration) so the use of water based cleaners and protectors will keep the leather correctly hydrated which is essentail to keeping it in good condition. The routine for correct care should be Protect from new (Auto Ultra Protect) Maintain with a regular clean or maintenance product (Auto Ultra Maintain) Deep clean with a foam cleaner once or twice a year (Auto Ultra Foam) This will prolong the life of the finish on the leather You can download a free care leaflet here Leather Cleaning, Leather Care Products, Furniture Repair Restoration, provided by Leather Training & Technical Hope this helps __________________
Yes, thanks for the replies. The products you mentioned look great and I think that I understand your reply. Anyone know of similar products available in the US, or maybe where I can find those here in the states?
You will find some excellent threads on this forum for leather cleaning, care and restoring. Your RR has natural leather and is "uncoated" meaning high end leather that will absorb the leather conditioner and cleaners. For my 2007 RR SC I use Leatherique products for my leather and 303 for all other interior items. I am a real fan of Leatherique. Not the easiest or fast product to apply however the results are outstanding! and worth the effort (for me anyway). There are many options for you to try with leather care products. Leatherique, Connolly Hide Food, Leather Masters, Lexol Leather Cleaner & Conditioner, etc. Do your research, again many products and just as many opinions. Good luck.
Thanks again guys...the problem for me maybe too much research. I had no idea there were such differences in leather from vehicle to vehicle. Even in this post differences arise in whether to use conditioner products or just protectants. Then when looking at a reputable brand there are so many options. Very frustrating to be new to detailing and not know what to do. I really do appreciate all the advice.
so from what I understand, conditioner will NOT penetrate the coating, but the water will, huh??? In this case where does that leather conditioner goes, when it's applied to the leather finish? It doesn't just vanish, does it? Although I have seen a leather conditioner test where leather conditioner was left on a glass, to see if it will vanish...Pinnacle vanished, LM Vital remained there...yet LM Vital DOES gets absorbed by leather... I tested it on multimple japanese cars (Acura, Infiniti), as well as different BMW leather... please don't take this as an offence, but I think your post is there just to promote those products...I may be wrong...
On uncoated leather it is still crucial to use a protector and then keep the leather clean. The Ultra Maintian is one of the few maintenance products on the market that will clean un-coated leather successfully as it is a non surfactant and does not soak into the leather as with general cleaners. Remember you can only clean off the surface of leather and not out of it. I am a leather consultant and not just promoting products - there is far too much misinformation on the market which simply confuses the issues. 'Conditioners' that are applied remain on the surface and will only attract more dirt (which is what we are tryng to avoid) - they cannot be absorbed through the coating to the leather, moisture can as the particles are much smaller and leather has to be able to breathe (transpire - the movement of moisture back and forth within the leather) which is how the leather is kept hydrated. LM Vital makes the leather 'feel' good and it leaves a nice 'hand' to the leather which will wear off over time - most ranges have one of these products but that is all it does - it does not penetrate the leather itself unless it is used on completely uncoated leather. Hope this helps
That was me. I did that test simply to see if conditioners evaporate. I remember LM leaving behind a sticky residue. And the other conditioner I used completely evaporated. Maybe I should try it with LTT products.
Not to beat a dead horse, but now that I understand that I have unprotected leather could someone point to some specific cleaners and protectants to use on this ivory leather? I've glanced at LM and leathertique websites, but multiple products seem to be overwhelming my search. Thanks again.
thank you for clarifying. I do like the "feel" leather conditioners leave, therefore use them from time to time...but from what I understant they protect more then condition...
