Leather protection - late model Ferrari

Hi all,

I have been reading for days and days and Watching YouTube videos about leather cleaning and conditioning and have not really found the right question/answers.
Everything is really referencing leather that is needed conditioning/repairing on older or neglected vehicles.

I have a 2018 488 with red leather lower dash/doors/rear panel - everywhere else is black.

I am after some recommendations on a basic leather cleaner and protectant that I can use on a semi regular basis.

im concerned about anything which may fade or take any red off the leather.

also is there anything I need to do to clean and ensure the red stitching doesn’t discolour or trap the dirt.

I don’t need the full Leatherique process as it’s still in good condition and soft.

Thanks

 

I like Bicks on modern leather but haven't tried it on seats such as yours, I have upgraded F430 seats. Does a nice job of maintaining the natural quality of the leather.

They also have a cleaner which I use as well.

These are my seats and they look exactly the same years later and feel even better today, I also used the preservative once, softened them up.


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Modern leather is coated with plastic. Keep this in mind.

PERL by Csrpro is for Plastic, Rubber, Leather. Lots of UV protection. You dillute to different streghts depending on application.

I find it hard to believe that all of these expensive leather conditioners penetrate the plastic costing or modern leather.

Tint your windows with a high quality tint film. One that not only blocks UV (most tint film) but IR (heat) as well. Do your windshield as well ( clear). This will probably save your interior more than anything else

 

This spot on. The only real thing to do with newer leather or leather in good condition is keep it clean and out of the UV light and cover the glass the best you can if you have to have the leather sit in the sun. I use light tint on the windows and clear ceramic tint. I love leather in cars but really it is the worst materiel for car interiors if you don’t take the above precautions. I will use a windshield cover on the outside of the glass if the car is going to sit in the sun any length of time.

 

what to use on white leather to prevent blue jean stains other than a towel?

 

clean it frequently with a mild soap and water solution. Dont wait for it to get bad. Its the extra work you sign up for when you order white leather

 

Good advice and I just had 2 of my cars protected in this way. Didn't do it for the tint (had the lightest one possible installed) but for the UV/Heat protection. It really does "cool" things down in the interior. IMO a must for Ferraris in hot climates.

 

I have the XR Plus tint in clear (70). Even though its clear it rejects 92% of IR. Ir is what really damages leather along with UV. But just about any tint rejects UV

People tend to get convinced that UV is the only thing necessary. Not true

Here are the specs

XPEL-PRIME-Spec-Sheet-USA-V2-1.pdf

 

So does that mean that (professional) ceramic coating of the leather does nothing to protect it? Or is the ceramic molecular structure small enough to penetrate?

 

I am not a chemist but here is what I think and have seen.

If a simple coating would protect from all stains, companies would just apply it and market it as "Pay more for our leather because its guaranteed not to stain."

I think professionally applied ceramic coating helps somewhat but will not prevent and the cost doesn't justify it. Just like on car paint, ceramic coatings still can get etched, stained, etc...

Again, I suggest frequent cleaning with a mild soap and water solution that is done 10 times more frequently than dark leather. OR avoid a spec with light colored leather.

 

I had the same thing installed. Excellent product. My one concern was that it might cause a blurry vision through the windshield. Because the Xpel XR Plus product has a ceramic surface it doesn't appear blurred at all.

 

I concede it has a very slight distortion if you look at it in a certain way. But it not that noticeable if done right. I have tint for the UV and IR and ALSO film on the outside to protect from rock impacts on the windshield.

On many of these products whether it be film, ceramic coatings, etc, there are trade offs.

Everyone is looking for a magic bullet and the only magic bullet is to not drive your car and keep it in a dark airtight, temp controlled environment,

 

This seems like a good product/process. You’ll have to skip through the seat removal and the bolster protection install.

 

I’m still an old school Leatherique user

 

So if modern leather seats are coated in plastic how is that different than vinyl seats from the 70s?

 

In regards to how you care for them there is no difference. The takeaway is that all of these expensive leather products that claim to feed the leather are not doing much if you are treating modern leather.

I use Carpro PERL as it has good UV protection.

 

Oil based products would in fact damage many plastics. Plastic coated leathers would also likely be harmed by some of the old school coatings and treatments. Are there any modern leathers that are not plastic coated? There really should be more product clarity on what to use on what types of leather finishes.

It is one thing if a product doesn't really "do much" , and another if you actually damage the surface of the leather.

 

zaino bros and zymol leather are my favorites after 25 years

 

Zaino does the have best leather smell of any products I have tried.

 

totally agree

 

One thing nobody has mentioned here is the need to vacuum your leather seats regularly, or maybe i am taking this for granted?
You see, the small particles of dirt gather in the leather grain, you add body moisture and movement, and over time if not removed the leather will start to crack.
So use a crevice tool and a soft bristled upholstery brush and vacuum your seats prior to cleaning.
I agree with an earlier post, use a soft PH neutral soap to clean new or well cared for auto leather seats, always wear nitrile gloves as you do not want to catch a finger nail on the leather!!
Firstly lightly spray the whole of the seat, now with your hands work the soap into the seat, you now have to use multiple clean cloths or paper towel to remove the soap.
Try and wipe away the soap rather than move it around.
Its no good using one cloth to wipe away the dirty soap or excess as you are just moving the dirt around.
After the first application repeat, but this time spray the soap onto a cloth and wipe the seats, again use multiple clean cloths to remove the dirt.
Once you have cleaned your seats it is vital they are completely dry before adding any protective layer, if need be use a hairdryer on a low heat setting or simply turn the engine on and blow hot air into the cabin for a good half hour.

I belong to the group that adds a protective coating to modern auto leather, modern auto leather cannot absorb creams or lotions, you cannot nourish modern auto leather, it is completely different to saddle leather or furniture leather.
I have never had good results with the so called " ceramic leather coatings ", they have always dried blotchy or streaky for some reason.
I have always used Auto Leather Protect by LTT of Harrogate, a thick milk lotion that dries to a matt OEM finish, and it has a lovely leather smell too.
Apply with a sponge and ensure a good even coating, remove any excess with a clean towel. Leave to dry thoroughly ( at least 4 hrs ) before another application.

 

This x 100.

If you have a small handheld vacuum, just give the seats a quick pass every week (for a daily driven vehicle) even if you don't otherwise clean the car. In the long run this will pay huge dividends in leather wear.

 

I have had great results over the last probably 20 years using a very mild solution of original woolite, it takes the dirt and oil off and leaves the leather looking factory matt not shiny.
Mix about 10 - 1 with distilled water in a spray bottle, spray on agitate with soft brush and wipe off with clean damp micro fiber cloth.

 

When did they start coating leather with plastic? In other words: what is considered modern leather? My car (Porsche 928) is from 1984 and has a full leather interior that needs some TLC. But I'm hesitant what to use, since I don't know if it's coated with plastic or not. I used a magnifying glass and can see the pores, but they seem filled with paint? Or might this be the plastic coating?