Hey guys, Noticed a little wear on the seam of the drivers side leather bolster. It's a bit rough and discoloured. What do you guys normally do with this? Is it a big deal? Should I be worried?
I slide my seat all the way back when I get out of the car (my seats are not electric so super easy), limits the rubbing on the bolster and easier to get out.
Could you get one with a Ferrari logo on the front? Mid America corvette catalog has the wetsuit neoprene side bolster covers in different colors; you used to could only get black. Might be an idea. My 2004 360 bolster was simply re-dyed by one of those roving interior specialists, but I would entertain the idea of using a bolster cover if it fit properly.
I guess the question was, since the damage is done what can i do to repair it? The dealer probably knows a guy... they just re-dye it?
Here's what I suggest, based on a lot of experience: 1. Develop a way of getting in and out without excessive friction on the vulnerable spots. 2. Use a leather conditioner that makes the surface slippery, tending to reduce wear. I like Mothers. There are exotic conditioners that cost a lot more, but the problem is not keeping the leather soft; it is reducing friction that causes wear. Use it frequently. 3. As HighandDry said, you can get it resprayed/dyed if/when it gets bad enough to really offend you. But if contrasting stitching is nearby, it cannot be masked well enough. Then there is no available repair short of a rewrap of the worn section. If this proves necessary the vendor should use Ferrari hides. The trick on this is that some colors are hard to match exactly because dye-lots vary (this is another reason to like black interiors). Ferrari leather is very sensitive. Wear is the price you pay for that sumptuous look, feel, and smell.
With respect to develping a way of getting in and out, most driver put one foot in and slide down the bolster causing more wear. I sit down first and then slide my feet over without touching the bolster and less wear.
Great minds think alike ;-) I do the same thing. Plus I put my hand on the bolster to protect it as I slide in.
Gonna try that... in its current state its barely noticible so if i can prvent any more for the next few years the next owner will get one beauty of a car
Look up FiberNew. They do great mobile repairs on leathers and vinyls. Spraying the leather with a dye and clear coat will cover up the scuff and protect it from further abrasion. If the scuff is light, try some shoe polish of matching color. Works great too.
Laugh as you will but I have zero wear on my bolster and it takes about 5 seconds to put on/off when I drive somewhere I am concerned someone might see it!
http://www.mitchsstitches.com/whatsnew.html Here is an option that doesn't require tucking behind the back cushion.
+1; I dont touch my bolster getting in. My Opinion; The bolster is not to help fat people trying to get in a sports car, its to keep regular sized people in the center of the seat during high G turns. So dont use it as an ingress tool, but consider it an obstacle. +1; as noted above. I dont like my seats slippery, and slippery looks greasy. I also dont trust products that keep your leather slippery, I usually fear silicone, albeit maybe an unfounded fear. +1 on contrasted stitching being the main issue for re-dye. You can buy a small amount of the dye from leatherique for cheap and use the "rub-on" method (as opposed to spray or brush) to treat the bolsters yourself before they get bad. Test on a very inconspicuous spot, or maybe even a beater Porsche Oh I am still laughing... I have been meaning to thank you.
Rough crowd tonight! Actually, I don't blame you guys for getting a chuckle out of it as it sounds like a really dumb idea! The seats in my 360 are perfect. They have the accent color piping which is typically the first to show wear since it is a contrast color to begin with. I went to order a set of the Auto Chaps and never got around to it. Been using this as a fix for now.
This is the way you get in the car to protect the bolsters very simple. Place your left hand on the bolster and as you rotate into the seat slide your ass on your hand. The bolster never gets touched and no wear occurs. I have an 89 Porsche turbo I have the original seats and the bolster shows no wear. I learned this trick years ago from a Porsche concourse judge. I weigh 225 so I am not small
Are we talking the same part? The bolster as I'm calling it is on the seatback, like where your ribs hit while seating but I brush it on the way in/out. Are you talking on the lower part of the seat?
You can call the owner of the company, Mitch, at 805-546-9108. I spoke to him a while back about making a bolster cover specifically for the 360 but got too busy to follow up.
