Is the upgraded interior REAL leather?

[papinist]

I'm just thinking if the better interior (Custom pack) that seems leather, actually IS real leather.

I mean, we know that instead of plastic with fake stitching the custom pack has the upgraded interior with real stitching. But this material is real leather? Seats have premium leather and this is easily recognizable by touching it, but I am not too sure about the dashboard and upper door panel.

If steering wheel is covered in real leather, so it is for the dashboard since the material seems the same.

I am asking this because after six months my car needs a deep interior cleaning (I know... but I use a layer of dust to protect the dashboard ) and I am in doubt if I need products for plastic or leather cleaning..

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[Ericc B]

"I suspect the seat leather came from a polyurethane cow."

- Jeremy Clarkson

 

[papinist]

So, no one clean the interiors? I can't believe that you guys spend hundreds (or thousands) euros for external protection, waxing, nanotech and so on and then clean the dashboards and seats with the same 2 eur cleaning product

 

[Voodoo077]

So, no one clean the interiors? I can't believe that you guys spend hundreds (or thousands) euros for external protection, waxing, nanotech and so on and then clean the dashboards and seats with the same 2 eur cleaning product

Do not have my car yet but will use the same products as in my other car: Auto Finesse products. But there might be better ones around.

 

[papinist]

I mean: will you use the same 'generic' product for plastic AND leather parts? I'm not discussing the quality of products.. I'm only concernet about using the right product on the right material.
I don't want to use platic product on leather.. if that on the dashboard is real leather. For the same reason, I don't want to use leather product on plastic

 

[Voodoo077]

I mean: will you use the same 'generic' product for plastic AND leather parts? I'm not discussing the quality of products.. I'm only concernet about using the right product on the right material.
I don't want to use platic product on leather.. if that on the dashboard is real leather. For the same reason, I don't want to use leather product on plastic

As they are not a sponsor from this website I cannot post it here but I buy my products at a shop that is specialized in WAX and they sell different brands and also complete interior kits with different products for leather cleaning, protection and so but also for the plastic parts used and so on.
What part in the interior is (real) leather and what part plastic I cannot tell (yet)

 

[gojensen]

Good question papinist

My 'Stang is a dirty dirty girl... but mostly on the outside so far so this must be discovered soon ;)

I'm sure they know the answer over in the US forums though...

 

[Gryphon]

So, no one clean the interiors? I can't believe that you guys spend hundreds (or thousands) euros for external protection, waxing, nanotech and so on and then clean the dashboards and seats with the same 2 eur cleaning product

I spend about two Euros on a two minute blast of cold water, and that's about it really. I wouldn't dream of cleaning the interior.

 

[NicoMCH]

Well some say the armature of the seats is leather but that the perforated parts are vynil. So I guess the seats are a mix between real & "fake" leather.

Nonetheless I clean it once a month with the Sonax product for leather interior. Really keeps my seats in a new state and renders invisible the light scratches (you can see them if you really know where to look, but with the product they are like "repaired") on the bolsters when you get in the car.

 

[papinist]

I'm also cleaning seats like they are made of leather.. but the steering wheel? The dashboard? The upper and center part of the doors?
If that on the steering wheel is leather, so it is the dashboard and all other parts. The center part of the door is the same perforated material as the seats.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Even if leather it is sealed with a coating. Nothing you put on it will actually touch leather.

 

[papinist]

So are you saying that all leather product are useless?

 

[MrMike]

Anything designed for raw leather (saddles, wallets, purses, etc) is not useful in most modern cars. All you need is a good APC (All Purpose Cleaner, like Megs D101) or damp rag.

Products with oils or dyes like Leatherique will not penetrate the coating. Most modern leather cleaners (ex: Megs D180/D181, CG, Pinnacle) are perfectly safe for leather or vinyl. They will have more cleaning power and the conditioner can help protect vinyl.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

So are you saying that all leather product are useless?

Pretty much unless you are driving a Bentley or similar.

Except for high end luxury cars, auto upholstery is what is known as pigmented leather that is sealed.

Below is some more info on leather types and how to tell them apart. In addition, if you put a drop of water on it and it beads up rather than soaking in and temporarily changing the color the leather has a coating and won't benefit from products made for leather.

HOW TO TELL

When it comes to identifying the type of leather you cannot beat proper training and experience, but with care and patience anyone can do it!
How does it feel for you?

Aside from appearance, how the leather feels and handles is a big clue to its type. Aniline leathers feel like real skin - light and flexible - whilst a heavily pigmented (protected) leather can feel rather like plastic.

Leather upholstery in cars is almost exclusively pigmented to protect it from years of heavy use, as are domestic upholstery leathers. One of the current challenges facing the leather industry is to produce lighter, aniline type leathers that have the durability and resistance to soiling that pigmented leathers have.

Aniline Leather
Notice how the creases are very distinct because they have not been filled out by a surface coating. The grain pattern depends on the species (sheep in this case) and which part of the animal it came from.
Semi-aniline
leather Ignore the slightly different grain pattern (this is a different breed of sheep) but notice that the creases are less distinct because they've been partially filled by the surface coating, as if the surface had been covered with a thin coat of paint.
Pigmented leather
Notice how the creases of the grain pattern have been filled out as if the surface had been given a few coats of paint. In this case the grain pattern you see was embossed onto the finished leather. You couldn't tell if this was full grain or corrected grain without examining it under a microscope. Although this sample has a matt finish pigmented leathers can also be shiny.
Finished split
You need to find a cut or torn edge to distinguish a finished split from full grain or corrected grain pigmented leather. In a grain leather (top) the fibres are much more tightly packed near the grain surface, while in a finished split (middle) the fibres are equally loosely packed all the way to the pigment coating.
The lack of a grain layer is also apparent if a finished split is torn.
We all fall for the sales talk at some time - some of us have even given the sales talk - and it's not nice. When you buy a leather item you expect quality, durability...and expect it to be leather too!

 

[gojensen]

€2 for washing? I went to the "selfwasher" today to avoid the torture machines and I guess I spent about €16-18 and it still wasn't clean... :( I need to to go over it manually at home I guess... when I was over in the US they had these no touch washing automats... maybe not the best thing in the world - but it got the car clean without nothing "hard" touching the body...

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