Can you fix worn leather?

[akboss]

A few of the used cars I'm looking at, while only 4-5 years old, are showing signs of cracking leather on some of the seat bolsters and common wear points. I'm figuring that by the look of them, they will be almost torn through in a matter of a few years if not treated, and I can't imagine that people who buy cars with leather interiors swap out their seats every 5 years. So if I buy a used car that has signs of wear starting to show on the seats, am I able to buy a product or get a treatment performed to somewhat restore the natural oils and elasticity to the seat leather? Is this expensive?

Cheers.

[MagicRat]

Generally, such treatments do not exist. Most leather car seats are not full-grain leather, and are relatively weak.

Full-grain leather uses the full thickness of the animals skin. As leather, it is relatively thick, stiff and with a smooth, slippery surface. (Ever ridden a horse with a Western-style saddle? It's like that leather)

Cars used to use full-grain leather seats. My '79 BMW had them. They were cold and slippery but lasted forever.

These days, buyers do not want this. They want leather that is soft to the touch and grips better so one does not slide around as much. So, in the last 20 years, auto makers have turned to 'split-grain' leather, which uses the lower levels of the animals skin. The leather is softer and grippier, but is weaker and wears out much faster.

Split-grain leather is much more attractive for selling cars, and it is easier to manufacture (cutting and sewing is easier). But it does not last as long. So there is little you can do with modern leather, simply because the actual material is quite weak.

[akboss]

So short of just not buying a used car with a leather interior that has more than 75,000 Kms (cause it seems everything over this has cracking leather), is there anything a buyer can do to return the interior to better condition? Are there places to buy new leathers for the seats and have them re-upholstered, or would one just buy new seats altogether?

[MagicRat]

I have thought of doing this for myself - reupholstering the drivers seat alone in a more durable leather. There are companies that will reupholster leather seats. Auto and marine trim shops can do this. So can good (but not all) furniture upholsterers.

Upholstering a car seat is trickier than upholstering home furniture. Sofas and chairs for your home almost all have wooden frames. The wood makes upholstering much easier, since it gives a nice, easy place for leather to be attached.

Car seats use metal frames. Therefore, the leather must be entirely sewn and fitted before being installed on the frame. This is more time consuming and takes more skill.
Also, leather is more difficult to cut and sew than fabrics.

IMO I would rather use a skilled upholstery craftsman in a small shop in place of a large upholstery company. It would also help a lot to remove the seat from the car and take it to the shop. IMO do not reupholster a seat with built-in airbags. It's not worth the risk.

[MagicRat]

I have thought of doing this for myself - reupholstering the drivers seat alone in a more durable leather. There are companies that will reupholster leather seats. Auto and marine trim shops can do this. So can good (but not all) furniture upholsterers.

Upholstering a car seat is trickier than upholstering home furniture. Sofas and chairs for your home almost all have wooden frames. The wood makes upholstering much easier, since it gives a nice, easy place for leather to be attached.

Car seats use metal frames. Therefore, the leather must be entirely sewn and fitted before being installed on the frame. This is more time consuming and takes more skill.
Also, leather is more difficult to cut and sew than fabrics.

IMO I would rather use a skilled upholstery craftsman in a small shop in place of a large upholstery company. It would also help a lot to remove the seat from the car and take it to the shop. IMO do not reupholster a seat with built-in airbags. It's not worth the risk.

[danielsatur]

Light + cream color leather seats are hard to clean, put some nice seat covers to help protect leather seats from wear + tear.