So I'm busy detailing my new toy ready for spring next year . I just used 2/3rds of a bottle of Autoglym leather balm on the leather in the Vantage . Don't think it has ever been fed . It was like trying to paint Kleenex it just disappeared as I slathered it on . It sure looks better now

 

Does it have contrast stitching and will it darken?

 

Sandstorm leather with Red stitching to match the Toro Red exterior . As long as the products are good quality water based there should be no color change . I did test it on the bottom edge of the door panel first . The only difference I can see is the leather now has a slight shine instead of just a flat dry look .
I will give the really exposed surfaces such as the top of the dash etc and 2nd coat in a few days then buff it all after another few days .
I think the key is in the quality of the products you use and Autoglym is good stuff .

 

Been a good few hrs since the leathers feeding . no change in color to the stitching , the sheen is fading . I guess the product is really soaking in areas but the leather feels like leather again instead of dry old cardboard .

 

Good info, glad it looks better. I wonder if people with lighter stitching ever have theirs discolor over time..

 

I use Griot's Garage on my leather a few times a year. It seems to work pretty well.

 

The leather on your V8V does not need 'feeding' - this is nonsense perpetuated by the manufacturers of these products and is a holdover from decades ago when automotive leather did not have a urethane topcoat that is relatively impervious to oils.

I am not familiar with Autoglym's product. It sounds like it might be water based as it soaked into your leather. Either that or the topcoat is degraded so much that it isn't presenting much of a barrier, although you don't say that the seats looked in really rough shape.

At any rate, the description of a "slight shine" makes it sound like there is some sort of oil residue sitting on the surface, which exactly what you don't want - it will attract dirt and make the situation worse. Products requiring long dwell times to 'soak in' or any sort of 'buffing' to get rid of are probably oil based and IMO should be avoided.

 

I have used Leatherique products and my Porsche and Aston, they work just great. Google it to find the site.

 

Completely 100% incorrect . Why does the leather shrink on the dash when exposed to the sun ? Because you didn't feed it and keep it supple .
The leather is presently all in great shape it was just very dry and I didn't want it to start cracking. All leather products be it shoes , sofas , car seats , coats all need regular feeding with the appropriate products to keep the leather soft and supple .
Also Autoglym is water based .

 

I just pulled most of my interior out of my car to give everything a good thorough cleaning and conditioning. (Things got a bit out of control), I'm going to post a detailed post of what I did at some point soon.

Anyways, I spent a lot of time trying many different leather cleaners and conditioners. I did many side by side comparisons and 2 products really stood out among them all. Leatherique "pristine clean" and rejuvenating conditioner as well as the Glipstone "Liquid leather" products (cleaner and conditioner).

Both worked very good but I think it really depends on what you are trying to accomplish. For treating leather that is in good shape, I.E not very wrinkled or dried out, I absolutely loved the Glipstone products. Plus it has a smell that really brings back the leather smell we all love about our cars. When finished up with the Glipstone my car smelled like a brand new Aston sitting on a dealer showroom. Really amazing. The Leatherique products are not near as easy to work with. They require many more "steps" in the application process. However, if your leather is in a little bit rougher or dried out condition the Leatherique conditioner will really help it out. After working the Leatherique into a few spots where my leather was starting to get a little worn, the leather was really softened up and the visual difference was really obvious. This stuff does NOT just treat the surface. The instructions call for it to be rubbed in my hand, especially along the seams to allow it to penetrate the leather.. and it clearly does and it works very well.

Neither product discolored my white stitching on my black leather either. They are both water based and this was a HUGE concern of mine and I paid very close attention to that throughout the process. I would even say that they both actually cleaned the white stitching as well and it looks better than ever.

Just my .02 cents and experiences over the past couple weeks really digging into this.

 

I will state flat out that I am not a leather expert. Perhaps you are, in which case I defer to your expertise.

Through my own research and experience I have satisfied myself that the notion that modern automotive leather requires 'feeding' or 'nourishing' is complete bunk and persists as part marketing gimmick and part holdover from decades old upholstery practices.

There has been a lively debate on some detailing websites in the past on this subject, during which some industry players have weighed in. Autopia is a good source for some reference articles as well, for example:

http://www.autopia.org/forums/autopi...-leathera.html

We've discussed the matter on this forum, too:

https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...-problems.html

BTW, Autoglym's website states their balm contains 'natural oils', so if you read somewhere that the product is water based, that would appear to be conflicting information.

Will you damage your leather and/or waste your money by using oil, solvent or protein-based products? Maybe, maybe not. I don't know of anyone who has run any long-term trial comparing products and their effects. From my own experience, I can say that in the past, I used Leatherique, Lexol and other products. Over the course of a few years, the leather upholstery in my past cars became shiny and lost its nice, matte feel despite regular use of these products. For the past 6 or 7 years I have used a water based product that makes no claim to condition, feed, contain 'nourishing' oils etc. and my leather has held up much better. Have I controlled all variables such as manufacturer, specific leather composition etc.? Of course not. But it has been enough to convince me.

I share the above as nothing more than my opinion and the reasons I have it. If you disagree and are happy with your results, more power to you.

 

Here's some more info

https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...n-leather.html

And AML itself does sell a "Leather care kit" that contains:
• 225ml Leather Protection Cream
• 225ml Leather Cleaner
• 118ml Leather Softener
• 1 x Ink Away Stick
• 10 x Application Cloths
• 2 x Sponge Applicator
• 1 x Dust Wizard Cloth
• 4 x Gloves

 

Not sure for certain who does AM's kit, but I suspect it is Leather Master, as this company has been previously recommended by Bridge of Weir (Aston's hide supplier). AFAIK this is a water based product, which is what you want.

 

30hrs or so since I fed the leather . No residue anywhere leather looks feels and smells great . Will wait till the weekend and give it another going over especially in the exposed spots .

 

I have used leather cream for years on my cars. The way I apply the cream is on a hot day. I coat the seats with the cream, keep the windows closed and let the car sit so the intior gets good and hot. I will check the coated areas a couple of times and if it looks good and soaked in I add a little more. Generally after 4 to 5 hours there might be a spot or two that I wipe the excess off. Put the car in the garage and do not use until the next day. By the next day the sats look great. I have treated seats like this for years and the seats look brand new.