Whoa, my '08 Lexus leather seats. What's happening

[ADDgolfer]

I believe you're right, that the color was not locked, Just odd it even came off with plain water on a section of the bolster
Questionable too is meeting and spending some time with the seller at his home, looking how well kept his garage was and the clean big boy toys inside including his new to him and many of us the 2016 Lexus GS F...
There is no way IMO he would have owned my car for two + years with worn leather seats greeting him each time he entered the car, nor the type who'd never cleaned them. So...
Why the color reconditioning came off now?

I feel a bit conflicted coming here on your guys' site, 'taking' money from y'all soliciting free advice. Originally I wanted to be informed when I went and talked with professionals. I have talked with three detail guys at their shops, all of whom I would trust to detail my car but none I felt recoloring seats was a strength.

I bought a bottle of vehicle specific, true color matched dye from The Seat Doctor (even requests the vin number in the order so it matches). I'm pretty OCD and patient to tackle the task myself. Someone who has done many dye/paint jobs would be prefered, I just haven't found him/her yet.
Thanks

[vobro]

Meh, the car is 11 years old and looks to be normal wear and tear, maybe the previous owner tried to have the seats fixed for sale?

[sudsmobile]

He may not have even "redyed". He may have put on something as simple as a closely matching shoe polish which is basically just a cheap paint. Or something similar. Or, more likely, he paid a professional detailer to make them look "new" and this is what he got and what you got now.

[ADDgolfer]

Suppose really won't know, but it was a good blend job before it wasn't.
I've read thru these posts and closest I read was posted years ago. The author had a still under warranty car posting similar pics. The responses were from jean transfers, heavy winter coat rub, wallet rub and the like. He finally had the dealer's sales manager contact him (after underlings brushed him off) and it was resolved.

I watched a ton of Youtube vids of seats sprayed with GP cleaner, attacked with soft drill brushes, MF covered steam heads, to magic eraser and not one mentioned how easily improper recoloring or color blending could be removed without proper sealing? I'd think with the ease of buying product online it'd be much more prevalent?
My vehicle matched dye will be here tomorrow, I still need to further research 'topcoat' seal products to cover leather

[sorj]

Suppose really won't know, but it was a good blend job before it wasn't.
I've read thru these posts and closest I read was posted years ago. The author had a still under warranty car posting similar pics. The responses were from jean transfers, heavy winter coat rub, wallet rub and the like. He finally had the dealer's sales manager contact him (after underlings brushed him off) and it was resolved.

I watched a ton of Youtube vids of seats sprayed with GP cleaner, attacked with soft drill brushes, MF covered steam heads, to magic eraser and not one mentioned how easily improper recoloring or color blending could be removed without proper sealing? I'd think with the ease of buying product online it'd be much more prevalent?
My vehicle matched dye will be here tomorrow, I still need to further research 'topcoat' seal products to cover leather

What did you end up doing?


If a seat has been painted, can a ceramic coating be used over the leather paint? If yes, would the ceramic coating just need to be sprayed on vs. wiped on as the wiping might remove paint?