What is issue with Saddle interior?
#1
What is issue with Saddle interior?
I noticed they were scarce on dealer lots and read in another thread that the saddle interior "doesn't wear well". What does this mean? I am a bit scared now because mine is already on order and I love the saddle!
#4
GTR Member
ford has been seriously stupid with the saddle leather, they are selective about what exterior color you can pair it with, like not offering it with grabber blue. And they also don't offer it with the recaro seats.
I'm not a leather fan, but if I did have a leather interior, it would have to be saddle, looks so much better than the charcoal.
As to wear, well that is more about how well you care for it than anything else.
I'm not a leather fan, but if I did have a leather interior, it would have to be saddle, looks so much better than the charcoal.
As to wear, well that is more about how well you care for it than anything else.
Last edited by Ltngdrvr; 4/9/14 at 03:54 PM.
#7
Legacy TMS Member
Werd. The leather in my 92 is better than it was in my 06 and newer cars.
As far as saddle color itself, yeah maybe in a Taurus but not in a mustang. IMO.
As far as saddle color itself, yeah maybe in a Taurus but not in a mustang. IMO.
#9
Legacy TMS Member
I'd wonder if it was because the rest of the interior is still dark charcoal. That just looks half-assed to me.
I had stone leather in my '10 V6 premiuim, but the door panels (the whole thing not just the inserts) were stone. If only the inserts had been stone and the rest of door black, I would have went with something else. I think that contrast looks even worse with the saddle.
I had stone leather in my '10 V6 premiuim, but the door panels (the whole thing not just the inserts) were stone. If only the inserts had been stone and the rest of door black, I would have went with something else. I think that contrast looks even worse with the saddle.
#10
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The saddle leather just isn't a big seller. It's a niche item, some love it, most would rather have gray or black.
With the right exterior paint color I think it looks great, it really makes the interior look classy.
As far as wear, I can't comment but I assume it shows dirt more than black or gray.
With the right exterior paint color I think it looks great, it really makes the interior look classy.
As far as wear, I can't comment but I assume it shows dirt more than black or gray.
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It has to be in the maintenance. The wife and I bought our first leather seated car about 20 years ago, a BMW. After about a year and a half, the drivers side left bolster was worn, from the sliding in and out of the car. I figured leather was not to be an option I would go with again. Went back to cloth, and found this was worse, from a sweat standpoint. In the hot "African summers" that we get in Florida, the legs would sweat, and transfer to the bottom seats...yuck!
Back to leather we went. Then a parts guy counter at the BMW shop gave me (yep, free stuff from BMW) a bottle of Lexol cleaner and a bottle of conditioner. Been using this stuff ever since.
With 60K on my 2011 Mustangs leather, the condition is fantastic. I drive this Mustang daily, and have no issues with the leather at all. Leather can dry out, so it requires cleaning and conditioners to keep it soft.
I'll agree though that ligher colors such as tan or grey will show color wear, so this is why I stick with black.
And there are dyes that can be had to correct color wear. Here's a site on how to do it:
http://www.carsdirect.com/car-mainte...ther-car-seats
Back to leather we went. Then a parts guy counter at the BMW shop gave me (yep, free stuff from BMW) a bottle of Lexol cleaner and a bottle of conditioner. Been using this stuff ever since.
With 60K on my 2011 Mustangs leather, the condition is fantastic. I drive this Mustang daily, and have no issues with the leather at all. Leather can dry out, so it requires cleaning and conditioners to keep it soft.
I'll agree though that ligher colors such as tan or grey will show color wear, so this is why I stick with black.
And there are dyes that can be had to correct color wear. Here's a site on how to do it:
http://www.carsdirect.com/car-mainte...ther-car-seats
Last edited by Bucko; 4/11/14 at 05:22 AM.
#15
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Well, from a textile standpoint, you WILL eventually run into issues with lighter colored fabrics, weather they are hide (leather) or cloth...primary concerns, ( and one of the worst enemy) believe it or not is dye transfer, specifically blue or black jeans.
Both textiles, are open cell, fully porous regardless of factory treatments such as scotch gard, optinex, or Vergard...( all silicone based protectants)
The real problem is high point color deflection and instability over extended repeated rubbing,especially with dye transfer type textiles...such as jeans.
Seam points, double fold sew lines, reinforced raised panels all sit higher than the rest of the seat, so they take the blunt amount of rubbing, and therefore color transfer...Ford would be up to their necks with "my seats are getting stained somehow" complaints from customers.
Next time you get yourself a pair of new jeans, pick a spot, say the lower part of the leg and rub it like 10 times over a piece of material in natural color, hold the material over an edge of a chair or table to replicate a high seam or panel and see what happens.
It's also near impossible to "clean" out that new stain, because now you have dye transfer, which blends into the original lighter color through friction ( heat).
Darker colors tend to hide this phenomena, especially dark or black leather.
For those that want to protect the seat leather to last a very long time, make sure that twice yearly, you use a quality leather conditioner liberally, when seats are warm, so it sinks well into the leather.
Leather, especially in cars goes through incredible heat/cold cycles over their life, maintaining a conditioned leather is easy, but a lot of people skip this procedure, resulting in hard, cracked and wrinkled hides...and by the time you realise the damage done, it's already to late to rectify.
I have been in the textile business for over 40 years, and these are issues we learn to deal with over the years in the field.
Both textiles, are open cell, fully porous regardless of factory treatments such as scotch gard, optinex, or Vergard...( all silicone based protectants)
The real problem is high point color deflection and instability over extended repeated rubbing,especially with dye transfer type textiles...such as jeans.
Seam points, double fold sew lines, reinforced raised panels all sit higher than the rest of the seat, so they take the blunt amount of rubbing, and therefore color transfer...Ford would be up to their necks with "my seats are getting stained somehow" complaints from customers.
Next time you get yourself a pair of new jeans, pick a spot, say the lower part of the leg and rub it like 10 times over a piece of material in natural color, hold the material over an edge of a chair or table to replicate a high seam or panel and see what happens.
It's also near impossible to "clean" out that new stain, because now you have dye transfer, which blends into the original lighter color through friction ( heat).
Darker colors tend to hide this phenomena, especially dark or black leather.
For those that want to protect the seat leather to last a very long time, make sure that twice yearly, you use a quality leather conditioner liberally, when seats are warm, so it sinks well into the leather.
Leather, especially in cars goes through incredible heat/cold cycles over their life, maintaining a conditioned leather is easy, but a lot of people skip this procedure, resulting in hard, cracked and wrinkled hides...and by the time you realise the damage done, it's already to late to rectify.
I have been in the textile business for over 40 years, and these are issues we learn to deal with over the years in the field.
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