Well the leather in my car is starting to age and seems quickly in the recent yr. The dye?/surface is flaking between the cracks. I do use leather cleaner/conditioner, but will it prevent it from getting worst since it started to flake? Since I'm still in high school and don't have a lot of money (even if I did) I really don't want to replace it with new leather skins, for I notice the new ones I've seen on some 850's look a bit plain/fake (seems all flat and uses the same grain type of leather, not like the originals and w/ folds and wrinkes). The leather in the car is close to mint, besides the driver's seat (but better than most I've seen). I would hate to see it get deteriorate before my eyes.

 

There's not much you can really do once it's started cracking. If you keep conditioning it, it should prevent it from cracking further, but the cracks aren't going to go away.

And where have you seen "new" leather skins? The only difference in the seat skins in 850s are the color, all the same leather, just different color dye.

 

Saw it on a couple 850's in parking lots and online.

 

I don't really know what your referring to as "new leather skins". Yeah, you can buy the leather that people have pulled off of their seats, but there aren't any aftermarket leather seat skins for the seats.

 

Huh?? "new leather skins" I meant the seat covers, ones people might buy from the dealers to replace their old ones on their seats.

 

Ohhhh, yeah, those are different than seat skins, the skins are the actual leather of the seat, covers go over the seats. Don't bother with seat covers, they're tacky, especially when it's so easy to get the skins from people parting their cars, and they're relatively cheap and easy to swap.

 

I think you missunderstood me again and I guess I'm just not good at explaining things I really not meant covers but the leather that's on the seats. Heres one I found on sale. This person replace both bottom and back. Don't you think they look a bit different than the originals? Everytime I see one replace w/ the new ones they look like that. I'll try to find another one to compare it to.

 

OK. Seat skins=OEM leather seat "covers". Seat covers=those ugly things that you buy at Wal-mart to cover up your seat.

And no, those seats look completely fine. They actually look really good, whoever got those got a good deal. You probably think they look wrong because they're not your tan. There's two "tans" on the 850s, the lighter one (which is what it sounds like you have) or the darker "peanut buttery" tan (pictured above).

 

Leather seats are a lot like teeth. You have to take care of them to prevent anything from happening to them. Just as cavities won't heal on their own or with additional toothpastes, mouthwashes, etc., leather seats will never get better on their own or with treatment once they have cracked. They will need restoration, much like teeth need fillings.

I have heard of products that supposedly will mend small cracks in seats, but do not have personal experience with them. They may be, to take my analogy further, the equivalent of mercury amalgam fillings--functional but unsightly. I'm not sure if there is a product that would be the equivalent of the tooth-colored composite resin fillings (which would have to make the seat look as though it was never damaged in the first place, just as the resin fillings make it look as though the tooth was never damaged or repaired).

I polish my seats every 4-6 months. If your car isn't garaged and gets more sunlight, try using a more frequent interval. Armor-All leather wipes are a good, easy way to polish seats, although I've also used the liquid polish in a bottle (with an old t-shirt as the polishing cloth). Keep in mind that polishing seats is a lot like brushing teeth--preventative maintenance for bigger problems that helps seats look and smell good in the process.

 

Haha, well analogized there sir. During the summer when I was driving my car more, I conditioned the seats once a week. I had the leather wipes, so it only took about 5 minutes, and then once a month or so I would use a bottle conditioner and really work them.

 

The leather on the "seat" passenger seat in my 850 has shrunk, and on of the seams has split open.

I went to an Auto Upholsterer and he's making me a brand new seat for AUD$120 - pretty good deal for a brand new seat, I reckon!

 

It's a good deal, but seeing as how the AUD is .9 USD, it's costing you about 108USD to get a seat bottom. I bought a whole passenger seat skin in like new condition for 35 dollars, and a rear seat skin set for 55 dollars, all looks brand new.

 

That's a good point, Gilber; however, decent quality Volvo parts are really hard to find in Australia. And shipping from the 'States is unbearable.

Most wreckers (junk) yards here haven't yet got on board the internet train, like in the USA - where it seems that most parts are just a "click" away. Ahhh, that would be nice.

Still, if you've managed to find replacement leather, I'm still going to try!

 

Let me chime in on this quickly... I wrote this "How to" guide for another Volvo board I am on. It is on how to care for leather. I use leather at work and build Motorcycle seats so I have a little insight on leather..........


Leather care for your car!

by Somthngfrce » Wed Jun 17, 2009 5:22 pm
Ok, the next topic at hand as far as taking care of your Volvo is Leather Care.... This is a topic I personally like since I work with Leather at work. I make leather Gloves for the Sport of Falconry and also make leather equipment at work for Birds of Prey so I know the ins and out from hands on and also from Vendors we use.... Once you finish detailing your car, the next step is to tackle the inside. Before working on the leather, make sure to Vaccum the interior as if you clean the leather and THEN you Vaccum, you will just make a bigger mess.... Once you Vaccum you will need to wipe down the leather with either a cleaner or personally I use Antibacterial Hand Wipes http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product. ... d=10314665. These are cheap at Walmart. Most of the problem with leather, is that the cleaning solutions are usually too acidic OR are too much of a base and it is important to keep the leather at a neutral pH! Yes, leather is skin, so too much or not enough will mean cracks and breakage! Hand wipes are designed to clean and kill bacteria in our hands obviously and not dry them so they are great and it has a neutral Ph for a cleaner. Use the wipes and be thorough in wiping ALL leather surfaces including the Steering wheel. You will be surprised how black those wipes get..... Once you are done wiping let surface dry for a little while. I also suggest letting the car sit in direct sunlight for a little while with all the windows closed. What this will do is super heat the interior and allow the pores in the leather to open up and soak any conditioner you apply all the way thru to the nap (back side of the leather) making it stronger. Leathe cracks from drying and Ph changes so if you allow the leather pores to open it will soak up the conditioner all the way thru and that will give the leather as a whole to stay hydrated! Once your interior is heated, start applying the conditioner you choose liberaly. You will see the hot leather "drink" the conditioner. I personally use this stuff called Bick 4 http://www.bickmore.com/bickmore/Leathe ... Bick4.html. It ios a cream conditioner that was made for leather horse saddles and leather horse equipment! So as you can see it was made for heavy duty applications in conditioning. I will take the cream and apply it straight to the leather with my hands almost massaging it into the leather. I do this for the whole car including the steering wheel... Once you are done, close the doors and let the conditioner sit in the sun. You will see in a few minutes the cream will disapear so there won't be any need to wipe down the surfaces! That should be it. If your leather is so stained that you need another cleaner, then I also use this stuff, does an exellent job http://www.bickmore.com/bickmore/Leathe ... Bick1.html but you can also use products like Lexol. They also make a 2in one cleaner http://www.bickmore.com/bickmore/Leathe ... Bick5.html but I personally like the cremes. They seem to give the leather more "moisture"... Remember when cleaning leather NOT to use house hold chemicals, soaps unless it's a saddle soap otherwise these items will dry the leather and eventually cracking. Besides cremes you can also use neatsfoot oils and also if you can find it at a pharmacy, fish oil that has had the odor removed. Sounds crazy but it works! This WILL kill you leater interior. Ask anyone whom works or has horses! One thing to NOT DO and that is seal the leather with a spray like Camp dry and/or Scotchguard!. This will seal the pores in the leather and will eventually dry the leather by not allowing the cream or spray cleaner to soak thru to the nap. I will also compile a list of links at the bottom of this write up of other automotive leather cleaners and conditioners. Just remember that this along with Oils and waxes are a subjective topic, so if you find something you like product wise stick with it!
Good Luck cleaning and Happy Motoring!

http://www.bickmore.com/bickmore/index.html
http://www.lexol.com/
http://www.leathermagic.com/
http://www.eagleone.com/pages/products/ ... temid=1027
http://www.mothers.com/02_products/02_p ... ior_b.html
http://www.zymol.com/zymoltreat85oz.aspx
http://www.pinnaclewax.com/leathercare.html
http://www.surfcitygarage.com/detail1.php?product_id=38
http://www.meguiars.com

 

OK, here is leather 101 according to RSpi.
1. Any product that can be used on anything other than leather, is not good for leather. If you have something that says "for leather, vinyl, etc." stay clear for your leather.
2. Leather conditioner should be used regularly. Hot, sunny climate with tintless windows, condition more often. Garaged cars with tinted windows, not so often. I do mine once per month, with Lexol.
3. You can not stop deterioration but you can soften hard leather with conditioner.

Other than that, I think the seats in the photos are NOT LEATHER, but vinyl. I think you should go to a junk yard, find a wrecked car, and purchase a good seat.

 

Pretty sure those seats in that picture are leather. I've never heard of any 850 having vinyl seats, and that color of those seats is that darker shade of tan, I see it all the time. I've also never heard of aftermarket skins for direct fit with same stitching for these cars.

Same color (darker shade of tan, peanut butter-ish), different car.

 

Quick question - where did you buy your leather off an old 850? A junk yard? My seats are far gone and I would like to replace them. Getting quoted $200 per seat!! Yikes...

 

Bought mine from gilber33 hahaha, seriously though, just ask him. I've been cutting them apart to make templates to make brand new seats skins for my car(very special machine required) and I'm hoping to offer them to the volvo community for a reasonable price. I have 2 full leather hides on the way and can't wait to get sewing. Also want to do other leather trim.

 

Best bet is to find someone parting out a car and see if you can get just the skins. Sometimes people are willing to pull them off and sell them cheaper, or pull them off and give you the same price as if you were buying the seats. Mostly because skins are a PITA to put on and take off, very time consuming.

 

Are they really difficult to install - or should I take the skins to a leather guy and have him install?