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Accord Leather Questions

stanwelksstanwelks Member Posts: 35
edited March 2014 in Honda
I have never had leather interior in a car before.

1. How is the quality of the leather interior? It seems nice, though is it good quality?

2. Are there any reasons why leather may not be a good choice? Example: it retains heat during the Summer, etc.

Thanks!
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Comments

  • mrbill1957mrbill1957 Member Posts: 823
    I have an 04 EXL. The leather still looks like new, but I'm very careful with them, and treat them regularly with a leather conditioner. Leather does need attention if you want it to last, but treating it goes fast. I also have an 88 Accord with cloth seats, they still look like new, I doubt the seats in my 04 will look as good when they are as old.

    Leather does heat up alot in an enclosed car sitting in the sun, but not as bad as vinyl seats do.

    If you spill something on leather, it doesn't soak in like it would with cloth seats.

    A vehicle with leather is easier to get in/out of so it may be a better choice if you have a physical limitation.

    I probably would have gone with cloth, but I wanted the Navi system, so I had no choice.

    Mrbill
  • stanwelksstanwelks Member Posts: 35
    Why would you probably have gone with cloth? I too want the Navi system, so this is why I am now looking into the leather option.

    Thanks.
  • autoboy16autoboy16 Member Posts: 992
    I ave a 1995 accord ex. It has leather and i live in miami. Yes it will hold some heat but there are some little things to do to prevent cracking ect.

    You're buying about a $20-35k car. Spend an extra $10 on a sun shade (discount auto, CVS, Wal*mart, ect) to go across the windshield. This will keep the seats, steering wheel and dash from being able to fry eggs, cook chicken or steam vegetables.

    Get your windows tinted. Doesn't have to be the $300 one from honda but the place on the side of the street saying $45 will do great. It'll keep the overall cabin cooler and make it harder for people to see into your car.

    Staying about 5-30minutes in a place, vent the sunroof. I'll help keep the stale hot air out and fresh are will be ready for you. Alot longer, Close the roof and sunshade.

    Keep a small towel over the seats. It'll keep some heat out. Do this for the rear, especially over the headrests. Cracking causes the most damage there.

    Avoid Black cars!! Its seems silly but black attracts much more heat than a lighter color. Personally, a dark green, nice gold, or grey will be nice. Avoid Red (police attention getters), White (dirt shower), silver (strange but is THE hardest color to see in rain) and black (the heat grabber). But thats just my opinion (except for red, black and silver)

    These are good tips for keeping a car cooler. Combine all and you beat some serious heat!! Even in miami except for miami ;) Hope these tips help and good luck with the Accord!!

    -Cj :shades:
  • mrbill1957mrbill1957 Member Posts: 823
    My reason for liking cloth over leather would be longevity of cloth. I've seen many leather seats that were in terrable condition after 5-7 years. I keep a car for over 10 years, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

    I guess there is always the option of having them repaired when they need it.

    Mrbill
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    If the quality is anything like my 1996, you have nothing to worry about. My car has never been garage kept, and I have no tears to speak of in my cloth, and only minor fading to speak of.

    My interior:
    image
    image

    This doesn't look bad considering it's had 163,000 miles worth of butts in the seats, right? (BTW, the lighting is bad, the seats aren't as light as they look in the pics).
  • mrbill1957mrbill1957 Member Posts: 823
    My 88 Accord cloth seats look as good as yours. It's the leather in my 04 that I'm worried about.

    Mrbill
  • tallman1tallman1 Member Posts: 1,874
    I've seen leather seats that are 10 years old and still look great. You have to take care of them though. Regular cleaning and a good protectant are a must. I plan on mine lasting for a long time... hopefully it will work out.
  • don57don57 Member Posts: 19
    In my 06 sedan I have black leather seats. I have used Lexol a couple of times to protect them. We recently returned from a trip to the Raleigh NC area. Temperatures were in the uppers 80s to low 90s. I was pleasantly surprised that the seats were not extremely hot.
  • ezshift5ezshift5 Member Posts: 858
    ...1. How is the quality of the leather interior? It seems nice, though is it good quality?

    2. Are there any reasons why leather may not be a good choice? Example: it retains heat during the Summer, etc.

    ...Yo, another first time leather dude here......

    1. After 16,500 miles no complaints (05 AV6 6M)

    2. I try and use some of Autoboy16's guidance......
    Sunshade (I park in the shade too)...but were the truth to be known...........the leather just don't seem to get that hot........ For the winter, there are seat warmers. I don't use them here in the state capital.....no need.

    ..all in all, seems like a good choice so far.....

    best, ez..
  • autoboy16autoboy16 Member Posts: 992
    IMO, leather seats can last as long (if not longer) than cloth seats. Its the vinyl seats that hold excessive heat and tear easily. The leather is still apart of the car and needs almost as much attention as the engine bay if you want to keep good the leather as least 10 years. Have you ever seen an old Mercedes-Benz 300E recently? The leather in that model stays flawless most likely because of its good quality or because the people took good care of the leather. Honda's leather is of better than average quality. Just wish they'd add some pizzaz to the exterior...

    -Cj :)
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    to cliff8, "Honda Accord Audio Questions (iPod, MP3, speakers, etc.)" #25, 27 Aug 2006 2:05 pm
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    In the Accord owner's manual it says to use "Saddle Soap" to clean the leather seats. I was very skeptical about using something made for saddle leather on my leather car seats. I finally bought some, and WOW! This stuff works like magic. cleans easy, and protects the leather, and makes the leather feel softer. Should have bought some 3 years ago.

    PS: My wife found it at the feed store, of all places to get quality leather cleaners.
  • autoboy16autoboy16 Member Posts: 992
    How much was it?

    -Cj
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    How much was it?

    $5

    Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting
  • davidinazdavidinaz Member Posts: 14
    Hey all. I have a 2006 Honda Accord Ex-L. I have 2,500 on it and have it since the middle of June.
    Yesterday, I noticed on the drivers seat, a black "residue" on the leather. It is located lower back, and the two side pieces of leather that give you lateral support.
    Well, I have spent a good part of the day trying to clean that stuff off and it is not coming off.
    I have used saddle soap, Weiman Leather Wipes and Blue Magic leather and vinyl cleaner.

    Does anyone else have any suggestions on how to clean this or do I have an odd lot of leather in my car that I will need to have the dealership fix?

    Please help.
    Thanks.
    Dave
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    Woolite will take it off, but you have to be careful because it will also take the color (leather dye) off. Was this stain on the seat when you bought the car? Do you have any idea how it got there?
  • mrbill1957mrbill1957 Member Posts: 823
    Sounds like you also have the tan leather.

    I noticed the same problem on my 04 EX-L. I'm assuming it came from my leather belt.

    I used Lexol cleaner/conditioner on the mark. It didn't remove all of it, but some did come off. I didn't want to over-due it and harm the leather, so I left it as is. After a few more treatments of conditioner (over the next year), the mark seems to be less and less. My guess is the conditioner is softening up whatever is leaving the mark, and it's probably rubbing off on my clothes.

    Mrbill
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    If you mark your skin with an ink pen, the mark will eventually fade. Leather is skin, and will do the same thing in time.
  • ray_h1ray_h1 Member Posts: 1,134
    Well, one "minor" difference - hide still attached to its living host constantly regenerates from the dermis* up. Processed, tanned leather doesn't.

    *Ink applied directly into living dermis is permanent. I believe these markings generally go by the common naming convention, "tattoos"...
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    Leather is skin, and will do the same thing in time.

    I'm afraid ray_h1 is right...the only reason pen, marker, etc... eventually fades is because skin is constantly renewing itself from the inside out. Leather seats are quite dead, I bevlieve you'll find!

    If the pen-mark fades, it's not because it has the qualities of human skin, it's because the ink was somehow rubbed/cleaned off the leather.
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    The leather may be dead, as you say, but it is still skin and has some of the same capabilities it had before. Mark leather with an ink pen, and mark vinyl the same way. I can guarantee you the mark on leather will fade much faster. I didn't just pull this out of thin air. I read it somewhere when searching the internet for quality leather cleaners. The leather will absorb and dissipate the mark. Where as vinyl is "man made", and will absorb very little. You should try reading sometime, you might learn something too.
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    You should try reading sometime, you might learn something too.

    Oh, gee, thanks :sick: . I never done did thank of that idear!
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    Oh, gee, thanks . I never done did thank of that idear!

    Do I detect a little bit of "Redneck" heritage here? :D
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    I believe you's right, feller!

    Haha, it is hard for me to type this, as a student who is currently enrolled in a "Newswriting" class, among others! LOL

    I got to go in yonder, but I'll be back quicker than you can lasso yo grandmaw!
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    lasso yo grandmaw!

    I thought all rednecks were in-bread, but I detect a little "Ghetto" here too. Redneck/Ghetto, what a combination!
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    Yeah well, I went to a public school here in Alabama, near Birmingham (not inner-city, but close enough!)...haha
  • davidinazdavidinaz Member Posts: 14
    Update - Hey all. I took the car to the dealership today and they couldn't get the "residue" off. The person at the dealership gave me the name of someone who does mobile upholstery work. I am going to call him tomorrow and see if he can come to my job and how much it will cost to get my car right again.
    By the way, I emailed the people who made my belt and told them how un-happy I was that their product did this to my car that is only a few months old and not even has 3000 miles on it. May try the Lexol idea.
  • donacodonaco Member Posts: 1
    I too have a 2006 Honda EX-V6, with tan leather seats. I had not driven the car more than a few months before I noticed a black line that went from one side of the seat to the other, from the side panel thru the rear insert to the other side panel. The black mark was at my belt level. I do leather crafts, and have several friends that are very knowledgeable with how to treat leather. Sadly, I have not been able to clean the marks off my seat. I am so upset about this, it would be wrong to write that verbage here. I am very finicky about the maintenance of my car. I wear dress clothing to work, and something like this should not have happened. I have tried, soap and water, glycerine soaps, lexol, and at best I can only get a little of the black color off my seat. I am going to contact Honda as I now feel it is shoddy workmanship on their part. I have had leather couches for twenty years of different colors and never experienced a problem like this. My 1963 XKE Jaguar never has had a problem with the leather seats. This is not the first Honda that my wife and I have leased, that has had this problem. In fact the seats are worse with my 2006 Accord, than they were with the 2003 Accord. I also own a 2006 Pilot with green leather seats, which does not seem to have this problem. Maybe, it is the dye that Honda uses. Anyone that has been successful with this problem I would love to hear how you solved it.
  • elroy5elroy5 Member Posts: 3,735
    I have the 03 EX V6 with tan leather. I use "saddle soap" (Honda recommended) on my seats. Works better than all the other so called cleaner/conditioners. Don't know if it will take your particular mark off, but it's the ONLY thing that works for me. Good luck
  • ray_h1ray_h1 Member Posts: 1,134
    You too, huh? Saddle soap is the best kept secret in leather care. Its real problem is "image". People dismiss the stuff as archaic voodoo chemistry because it's so cheap.
  • el_chupacabrael_chupacabra Member Posts: 17
    its pleather not leather :D
  • ezshift5ezshift5 Member Posts: 858
    ..would translating your screen name be close to anything linking an old Aztec tale of an occult monster? (sounds familiar to me)
  • ray_h1ray_h1 Member Posts: 1,134
    A cross between a vampire and a demon, with intimations of extraterrestrials isn't it? Legends about cattle, horses, and humans having been gutted and drained of blood. (Oh, wait - I'm thinking of my former supervisor - sorry 'bout the mixup...)
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