[gIzzE]

I spent yesterday refinishing my seats.

They were creased to buggery, hard and shiny and the bolster was in a right state.

I used the Furniture Clinic kit to start from fresh to give them that 'just out of the factory' look.

I wish I had taken some pics, but I was full of cold with a temperature and just wanted to get it done.



It involved cleaning off all the years of dirt and grease.
Then using an extremely aggressive liquid to remove the factory finish and then using it on a scouring pad to make sure the original paint sealer was definitely all gone.
This is the point where you stand back and think 'Ooooops!'

I then put the heat gun onto the seats to get rid of the sagging leather, I managed to remove pretty much all of the creases, all gone from the bolster and back rest and 90% from the seat base, just the ones towards the back still showing.

With that done I started dab on the dye with a sponge and work it into any creases etc.
However, having used the spray gun already I could have probably just started spraying, but with the patterned leather on the centre sections I thought the dabbing on was probably still a good idea.

Then used he supplied spray gun and sprayed 3 coats onto the seats, using the heat gun to dry each coat.

Then moved onto the sealant, this is what gives you the strength.
I did both seats in this and this left a gloss finish, not nice!

However you then move to the finish you have chosen, I went with Matte as this is what BMW have always used.
I did the first coat on the drivers side and then started on the passenger side and realised I had only been sent one can of airbrush propellant.
So had to call it a day while I want for the other can to arrive.
just one of those things, but was a bit annoying.


Overall though it is a seriously impressive bit of kit, extremely easy to use and gets your seats looking factory fresh for £55.

Here we go, not bad for 16 year old seats....






You can also change the colour with this kit, so if you fancy the nice Indianapolis Red lather from the M6 no problem, or the Silverstone from the M5, then choose that.


Highly recommended bit of kit.

[gaza01]

Wow!
Really wish you took progress pics but understandably you were full of cold!

Looks like a great job done. What about the door cards. Do you think this will work on them in terms of changing the colour?

Do you have the details of what you bought?

[gIzzE]

I did the door cards on this, they looked really bad once the seats were in, just so much more faded.

Yeah you can change the colour of them too, no problem.

You have to remember, no car leather in the last 40 years is dyed, it is all spray painted, and when it all cracks etc. 9 times out of 10 it is just the paint that has dried out and cracked, remove that and you have nice fresh leather to start again with.

I bought the Medium kit and used just around 1/4 of the dye at most, half the sealant and half the matte finish, however, I used around 1 and 1/3 can of the airbrush propellant, I think for a normal sized car like the E90 a medium kit with an extra can of propellent would be enough if refinishing your leather including back seats, and the large kit is ample if changing the colour.

http://www.furnitureclinic.co.uk/Lea...ourant_Kit.php

[rowingone]

I have dyed leather on restorations before . . I wouldn't change color as the durability of the finished product will never be anywhere close to factory durability so you will be touching it up forever . . .

[rhysh1990]

Cracking finish seats look amazing

[gIzzE]

Originally Posted by rowingone

I have dyed leather on restorations before . . I wouldn't change color as the durability of the finished product will never be anywhere close to factory durability so you will be touching it up forever . . .

This is not dying it, it is respraying it, and it has had 3 coats of sealant and then another 3 coats of the matte sealant, I reckon this will be as tough as any factory finish.

Dying leather seats is a waste of time, as you say, a few months later and it is wiped away, all you are ever doing is putting dye on top of the sealant, pointless.

[gaza01]

Originally Posted by gIzzE

I did the door cards on this, they looked really bad once the seats were in, just so much more faded.

Yeah you can change the colour of them too, no problem.

You have to remember, no car leather in the last 40 years is dyed, it is all spray painted, and when it all cracks etc. 9 times out of 10 it is just the paint that has dried out and cracked, remove that and you have nice fresh leather to start again with.

I bought the Medium kit and used just around 1/4 of the dye at most, half the sealant and half the matte finish, however, I used around 1 and 1/3 can of the airbrush propellant, I think for a normal sized car like the E90 a medium kit with an extra can of propellent would be enough if refinishing your leather including back seats, and the large kit is ample if changing the colour.

http://www.furnitureclinic.co.uk/Lea...ourant_Kit.php

Thanks for the info. And again great result!

[Palmnuts]

That looks absolutely fantastic - love the fact you got a proper factory matt finish.

[gIzzE]

Yeah, so many refurbs always look so shiny, and new seats never look shiny.
I was really impressed with the kit.

I also got my steering wheel back from Royals, got him to retrim it with perforated sides, flat leather top and bottom and M stitching, oh, and make it twice as chunky as the original one came back in the 90's.