TypeSpilot

I have searched without luck....I am trying to find more information regarding the differences in the interior shades of red between the 00-03, 04-05, 06-07, model years.

Why do I ask?

I own a GPW 2000 s2000 with red/black interior and would like to replace my interior door panels with red/black AP2 panels.

I like the small pocket in the bottom of the door panel for small items, I like the aesthetic integration of the tweeter speaker grille, and finally, a tiny* bit of more shoulder room added by the revised panel shape.

The early model AP1 door panel red was considered " R145L new pure red".

04-05 door panel red was labeled "NH167* Red2"

06-07 door panel red is "R153L Vivid red"

I compared a red/black 04-05 door panel I purchased from eBay to my 00 and there is a noticeable difference in the reds. The 04-05 has more of a orange-red shade compared to my 2000 model year.

Would a 06-07 vivid red door panel be a closer match?

Also, there is a significant price change between the two different AP2 door panels for some reason.

The latter being more expensive for some reason. I am not sure if this is due to the materials being used?

I do not know if the 06-07 uses a more premium leather?

The AP2 plastic molding of the door panel should be the same....

I wish I had access to a 06-07 Vivid Red to compare all three shades of red. Anybody have any input on this?

I will add a photo comparing my two different panels (00-03 vs 04-05) soon.

Thanks!

Jae2K

Interested in the photo comparison. I have an 07 with red and black interior and I'm actually looking at re-doing my seats soon. Personally been up and down the lower half of the state comparing materials with my own eyes, trying to find the closest match. Back to your question, I think the reds between 04-05 will be more comparable to 06-09. 00-03 red seems like a very bright red versus the later years, being a deeper, almost maroonish red imo.

TypeSpilot

04-05 AP2 Red door panel compared to 00-03 AP1 New Pure Red seat


I will be able to take more photos outside tomorrow. I just finished using Leatherique on the interior leather pieces. There is a noticeable difference in the two reds when the pieces are side by side. The perforated section of the door panel is a close match to the red seat. The non-perforated section of the door panel does not match as well
I would like to compare the 06-07 Vivid Red now.

TypeSpilot

04-05 AP2 Red door panel compared to 00-02 AP1 New Pure Red seat

The LED lighting in my garage will probably be a lot different when comparing the two shades of red in natural light.

LagunaPearlAP2

Just in the comment that those seats look amazing

TypeSpilot

My 00 AP1 seats after using Leatherique products this June 2018
Thanks! The seats were in pretty good shape when I purchased the car. In fact the seats were a good indicator for me as to how well the car was cared for. I took it a step further and used the leatherique rejuvenator oil and pristine clean products this spring to bring them back to a new like look and feel.

I have the original door panels apart and using leatherique on the door cards right now. I should have a comparison shot of the two different door panels soon.

IA-SteveB

If the bolster has lost some red coloring, is it possible to dye it with leatherique products to make it look a little better? I realize it won't be as smooth looking and I am thinking it would actually look darker anyway since it is raw, rougher leather soaking up the red dye.

On my driver's side I have some light areas that I want to fix up.

RolanTHUNDER

Thanks for this post! I too have the exact same car as you but did not know about the subtle differences in red shades throughout the years they were offered. Ours has that distinct deep red colour I simply love. The orange-ish red on the AP2 is an apt description now that I think about it. Hoping to examine one closely. IMHO you should leave the panels original. That side pocket may be tempting I know but hey, we have the original for crying out loud
then again if you really want the extra amenities as long as you can get a 100 percent colour match then go for it.

RolanTHUNDER

Did your driver seat have discoloration on the bolster where the most wear occurs? Can you tell me more about Leatherique products (price, quality, etc)? I currently use Meguiars Gold class leather cleaner and conditioner on my seats and door pads. Works well

TypeSpilot

No discoloration, just wear on the left lower side of the driver seat bolster. There are small creases/cracks in the leather from wear and lack of regular conditioning. I just used the rejuvenator oil and the pristine clean. I was very satisfied with the performance of the two products. Leatherique USA requires a leather sample to make a color-match dye. (They do sell some standard manufacturer colors) If I decide to add a little dye to the blemishes, it will be a project for late fall or next spring.

I used Meguiars for years. The Meguiars products never softened the leather, just coated them. I never found the Meguiars to be a good product for deep cleaning either.

Prices are found at most detail supply websites. It will cost more than the common Meguiars products. It also requires an investment of couple days or more depending on the condition of the leather. Application process is found on a very detailed youTube video by a local Ohio company called Esoteric Detail . Leatherique has been around for many years and is a quality product unlike most quick detail products.