Got a 02 Suzuka Blue "S" last July. Bought Lexol to condition the leather. I've heard a lot of different discussion about what is leather in the car. Does anyone know what surfaces are leather? Thanks.
Lester

 

Lester,

Leather:

Seats: just the part you sit on, the perforated part
Perforated door insets
Steering wheel
Shift knob (MY 02)
Perforated center arm-rest

Not Leather:

Center console on MY 02
Shift boot
E-brake handle
Door handles
Dash
Everything else

-V.

 

lexol wont hurt anything if you put it on the wrong places! i also use lexol on leather- and use vinylex on plastic.

 

Thanks Vince. I was just out conditioning the interior and have to agree with your assessment. On the seats: Its only the perforated section that is leather? I've been told the perforated center arm rest is leather before, but I've always found that hard to believe. I can't wait to drive it again!

 

Only the perforated part of the seat is leather, that is correct.

As for the center arm rest, there was a thread last summer concerning the definitve answer for interior leather. Someone posted that he took the S to his father, who was a leather expert, and he confirmed that it is leather, because vinyl does not perforate like leather.

Truthfully, I don't know of anyone who has actually torn up their arm rest to actually confirm it, but I do believe it is leather. I actually leave my arm rest alone, because if I put conditioner or anything else on it, it gets all over my shirt sleeve, arm, etc.

 

The leather expert father-guy was me. My father is a shoemaker...no joke...and knows more about leather than just about anyone outside a tannery. I had him inspect the interior and tell me what's leather and what isn't.

The entire seat surface is leather. In fact, the only part of the seat that is NOT leather is the flat panel on the very back where the map pocket is.

Other than that, the entire list you posted is correct, Vince.

 

Me, too. I thought for sure it was vinyl. My father said it's not possible to perforate vinyl because it's too "stringy." I'm still skeptical, and I'll have him inspect it more closely the next time I see him.

 

quick question - mostly on topic...

just as a start, i did the Zaino path for leather treatment along with the rest of the Zaino package.

but with the top down lately and all our Louisiana warmish wet weather, i tend to accumulate a nasty yellowish pollen layer in the car within seconds of dropping the top. i usually just use a brush attachment and vac up everything to get rid of it, but every once in a while, i'd like to do something a bit more in depth. if i use the leather cleaner, should i completely recondition each time or can i do that less often?

 

i got the Lexol cleaner/conditioner(small orange bottle) and it works excellent. highly recommended from me.

 

Hey Station...you said your father knows more than anyone outside the tannery...So what about us who are inside the tannery, haha, just kidding.

I do believe your father is correct, the center does look to be leather, it feels like leather and when you put your arm on it, you don't sweat like you would against vinyl.

FYI - I am with The Leather Institute, member Townsend Leather Group, and Townsend produces all the leather accessories for the S2000 that you can buy from Rick's. In addition if anyone wants a completely custom design leather, we can do that too. Pm me for more info.