Dying Seats, Restoring Surface, Making Due

[jimmycakes401]

I have some pretty nasty seats. I'm not dropping $650 on car covers yet. Has anyone tried dying their seats or spraying them? How do I know if I have vinyl seats or leather? Here is a video of a Duplicolor product that lets you spray paint vinyl seats. Was wondering if anyone used it with success.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuiTj-VTvHo

[jimmycakes401]

Can I find out some of this info with my VIN?

[124ADDHE]

$270 for front seat from world upholstery, I will post my pictures soon enough, the kit looks great, lots of colours and fits great! Not cheap vinyl.

[jimmycakes401]

Is that per seat?

[Fiat88]

I also used world upholstery. If you're gonna dye them I would use SEM vinyl dye, it works great!http://www.worlduph.com/fiat1.htm

[124JOE]

Is that per seat?

i think thats for the whole kit

[boogiedude]

Your seats are vinyl. Definitely not leather. You say that the seats are "nasty", are they cracking/splitting? You can determine the pliability of the vinyl by scratching it with your fingernails gently. If your nails slide smoothly over without much friction, the vinyl is sun baked and theres nothing you can do. If your nails kind of hang up on the surface you might be okay.

Dying seats is definitely do able and with out much effort. The SEM sprays work amazingly, but theres no point in spraying them to save a few bucks if the material is trash. Vinyl does have a life span and if your seats are original theres a good chance your covers are done. And judging from the fact that you are claiming the seats have the "lean" going on, it sounds like it would be best to take the covers off and fix the frame, then get new covers.

[jimmycakes401]

The foam is fine. They have been left out under a tarp for years and have some mold. My rear trim panels have leather on them. Did they often use leather on the trim panels and then use vinyl on the seats? My main problem with my seats is mold.

[jimmycakes401]

I also can not afford a new seat kit right now. That's why I'm looking for options to restore.

[124JOE]

i was told to use SADLE SOAP on my lether seats
if at all saveable try 50/50 bleach /water then let dry in between washings for the mold

[jimmycakes401]

I just checked one of my seats where it was pealing up, but back of my seats is vinyl. Could the part where you sit still be leather? It really looks like leather. I will investigate more. I had though saddle soap. But first I have to determine the material.

[jimmycakes401]

Okay! I have determined that the headrests, sides and back are all vinyl. The butt and back portion of the seat are all leather. that's the part that is most stained and cracked. I think I can bring it back. Will look into saddle soap first and move on from there. The vinyl part is almost perfect still with subtle staining.

[124JOE]

i had my seats reapolstered they put the lether on the face and trimed it with vinyl

[jimmycakes401]

Yep. That's what going on with mine. I'm looking into Maquiars APC to clean all the leather parts really well. The vinyl is in good shape.

[jimmycakes401]

Here. Take a peek. I know there are ways to get this to look relatively decent. I'm not looking for perfection at the moment. I just want to drive it.