Go Back   986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners > Porsche Boxster & Cayman Forums > Boxster General Discussions

Post Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 12-23-2011, 10:13 AM   #1
Registered User
 
Bobiam's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Unionville, CT
Posts: 442
Leather dashboard care

My 2001 dashboard leather is bubbled all across the front edge and looks like hell. I managed to purchase an entire dashboard of the correct color in great shape and will be replacing mine within a few weeks.
I have no idea what caused the bubbling as the car has almost always been garaged (98% of the time since I've had it for 5 yrs anyway).

What do you guys use to protect your leather that cares for the material and provides UV protection???? I certainly don't want to go through this replacement again.......

Bob

__________________
2001 Boxster, GT3 console delete, lower stress bar, RoW M030 suspension package, painted bumperettes.
Bobiam is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-23-2011, 12:35 PM   #2
Registered User
 
Auf los!'s Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Wilton, CT
Posts: 195
Hot, hot, hot!

UV causes fading, bubbling sounds to me like the previous owner parked it in the sun a lot and allowed the interior to become an oven.

I have used various leather products over the years, I would say my two favorites would be the one-step Meguiar's Gold Class stuff, or the two-step Zymol cleaner/conditioner and straight conditioner. I am not a fan of the Lexol products.

The best way to prevent bubbling from happening again is to avoid the high interior temps in the summer, though. Garaging the car is perfect, of course, but at work I park in the shadow of a building when possible, and I use a cockpit cover--one that fits with the top UP, not just down. (You will find plenty of "cockpit covers" that fit with the top down only, but wind will blow lots of dust and grit into your car.) I leave the windows cracked an inch or so underneath the cover. The cover also prevents bird poop from getting on the fabric top.

Searching the web, you can find a couple that work with the top up. I first tried the one made out of Tyvek, but that still allowed the interior to get hot enough to kill my climate control display. I wanted something that blocked even more heat, so last summer I switched to the Reflectionite product, which is metalized on top and has car cover material on the underside. Much better heat blocking, and my only complaint is with the bulk of it folded up and stored in the trunk. No affiliation, etc.

RoadsterSolutions makes a cover which has padded extensions to combat door dings, if you are worried about that, too.
Auf los! is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-26-2011, 08:42 AM   #3
Registered User
 
Bobiam's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Unionville, CT
Posts: 442
Thanks....I'm checking out your suggestions. I'll commit to at least a custom cover inside the windshield and leaving the windows "cracked". I've never treated leather. Maybe it's time to do so.
__________________
2001 Boxster, GT3 console delete, lower stress bar, RoW M030 suspension package, painted bumperettes.
Bobiam is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-26-2011, 09:27 AM   #4
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Toronto
Posts: 2,656
You've never treated leather? Jesus...

Get some Leatherique cleaner and conditioner stat.

Home Page | Leatherique Restoration Products
ekam is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-26-2011, 09:48 AM   #5
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Houston, Texas
Posts: 7,243
The other reason for bubbling or rippling right where the dash meets the base of the windshield is moisture build up from the defroster vents.

I've always wanted a leather dash but frankly, it seems there's no way to keep a Porsche leather dash in good condition if you actually use the car vs. leaving it in a garage.
RandallNeighbour is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-26-2011, 11:24 AM   #6
Registered User
 
landrovered's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Madison, Georgia
Posts: 1,012
Garage
My wife's 98 has a vinyl dash and looks brand new, my 01 has the leather dash and looks like hell from shrinkage. Leathers dashes are a universally bad idea. I would trade for a base model vinyl dash in a heartbeat.
__________________
2001 Boxster S 3.6L, Zeintop
"Calling upon my years of experience, I froze at the controls." - Stirling Moss
landrovered is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-26-2011, 11:59 AM   #7
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Hot Springs Village, Arkansas
Posts: 245
I've kind of wondered whether my dash is leather or vinyl. I know most of the interior is leather but the dash looks too perfect so I assumed it was vinyl. The very top of the seats at the headrests look like vinyl too. I'm happy if it is vinyl because I think it will last longer than leather on a dash.
Dale_K is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-26-2011, 12:17 PM   #8
Registered User
 
landrovered's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Madison, Georgia
Posts: 1,012
Garage
The dash I am talking about looks nothing like leather, it is sort of a small honeycomb pattern of cells and it is not smooth to the touch. It is plastic and obviously so.
__________________
2001 Boxster S 3.6L, Zeintop
"Calling upon my years of experience, I froze at the controls." - Stirling Moss
landrovered is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-26-2011, 03:01 PM   #9
Registered User
 
jaykay's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: toronto
Posts: 2,668
I always take the time to put up a sun shade for the windscreen so far my red leather is looking good

__________________
986 00S
jaykay is offline   Reply With Quote
Post Reply


Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On




All times are GMT -8. The time now is 12:36 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Content Relevant URLs by vBSEO 3.6.0
Copyright 2024 Pelican Parts, LLC - Posts may be archived for display on the Pelican Parts Website -    DMCA Registered Agent Contact Page