RagTop Cleaner, Filling in some cracks on the seat, and 303
 

Hello,

Few questions... i've been hearing a lot about this 303 stuff... is it good only on the dash or is it good for seats as well?

Any recommendations on rag top cleaners? have a few spots on the top... might be UV damage aka irreversible... but I would like to try...

Also, the driver side seat has some cracking on it... i hear leatherique is good.. but they want a 2x2 sample to match color... how can I do that?

Appreciate the recommendations!

303 works on leather but I'd use leatherique for that.

I would only use 303 on plastic.

For leather the best coated leather product I have used for the leather in the 986 (987 is not the same) is 1Z leather cleaner. You can get it at autogeek.net
Leatherique is more for old school Porsche leather that has not been coated for protection.
It will work but not as well as 1Z.

For the top use only Raggtopp Cleanser (and follow up once dry with Raggtopp Protectant). It's the company that supplies Porsche for their rebranded Tequipment detailing product. Also, use the cleanser with a boar's hair brush or an OXO feather tip brush and use that brush only for that purspose. Don't get car wash detergents into the brush, those soaps are dust magnets if not 100% rinsed out. Dust embedding into the canvas is what causes those stretch and wear marks.


As for the cracking, that can only be permanently fixed by replacing the leather cover. A dye job will not last since you're well sitting on it.

I've used 303 on boats for years. I just started using it in the boxster in the past year. I've always used raggtopp too. I just purchased 303 top / canvass protectant to give it a try on the top. It'll have to perform well to make me switch from raggtopp brand. For the leather I've tried lots of over the counter stuff with not very good results. Perfectlap's suggestion is worth a look.

Is it a good idea to clean/vacuum the top with a household vaccum that has a brush tip attached?

don't run the bristles or a hard plastic edge of a vac along the canvas. Only soft materials like a natural hair brush or a super soft synthetic strand should make contact with the canvas threads. It's very easy to scratch/cut it.

where can I buy a new leather cover for my car seat (driver side)?

"For leather the best coated leather product I have used for the leather in the 986 (987 is not the same) is 1Z leather cleaner. You can get it at autogeek.net
Leatherique is more for old school Porsche leather that has not been coated for protection.It will work but not as well as 1Z."

Intriguing Perfectlap: I used Leatherique once on my 986 (savanna seats), and the results were so so. How is 987 leather different? I didn't know 986 leather was "coated".

AFAIK all car leathers are coated... it's not the same as leather on your wallet or shoes for example.

technically they are all coated. But the coating I'm referring to is different enough that it might as well be a different type of leather. Take a look at the seats in an old Porsche, or Merecedes. They are totally cracked or like like an old baseball glove. Leather cleaners are soaked up and in straight away. New leather has a protective barrier layered on top which makes it difficult to penetrate. It eventually wears away which is when it starts to crack like an old Porsche leather seat. That's why you have to maintain the coated leather with a product intended for coated leather. The old school products are somewhat pointless because they aren't getting into the leather because of the barrier.

The 987 leather is a bit more vinly'ish in its softness and appearance but it will also last longer. You can see it right away when you park a 986/996 next to a 997/987. From what I could tell from seeing a 981S recently it seems like Porsche is going back to the leather type that was in the 986.

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I used ragg top when i got my boxster. It worked well. I currently have a 98 model year, 83,5000, Florida car lots of sun and rain. Always garaged at home and the office. After 9 months water stopped beading. I tried the 303 kit next. It is impressive. Nine months later it beads water like the day I applied it. As I have a black box it gets washed on a regular basis. I never use anything but water to clean it the top.The only time I brushed it was during the cleanings when applying protectant. I use my leaf blower to dry the car and a microfiber towel for the final droplets on the paintwork. After the top is dry, which doesn't take long here, I use a lint roller to remove anything left on the cloth top.http://986forum.com/forums/uploads01...1377162151.jpg
I have been using the Wolfgangs leather product. Pretty good results, but it does not seem to last long. It does give the interior a great smell though. That leather smell with a slight oil/gas/hot metal aroma and we are now talking about another part of what a sports car is all about.

From my experience I would recommend:

-Ragg Top for the convertible top

-303 for exterior rubber moldings around windows

-ColorPlus products for leather issues (:: Color Plus ::). I have used them with great success, they key is all in taking your time and be very thorough (use their cleaner, soffener then dye) with preparation.

thanks for the tip on color plus, some of their wall of fame photos look amazing!

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I use 303 on anything that gets exposed to the sun, including the dashboard, door panels, weatherstrips, the cowl between the windshield and the hood, the headlight washers, even the tires. My Raggtopp just ran out so I bought the 303 High Tech Fabric Guard which I will try next.