E39 Leather Dye Restorer ---DIY

[imafiacar528]

Just want to share something instead of getting information from this site.My 1997 E39 grey leather is getting faded....the more I clean it the more its faded. Was quoted RM2800 to do a reuphostering.Didn't want to spend too much....kiam siap laa. After checking ebay....try to get things from Ebay Australia/Taiwan/UK instead of Ebay USA ....the shipping cost is too high even though Ebay USA have a lot choices. Bought a 500ml leather dye (STANDARDLEDER/GRAU (N6TT)) from scuff master...uk.....after giving them the official leather dye (check by keying your last 7 digit of your VIN in a lot of the website) Spend 3 hrs during CNY to do vacumming, cleanning with thinner..and finally put 2 to 3 coat of this dye on my seat.Lazy to remove the seat, just use a sponge and blot it on the worst area and go the whole front and back seat till the color is matching.The dye color match 100%...I cannot belief it ! Best DIY project I have done. Used about 300 ml of the 500 ml bottle.The result is amazing ! for now....will let you know in a few months later if it start to fade.Just to share this..should have taken the b4 and after picture ..but my hand was cover with dye laa....sorry.

 

[bmw7833]

This thread is useless without picture!

 

[Grand]

Yea, pic please.

 

[consoglieri]

Yup...pics please bro...

 

[BenedictC]

Does cleaning with thinner remove the original dye completely? What color do you get after cleaning?

Thinking if it's possible to redye with another color.

 

[imafiacar528]

Sorry, let me take some picture this weekend....

1st you'll vacume and wipe off all the dirt.
Then you use thinner to further clean it...if you didnt redye before, it will wipe off the existing dye only slightly...i think it only to take out the existing oil or whatever things we put on the leather before.
Then you wipe it with some soapy water to remove the thinner residule...
let it dry real well... then start redying.

It might look ugly and doesn't match but when it dry, it looks beautiful.

To decide the right dye...
1st thing is to know is has you car be redye before..
2nd ...Does your leather absorbe water or not... some dye is water base some are oil base...my E39 is water base.

I guess you can try to redye to another color...per what the manufacturer says but maybe should redye to a darker one in case it fade later and become ugly.
If you want to get rid of the wrinkles, then you buy the leather filler...I didn't do this as mine was not too bad.
Important, when you dye the wrinkles part , I tends to put more dye to cover it...but should not do this as when you sit on it later on it might streach the dye in the wrinkle too much and leave a "line" there. Also do 1 sq feet then continue as if you do the whole seat at once , the absorbant of dye can be different.

Anyhow, I have 200 ml left...if you guys are in Melaka and have same leather code as me N6TT, I can let you try some.
Just buy me some teh tarik.





http://www.liquidleather.com/auto colour bank.htm

 

[BenedictC]

Thanks for sharing IMafiacar. Very useful

 

[jarance]

i think thinner will damage the leather..

 

[imafiacar528]

View attachment 28913View attachment 28914View attachment 28915View attachment 28916

Some pictures

 

[consoglieri]

Wow...looks clean now bro. Well worth the effort.

 

[imafiacar528]

Yeah, it the best money spend on my E39 ...so far... didnt do some of the hidden place ..like behind the plastic trim etc. will do it next time if I ever remove the seat for other things. My only worry now is...how long will the dye last ? So far it didnt come off even if I rub it with a white "good morning" towel real hard...

 

[consoglieri]

Yup...turns out awesome. I guess it will last as per manufacturer's recommendation. If only i have the time to DIY...