MB leather vat-dyed or spray dyed?

[suginami]

I bought some leather conditioner and leather rejuvenator from Griotsgarage.com.

The people at Griot's Garange told me on the phone that the leather rejuvenator cannot be used on leather that is spray dyed. They state that most American / Japanese leather is spray dyed and that most European leather is vat-dyed, a superior method. I told them that I had my drivers seat professionally redyed. They suggested that I use their Leather Care product for this seat.

However, the instructions on the bottle of this Leather Care say that it won't alter factory dyed leather, but will alter after-market dyed leather.

This left me feeling uneasy, so I used the Leather Care product on the whole car, except the drivers seat. For this seat, I used Zaino's leather care which they sent for free with my first order (they forgot to ship my order in December..)

Does anyone have any recommendations with this product?

Does anyone know for sure if MB leather is vat-dyed?

Does anyone recommend a different leather care product?

All I can say is this - I've used a half dozen leather care products, including Meguiar's, and with one application last night, nothing has made my leather as soft and as good smelling as this Leather Care product.

[Jim T]

The best way to tell if leather is vat dyed or spray dyed is to look at the back side or a cross section, if it is vat dyed the color will be the same on the back as the front. A cross section will show the color going thru it or at least penetrate fairly well into it. Spray dyed leather will just have the color on the surface and not on the back. Some leathers are both, I believe most Mercedes are vat dyed ,at least the ones I have seen.

[Mr. BILL]

All automotive leather has a top coat of pigment (paint/dye) sprayed on its surface. Vat dyed leathers are submerged in large drums that look alot like cement mixers. They are tumbled and during that process, the color will generally absorb through the hide. Then, the hide is placed on a conveyer belt and the surface is sprayed with another "coat" of color. This process creates what is known as a "semi-aniline" leather.

The top coat that's sprayed on, evens out the color and adds protection from the sun, wear ect. that a car seat has to endure. Most leather interiors made in the last 5-7 years have been vat or drum dyed then painted.

Bill

[400E]

I used to use Griot's leather care and liked it, until using it on my steering wheel. It took the finish right off the leather, and since then I've had to re-dye the leather every year, and it still doesn't look like "the good old days."

Never had a problem on the seats, though.