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Thread: for SE-i owners

  1. #1


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    for SE-i owners

    Time to condition the leather! You should do it at least once a year, and it only takes maybe a half hour. Particularly important if you have to park the car in the sun, which will make those little headrests in the back seat crack like old asphalt.



  2. #2
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    Re: for SE-i owners

    There are LX-i's with leather, too.

  3. #3

    carotman's Avatar
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    Re: for SE-i owners

    Quote Originally Posted by Charlie View Post
    There are LX-i's with leather, too.
    Not from the factory.

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  4. #4

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    Re: for SE-i owners

    It was an option for LX-i's. Too bad most of our leather is SHOT.
    '89 SE-i Coupe
    Awaiting Garage
    Quote Originally Posted by AccordEpicenter View Post
    its better to be retarded than advanced

  5. #5

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    Re: for SE-i owners

    Quote Originally Posted by w261w261 View Post
    Time to condition the leather! You should do it at least once a year, and it only takes maybe a half hour. Particularly important if you have to park the car in the sun, which will make those little headrests in the back seat crack like old asphalt.
    Come on dude, no how-to? No pointers on what to use, how to keep your leather tip top, fix tears, etc.? Tsk, tsk.

    FWIW, the Zymol leather conditioner at Target is awesome. I use it every six months on my leather. Keeps it soft and supple. Their leather cleaner is a little harsh used full strength. I avoid Lexol as it never seems to do much of anything for leather. I get in the next morning and can't tell I've done anything other than get my hands dirty.
    Dr_Snooz

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  6. #6
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    Re: for SE-i owners

    Quote Originally Posted by 2drSE-i View Post
    It was an option for LX-i's. Too bad most of our leather is SHOT.
    it was also an option for the lx

    1988 Honda Accord LX-i Coupe 123k miles.

  7. #7


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    Re: for SE-i owners

    Quote Originally Posted by 2drSE-i View Post
    It was an option for LX-i's.
    Can someone confirm this? News to me. Anyone have a Honda brochure for the LX-i? Anyone have factory leather? It would seem to me that the doors then would be leather too. I'm doubtful.

  8. #8
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    Re: for SE-i owners

    Quote Originally Posted by carotman View Post
    Not from the factory.
    Yes, they were.

    Quote Originally Posted by w261w261 View Post
    Can someone confirm this? News to me. Anyone have a Honda brochure for the LX-i? Anyone have factory leather? It would seem to me that the doors then would be leather too. I'm doubtful.
    I have a brochure for all '89 Hondas, but I don't remember if it shows leather as one of the options. I think you would have to see the one specifically for the Accord to see the Accord-specific options. My sister's LX-i had factory leather, and I have pictures. She had a black-on-tan leather LX-i coupe. Yes, the door and rear inserts are also leather.

    I also have the original window sticker and options list for my Accord, and I'll see if it says leather as an option or not (although I don't think Accords with the red interior had leather as an option).

  9. #9


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    Re: for SE-i owners

    << I have a brochure for all '89 Hondas, but I don't remember if it shows leather as one of the options. I think you would have to see the one specifically for the Accord to see the Accord-specific options. My sister's LX-i had factory leather, and I have pictures. She had a black-on-tan leather LX-i coupe. Yes, the door and rear inserts are also leather. >>

    That has got to be a rare bird for sure! I bet no one on this site has one, or we've had heard about it by now.

  10. #10


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    Re: for SE-i owners

    Quote Originally Posted by Dr_Snooz View Post
    Come on dude, no how-to? No pointers on what to use, how to keep your leather tip top, fix tears, etc.? Tsk, tsk.

    FWIW, the Zymol leather conditioner at Target is awesome. I use it every six months on my leather. Keeps it soft and supple. Their leather cleaner is a little harsh used full strength. I avoid Lexol as it never seems to do much of anything for leather. I get in the next morning and can't tell I've done anything other than get my hands dirty.
    Unless you're starting with hides that are filthy and need to be brought back, I don't think you even need to use a cleaner...maybe after heavy use. I just wipe mine off with a damp cloth, then let the car sit in the sun and bake up really nice. My theory is this opens up the pores in the hides so the conditioner will get absorbed well.

    I was very fortunate in that my car (bought from orig owner in '01 at 86k) had been garage-kept it's whole life. I had to replace 4 or 5 panels in the driver's seat ($500, that's why most ratty leather interiors stay that way), but everything else was fine. The passenger seat is discolored in a few places, but you can buy or have formulated a color for that....I just haven't gotten around to it.

    BTW, there was stuff going around a few years ago that Armor-All and the other treatments actually promoted the decline of vinyl. Was that ever substantiated?
    Last edited by w261w261; 07-20-2009 at 07:43 AM.

  11. #11

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    Re: for SE-i owners

    Almost on topic, any tips for bringing back a worn leather steering wheel to it's former glory?

  12. #12

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    Re: for SE-i owners

    Quote Originally Posted by w261w261 View Post
    BTW, there was stuff going around a few years ago that Armor-All and the other treatments actually promoted the decline of vinyl. Was that ever substantiated?
    Its because armor all and other cleaners have silicon in them, which supposedly is very bad for car interiors. Not sure if its true or not, but i've bought into the hype.
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    Quote Originally Posted by AccordEpicenter View Post
    its better to be retarded than advanced

  13. #13


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    Re: for SE-i owners

    Quote Originally Posted by Naf's Asdf View Post
    Almost on topic, any tips for bringing back a worn leather steering wheel to it's former glory?
    What's the matter with it?

  14. #14

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    Re: for SE-i owners

    I'm 100% positive that the LX-is with leather were just cars that got re-upholstered by the local dealer. It wasn't an option available from Honda directly.

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  15. #15

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    Re: for SE-i owners

    Quote Originally Posted by w261w261 View Post
    What's the matter with it?
    20 years worth of wear and tear and hand sweat, figured maybe someone would know of any good ways to make it look a bit fresher. I wouldn't know where to start without damaging it more.

    Would like to get it reupholstered, buy that doesn't really fit into my budget at the moment.

  16. #16
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    Re: for SE-i owners

    Quote Originally Posted by carotman View Post
    I'm 100% positive that the LX-is with leather were just cars that got re-upholstered by the local dealer. It wasn't an option available from Honda directly.
    Seriously? I don't understand why someone would want to bother putting leather in one of these cars (post-purchase), but I'm still sure they had the option (pre-purchase). It doesn't say that in the full-line brochure for '89, but it might for the one for the Accord.

    Maybe the person who had my sister's LX-i before her took the seats and inserts out of an SE-i, which is why they don't look reupholstered.

  17. #17

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    Re: for SE-i owners

    Well, I bought a complete brand new seat cloth fabric for my car like 2 years ago. It had came from a reupholstered car back in 1989 and had been kept in a bag ever since.

    The dealer would offer the option, just like sunroofs on coupes. Came as an "option" from the dealer but it was an aftermarket unit.

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  18. #18
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    Re: for SE-i owners

    Quote Originally Posted by carotman View Post
    The dealer would offer the option, just like sunroofs on coupes. Came as an "option" from the dealer but it was an aftermarket unit.
    Well, that definitely explains it. Sorry for questioning your wisdom! :|

    (Coupes didn't come stock with sunroofs? That's why they are always crappy and leak...)

    Edit: I just texted my sister and she said that the original owner said the leather was 'stock'.

  19. #19


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    Re: for SE-i owners

    Til I see a Honda options list, I'm voting for the dealer-installed leather. And when the dealers did it, the leather was usually uber-cheap, as they figured that customers would say "leather is leather," and wouldn't know the difference. It's hard to say who has the lower opinion of the other, dealers of customers, or vice versa. It's part of what is wrong with automotive retailing. At least the Honda dealers aren't out and out scumbags, like the Toyota cretins.

  20. #20

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    Re: for SE-i owners

    Quote Originally Posted by w261w261 View Post
    Til I see a Honda options list, I'm voting for the dealer-installed leather. And when the dealers did it, the leather was usually uber-cheap, as they figured that customers would say "leather is leather," and wouldn't know the difference.
    I did see an LX-i in the yard with leather (LX-i badge, rear drums and no cupholders). The door panels had leather inserts too. Obviously, I can't say whether it was factory or dealer or swap or what, but it did have leather.

    Quote Originally Posted by 2drSE-i View Post
    Its because armor all and other cleaners have silicon in them, which supposedly is very bad for car interiors. Not sure if its true or not, but i've bought into the hype.
    I avoid Armor All and most every other vinyl conditioner. They all seem to make my stuff dry out and crack. I do use Zymol Vinyl because it uses all natural ingredients like avocado oil, collagen and pixie dust and stuff.

    Quote Originally Posted by Naf's Asdf View Post
    Almost on topic, any tips for bringing back a worn leather steering wheel to it's former glory?
    Try wet-sanding it.

    Quote Originally Posted by w261w261 View Post
    Unless you're starting with hides that are filthy and need to be brought back, I don't think you even need to use a cleaner...maybe after heavy use.
    My leather is fairly light and always seems to look better when I clean it first. I might just be imagining it though.
    Dr_Snooz

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  21. #21
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    Re: for SE-i owners

    also to save the interior....you can tint your windows.

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  22. #22
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    Re: for SE-i owners

    x2...or a window shield like when you tan lOL


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  23. #23
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    Re: for SE-i owners

    Lately I've been seeing a lot of LX-i's with leather in the junkyard. They are always coupes.
    Originally Posted by Justanothermike
    my A20 is not SLOW. ur A20 is slow.

  24. #24
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    Re: for SE-i owners

    Quote Originally Posted by Strugglebucket View Post
    Lately I've been seeing a lot of LX-i's with leather in the junkyard. They are always coupes.
    yeah i saw this one car that looked like it had the se-i tan interior on a coupe that was a lx-i

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