Just curious. If that's the case, I shouldn't be using Lexol but 303 Aerospace instead.

Most are.

Most Acura's are split leather {lower grades of bottom hide} covered w a spray top coat that wears off. Wife had a 2nd gen TL (been there).
Split leather will also crease. If water beeds up its plastic coated !!
To my knowedge only newer upgraded Tech and Advance MDX and RL have better Full Grain Leather.
Many Auto makes and models have done coating like this for years.
You wont find Top Hide unless you buy a $ 200 K like car
but some are now using Full Hide if you pay more for it.
Full Hide is a second grade to Top Hide and much better than Split Hide w coatings.
I wish the TL was better and more like the Full Hide in my MDX Advance.

Leather used in Automobiles

Automobile manufacturers have blurred the distinguishing lines on what exactly leather is. Premium leather is the top split of the hide. There are many so-called ‘leathers’ that are actually the bottom split (the fibrous part of the hide). In accordance with US government standards theses should be labeled as 'split leather', although they are being sold by many automobile manufacturers as ‘premium leather’. Some of these ‘split leathers’ are covered with a vinyl or urethane coating. The coating looks good when new but will wear off and the split hide under creases.

Leather is the most delicate and difficult to maintain of any vehicle surface. It ages and wears faster than surrounding materials which can depreciate the vehicle's re-sale value. Before using a leather care product, a detailer needs to know the material they are working on, and whether the product chosen is compatible with the material and will not damage it. Diagnosis is the key, not guess work. Before deciding on what products to use, you need to ascertain what type of leather finish you have and whether the pigmented leather has a polyurethane covering, or is uncoated, finished natural leather. This is critical, as the cleaning / maintenance varies for each type (although all types require a water-based product to maintain hydration - a suede type leather like Nubuck is the exception).

Automotive leather care is a subject surrounded with misinformation and myth. Products such as leather (Saddle) soaps, oil-based Conditioners, Neats-foot oil, and Hide Food still prevail as top sellers, albeit most are made for equestrian tack. These are very different leathers with drastically differing care requirements. The exact reason for this type of misapplication is unclear. It’s possible that there is an association with old world quality (i.e. European automobiles with leatherupholstery and real burl wood interiors) with these types of products, despite the fact that the automotive industry has been using water-based polyurethane covered pigmented leather for many years and expensive leather care products do more harm than good on these materials.

Note : Leather care products are for Leather and not your cheap plastic coated seats. These products cause damage and warm water is better.
Get Smart !!
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So you are suggesting we don't use any leather conditioner and use water? What do you use?

^ i use only water on my leather, and so far it has been keeping the leather looking good after 90k miles

I didn't read you whole post....too long for me.

Leather is either top / full grain or split. For split leather to be shiny it must be treated. We call this type of leather ACTION LEATHER in the clothing industry.



Action leather typically becomes dull after a few months of use. Like how a new purse is shiny, but then becomes dull after a few months of use. I'm not sure, but don't think that Acura would use action leather, unless they have a special treatment which keeps it well protected. Only a lab or a leather expert would be able to ascertain such facts, as those on this forum probably lack the technical know how of how leather is. Most ppl just smell the leather and that method doesn't work.

I would prefer acura and many other car manufactures to promote materials which are better than leather. There are many materials which have better properties for seats.

I used to sell STi seats and can affirm that they are the bomb!

Can you expand on this?

Are you saying that some 4cyl tech package TSX's may have a better quality leather? Or are you saying the nicer leather only applies to some MDXs and RLs?

This leather situation really has me bummed out. I can't find a decent used 2nd gen TSX with nice leather, so I'm looking new, but fear even with new my leather will be in bad shape within a couple of years. I'll go with a late build tech if that's what it takes to get more durable, better quality leather.

So what should we use to treat it?

When leather is not it's natural color, it will be easier to see the stress lines and creasing due to the tannery process.

Curious about this answer.

I've seen someone say they've used only water to clean the seats and they are still in great shape.

I've seen someone say they've used Lexol to clean the seats and they aren't in good shape.

Is the conclusion that Lexol or other similar cleaners aren't necessary?

Note : Leather care products are for Leather and not your cheap plastic coated seats. These products cause damage and warm water is better.
Get Smart !!

Good question. I have used both mothers and lexol. I have never owned a car long enough to have the leather go really bad on me. The leather in my 06 TL had creases and my wife's 04 pacifica has creases as well, but neither one have split. I treat it twice a year. I have heard the issue is the leather drying out which will cause it to crack and that's why you want to use some quality product to treat it. Just water sounds counterintuitive to me. A few years ago I bought a Mazda and had aftermarket leather put in. The guy that did that job told me to use just Mothers and nothing else and to treat the seats twice a year. He said to avoid using water except to clean up spills, etc.

I have an 09 with the same colors that you do, I will let you know how mine is holding up.

Thanks for the link, but I'm not seeing anywhere in that thread where it mentions the possibility of some TSX models having a different grade of leather. Unless I'm just missing it.

I could care less about the RL / MDX, but if a certain TSX trim level has better seats I'll buy that model instead. In looking through the OEM parts sites I can't find differing parts numbers for the seat covers vs. various trim levels...

so long story short, i should not use lexol, but 303 Aerospace?