pps

Does anyone know *exactly* what is vinyl and which ones are leather in the car?

Trying to figure out where to apply leather condition vs vinyl cleaner/etc....

thanks, pps

dtchung

Hm... I've been wondering about this myself. I always thought that back of front two seats were vinyl and the rest were leather.

What would happen to the vinyl if you apply leather cleaner/conditioner? It won't damage it, will it? It's been a while since I used any kind of leather care stuff. TIA.

Chuck

Only the parts of the seat where your body touches. The top most surface. The sides and back are vinyl. If you look closely, the grain pattern is different on the vinyl.
Just use 303 or ? on the vinyl parts.
I don't know if Leather cleaner/cond. would damage it, but why try?

pps

What about the back seats?

What about the arm rests?

What about the performated stuff on the side of the doors?

Steering wheel?

on a 6sp the stick handle, and stick case?

thanks, pps

EVS Motors Inc.

From my comparison with a MDX, leatherette is on the doors, the back seats, the part where your butt and back touches. The parts that are leather are the seat bolsters, steering wheel and shift knob.

GreatWhiteNorth

From Honda Canada (sourced from http://www.canadianautoreview.com/2004_acura_tl.htm):

Other than the obvious like seats, steering wheel and shift knob, the following apparently uses leather:
* Front centre armrest
* Centre Console
* Rear armrest

Seats are leather-'trimmed', so I would imagine anything not touching your body is leatherette.

HTH

zexi

side arm rest , door trim ????

GreatWhiteNorth

Marketing types won't miss an opportunity to say something is leather. In other words, if it isn't explicitly stated as being real leather, it ain't.

EVS Motors Inc.

Your right! I guess Leather can be short of Leatherette.

Modeler

My understanding is that there's not a piece of vinyl in this car. It's all real leather.

huskerfan

Don't remember where I read it, but seating surfaces, door panels, steering wheel, and shift knob are leather. Everything else is vinyl. Seating surfaces is where your body touches. Sides and back of seats are vinyl.

TheNip73

My dealer informed everything in the car was leather, except the rear of the seat. Whether or not this is the case, I cannot say. However, I can't tell the difference so i don't care, personally.

chas083

It is actually pretty obvious by just touching the areas. Leather feels smooth and the vinyl feels slightly tacky. Front seat cushion sides inboard are vinyl, ouitboard are leather. Center of rear seat is vinyl. Most of the front headrests are leather while the rear ones are vinyl. I'm not sure abought the perforated door panel areas.

chas083

It is actually pretty obvious by just touching the areas. Leather feels smooth and the vinyl feels slightly tacky. Front seat cushion sides inboard are vinyl, ouitboard are leather. Center of rear seat is vinyl. Most of the front headrests are leather while the rear ones are vinyl. I'm not sure abought the perforated door panel areas.

huskerfan

Acura web site says Leather trimmed seats and door panels and steering wheel and shifter. I always been told that Leather trimmed seats means only the seating surfaces and not the backs and the sides.

pps

I called up Acura care and got the following answer...somewhat convoluded:

- seating surfaces and top side of bolster
- steering wheel, shift knob
- door panelling

BUT door armrest is leatherette


back seats --- don't know

Not convinced I yet got the right answer!

Modeler

The word "trimmed" has absolutelly no bearing on the issue. "Trimmed" means "wrapped" in this case.

huskerfan

I beg to differ. Manufacturers started using the words "Leather Trim" when they stopped using leather for all the surfaces. Years ago most cars that advertised leather interiors used to be all leather. Very few cars today don't have vinyl on at least the seatbacks, armrests, and other interior trim. Back in the early 90's when I bought my wife a Maxima we debated about getting the factory leather ($1200). When we checked with a customizing shop, the first thing they said was they could do it all in leather for the same price instead of getting leather seating surfaces and the rest in vinyl from the manufacturer.

As I said earlier, if you go to the Acura web site and take the TL tour, when you choose seating it will tell you leather seating surfaces.