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Leather Care with Connolly Hide Food
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cdodkin
Joined: 18 Aug 2008
Location: Ex Pat Brit in California
Posts: 329
 
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| Leather Care with Connolly Hide Food |
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Looking after the leather in the LR3/D3 is obviously key, as it's expensive, effects the interior look and feel, and the ultimate resale value of the vehicle.
The #1 traditional UK products for your leather care are made by Connolly - these guys have been doing hide care for over 100 years, so probably know a thing or two. 
Easy to find at LR dealers, or often more cheaply at horse saddle/tac stores like this:
http://www.saddler.co.uk/shop.html?cr=1487...or_leather
Eight quid gets you a jar of cream (not unlike a fancy face cream for SWMBO) 
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You might also want to consider the Connolly leather cleaner if your seats are well used, this cleans out all of the crud from the grain, before you move-on to the mositurising effects of the hide cream. Critical for long leather life.
http://www.saddler.co.uk/shop.html?cr=1487...er_cleaner
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The first problem you'll face, is that the cream tends to separate in the jar, leaving you something that looks like clotted cream that's gone off! 
No problem - loosen the lid a little, and pop in the microwave for 30 secs on high - re-tighten the lid, and shake well.
You'll end up with a warm liquid that looks like a nice alfredo sauce or brandy sauce - creamy and smooth, and ready to apply.
Next - put your Land Rover in full sun - and close all the doors and windows - we want the seats to get warm/hot as this aids the absorption of the cream.
Take a soft cloth, and apply the warm hide cream evenly all over the leather parts of the seats - it'll look like cr@p as it goes on, but don't worry! 
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If you get any on the plastic, or seat belts, or carpet, just wipe off with a soft cloth, no problems.
DON'T APPLY TO THE SUEDE-LIKE LEATHER - IT WILL PROBABLY STAIN!
When you have a good even coat over the seats - close the door and walk away for an hour - letting the sun do it's thing.
Have a beer, relax 
Go back to the LR after an hour in the sun, and you'll see the cream had really soaked in like this:
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Take a new clean soft cloth, and buff the remaining cream until you have a nice, even, natural leather finish on the seats. Keep turning over the cloth so you get a new fresh side to buff with.
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Re-seal the car, then go back with the cloth after another hour, just in case any more 'melted' cream is sitting on the leather surface. Don't worry about the cream in the seat perforations - it will vanish by itself overnight.
If you find the temperature drops on you, and you have hide cream going cold on the seats - get SWMBO's hair drier - set to medium, and gently warm the leather/cream before buffing - works the same as natural sunlight - just don't over-heat your leather by leaving it on one spot!
End result - your leather has been fed with lots of lanolin, and is now more supple, better protected, and likely to last a lot longer without splitting or cracking.
Repeat every 6 months or so to keep everything in great shape. 08 LR3 SE - 02 D2 SE7
Porsche 911 (03 996) - Porsche Boxster (99 986)
03 MINI Cooper S - gone but not forgotten!
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 Mon Sep 22 2008 12:33am |
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Slimer
Site Moderator
Joined: 06 Jan 2005
Location: Nanny State
Posts: 12444
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| Re: Leather Care with Connolly Hide Food |
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All very useful but this bit cdodkin wrote:.....put your Land Rover in full sun....
means you only get on day a year to do it in the UK and using a hair dryer will really get the neighbours talking     
Xenons, Bumpers & other D3 parts for sale
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| Mon Sep 22 2008 8:01am |
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Ken
Joined: 20 Feb 2006
Location: Here & There
Posts: 5039
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Was thinking that
If its a heat thing leave it on tick over on full heat  .. / -.. --- -. - / --. .. ...- . / .- / ... - ..- ..-. ..-.
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| Mon Sep 22 2008 8:06am |
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Gareth
Site Moderator
Joined: 07 Dec 2004
Location: Bob the Builders 'ere
Posts: 10356
 
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Hmm, thats just how my seats looked after the swmbo and kids were sat on them after a day on the beach, plastered in sun cream and sand. Took a while to clean off. I might give this treatment a go when the sun comes out again........
That'll be about 21st June next year then  Silver TDV6 HSE
Pepper White Cooper S Convertible
Old English White MGB GT
Ex Military 109 Series 2a Soft Top
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| Mon Sep 22 2008 9:04am |
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stapldm
Joined: 11 Sep 2006
Location: Utterly Browned Off
Posts: 969
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Nice write-up, thanks Give a man a fire and he's warm for the day. But set fire to him and he's warm for the rest of his life.
Terry Pratchett, Discworld
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| Mon Sep 22 2008 10:37am |
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cdodkin
Joined: 18 Aug 2008
Location: Ex Pat Brit in California
Posts: 329
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These vehicles have heaters?  08 LR3 SE - 02 D2 SE7
Porsche 911 (03 996) - Porsche Boxster (99 986)
03 MINI Cooper S - gone but not forgotten!
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| Mon Sep 22 2008 3:23pm |
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xtc
Joined: 27 Mar 2007
Location: Hampshire
Posts: 407
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Just ordered the bits.. Hope your on commision! Thanks for the prompt to get on and do this  A Silver G4... Best of both worlds...
Roll on Mongolia!
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| Fri Sep 26 2008 9:13pm |
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Oldbean
Joined: 20 Mar 2006
Location: Hertfordshire
Posts: 5
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We had a sunny day today so this afternoon I followed the instructions and cleaned and polished the seats. They look good. Thanks for the advice, But how much of the seats are real Leather? I polished the fronts but are the headrests leather or plastic? Got lost going home to OZ
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| Fri Sep 26 2008 9:23pm |
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cdodkin
Joined: 18 Aug 2008
Location: Ex Pat Brit in California
Posts: 329
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xtc wrote:Just ordered the bits.. Hope your on commision! Thanks for the prompt to get on and do this
Huge cheque on the way from Connolly as I type
I wish
Best of luck when they arrive - I think you'll be happy with the results. 08 LR3 SE - 02 D2 SE7
Porsche 911 (03 996) - Porsche Boxster (99 986)
03 MINI Cooper S - gone but not forgotten!
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| Sat Sep 27 2008 2:32am |
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cdodkin
Joined: 18 Aug 2008
Location: Ex Pat Brit in California
Posts: 329
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Oldbean wrote: We had a sunny day today so this afternoon I followed the instructions and cleaned and polished the seats. They look good. Thanks for the advice, But how much of the seats are real Leather? I polished the fronts but are the headrests leather or plastic?
I did the headrests on mine - seemed like leather to me 08 LR3 SE - 02 D2 SE7
Porsche 911 (03 996) - Porsche Boxster (99 986)
03 MINI Cooper S - gone but not forgotten!
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| Sat Sep 27 2008 2:33am |
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