Fabrion Leather Repair

Capricho · 09-26-2006, 4:57 PM

My leather driver seat was getting really worn from getting in and out all the time and so after years of abuse I decided to do something about it. New leather from Acura: $$$$ No thanks! Finding a decent seat from a wrecking yard? No luck. Finally, I decided to turn to a company called Fabrion, a national chain with local franchises. The local fellow in my area, Matt McKee came to look at the car and quoted $150.00 to redo the drivers seat plus a small area on the rear bench. I was pretty skeptical but decided that this wasn't a whole lot of money and if it turned out really bad then I could just get new upholstery installed. Well, Matt, it turns out, is a magician and the end result is simply amazing:

Before:

After:

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Lance97TL3.2 · 09-26-2006, 7:13 PM

Holy cr*p! That came out looking damn good! I'm going to have to give my local guy a call---my leather isn't near as bad as yours was. Damn that's nice.

96teeluxury · 09-26-2006, 7:43 PM

amazing, thank you very much.
i'm getting the same tearing on my driver side looks like it's time to call fabrion lol

Capricho · 09-26-2006, 7:58 PM

I am still very impressed by how fast he repaired this (about an hour) and how accurate a color match he did. Matt also fixed a couple of areas on the steering wheel that had worn. I didn't even notice that he'd fixed the steering wheel until after I had posted this. Again, the color match on the steering wheel just like the seats is SPOT ON and EXACT. Even the sheen is correct. Not too glossy and not too flat. He eyeballs the colors and doesn't use a spectrograph analyzer. Amazing.

TLBaller · 09-26-2006, 9:51 PM

okay uh...how can i get a guy who works for fabrion to come to texas? lol

Capricho · 09-26-2006, 10:43 PM

To locate a local Fabrion franchisee, go to:

http://www.fabrion.net/index.php?id=awards

and then click on where it says 'Locate Franchises'

There's a couple of fellows in the lone star state.

kjkogi · 09-27-2006, 1:25 AM

just curious. I wanted to redo my whole interior but it seems we have a solution here. Does it look like the original work? And does it look like it will last long?

Dudewithoutapet · 09-27-2006, 1:34 AM

Damn nice. The longevity question is good but I think until it rips again on Capricho's TL, we can't really say for sure how long it will last.

Capricho · 09-27-2006, 1:38 AM

I cannot tell the difference between the repair and brand new leather. It is that good. I asked Matt how long it will last and his response was that it ought to last as long as if it were an upholstered leather panel.

Basically the repair procedure is as follows:

1. Clean surface
2. Intall sub-patches at deep holes
3. Apply a special leather putty to fill cracks and crevices
4. Sand surface to smooth things out
5. Clean again
6. Spray with mixed leather dye using an airbrush.

I figure in another few years I can always get the seats 'renewed' in the same way if they start to get worn again.

In the mean time I've decided to get some custom taylored sheepskins to place on the front seats to better protect the leather and to provide a higher level of comfort.

kjkogi · 09-27-2006, 1:39 AM

how much did it cost?

**Ken1997TL** · 09-27-2006, 1:43 AM

Thats a great fix! And far cheaper than getting all new leather seating surfaces like I did..

kjkogi · 09-27-2006, 1:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kjkogi

how much did it cost?

ma bad. Should have seen the big$150

VoLLy · 09-27-2006, 8:15 PM

Damn nice fix, looks really good!

daredevil0610 · 09-27-2006, 8:55 PM

how long its gonna take to fix it?

Dudewithoutapet · 09-28-2006, 1:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daredevil0610

how long its gonna take to fix it?

Read the fourth post, about an hour

daredevil0610 · 09-28-2006, 8:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dudewithoutapet

Read the fourth post, about an hour

K MAN SORRY.

Capricho · 09-28-2006, 11:29 PM

Update:

I decided to protect my front seats by getting top quality custom taylored sheepskins. Yeah, I know-this is what your grandpa does, but hey, I'm 46 and almost a grandpa so don't laugh.

For those who haven't sat in really dense pile sheepskins, there's nothing like them. It definately feels luxurious, plush, and they are SO COMFORTABLE. The thickness of the pelts also makes the driving position a bit higher, which I also like.

I do a lot of long distance driving and so this is, for me, a real treat.

Capricho

ps-everyone so far who has seen my seats repaired by Fabrion are simply BLOWN AWAY. Thanks Matt McKee!!

erichb1 · 12-06-2006, 9:18 AM

Capricho:

Where did you get the sheepskins? Is it an online outfit?

Thanks,
Erich

Capricho · 12-06-2006, 9:28 PM

I got the sheepskins here locally, in Santa Cruz at a place called Sheepskin Outlet. Got custom fitted ones that are very comfortable.

http://www.sheepskinoutlet.net/

erichb1 · 12-07-2006, 5:53 AM

I called the Fabrion people. They were very very nice and helped me tract down a local rep. Unfortunately, if you are one of the Acura's where Acura went cheap on the leather 1999-2000, then the vinyl strips that will eventually wear out and crack cannot be repaired by these great people. The only do leather repair.

I called a guy that the local Fabrion rep suggested did good work, but he wants 350+ to replace the leather of just the seat area (ie the bottom piece you sit on) in leather and 250 to replace it in vinyl.

Wow, that is a lot of cash for a piece of leather or even vinyl.

Anyone have any other suggestions? I really would like to replace it with and old leather from an Acura seat from a totaled car or something. Surely there is a source for this kind of thing. Anyone know of any.

Thanks for all the help.

Erich

PS Looking for black leather for driver side seat bottom for 2000 3.2 TL

desired_speeds · 12-08-2006, 10:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by erichb1

I called the Fabrion people. They were very very nice and helped me tract down a local rep. Unfortunately, if you are one of the Acura's where Acura went cheap on the leather 1999-2000, then the vinyl strips that will eventually wear out and crack cannot be repaired by these great people. The only do leather repair.

I called a guy that the local Fabrion rep suggested did good work, but he wants 350+ to replace the leather of just the seat area (ie the bottom piece you sit on) in leather and 250 to replace it in vinyl.

Wow, that is a lot of cash for a piece of leather or even vinyl.

Anyone have any other suggestions? I really would like to replace it with and old leather from an Acura seat from a totaled car or something. Surely there is a source for this kind of thing. Anyone know of any.

Thanks for all the help.

Erich

PS Looking for black leather for driver side seat bottom for 2000 3.2 TL

or you can just buy a leather kit from Katzkin.com for $700-$800 and install it it yourself on the entire car. Brand new leather all around.

Hitlayers · 12-28-2006, 12:22 PM

This is exactly what I've been looking for, looks great, why such a big price difference from Capricho's job opposed to desired_speeds, obviously one seat could have worse then the other but also what year is your car Capricho? Since it's stated below by Desire, that the 99-2000 TL seats are not made that well.

Capricho · 12-31-2006, 12:37 PM

Mine is a First Generation TL, 1997.

09-26-2006, 7:13 PM	#2
Lance97TL3.2 Registered User Trader Rating: (0) Join Date: Aug 2006 Age: 50 Posts: 3	Holy cr*p! That came out looking damn good! I'm going to have to give my local guy a call---my leather isn't near as bad as yours was. Damn that's nice.

09-26-2006, 7:43 PM	#3
96teeluxury Tri State ViP Crew Trader Rating: (0) Join Date: Sep 2006 Age: 20 Posts: 298	amazing, thank you very much. i'm getting the same tearing on my driver side looks like it's time to call fabrion lol

09-26-2006, 7:58 PM	#4
Capricho Registered User Trader Rating: (0) Join Date: Nov 2005 Age: 49 Posts: 165	I am still very impressed by how fast he repaired this (about an hour) and how accurate a color match he did. Matt also fixed a couple of areas on the steering wheel that had worn. I didn't even notice that he'd fixed the steering wheel until after I had posted this. Again, the color match on the steering wheel just like the seats is SPOT ON and EXACT. Even the sheen is correct. Not too glossy and not too flat. He eyeballs the colors and doesn't use a spectrograph analyzer. Amazing.

09-26-2006, 9:51 PM	#5
TLBaller Registered User Trader Rating: (0) Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Houston Posts: 4,589	okay uh...how can i get a guy who works for fabrion to come to texas? lol

09-26-2006, 10:43 PM	#6
Capricho Registered User Trader Rating: (0) Join Date: Nov 2005 Age: 49 Posts: 165	To locate a local Fabrion franchisee, go to: http://www.fabrion.net/index.php?id=awards and then click on where it says 'Locate Franchises' There's a couple of fellows in the lone star state.

09-27-2006, 1:25 AM	#7
kjkogi Registered User Trader Rating: (0) Join Date: Sep 2006 Age: 22 Posts: 17	just curious. I wanted to redo my whole interior but it seems we have a solution here. Does it look like the original work? And does it look like it will last long?

09-27-2006, 1:34 AM	#8
Dudewithoutapet RIP 97 3.2TL Trader Rating: (0) Join Date: Sep 2006 Age: 23 Posts: 91	Damn nice. The longevity question is good but I think until it rips again on Capricho's TL, we can't really say for sure how long it will last.

09-27-2006, 1:38 AM	#9
Capricho Registered User Trader Rating: (0) Join Date: Nov 2005 Age: 49 Posts: 165	I cannot tell the difference between the repair and brand new leather. It is that good. I asked Matt how long it will last and his response was that it ought to last as long as if it were an upholstered leather panel. Basically the repair procedure is as follows: 1. Clean surface 2. Intall sub-patches at deep holes 3. Apply a special leather putty to fill cracks and crevices 4. Sand surface to smooth things out 5. Clean again 6. Spray with mixed leather dye using an airbrush. I figure in another few years I can always get the seats 'renewed' in the same way if they start to get worn again. In the mean time I've decided to get some custom taylored sheepskins to place on the front seats to better protect the leather and to provide a higher level of comfort.

09-27-2006, 1:39 AM	#10
kjkogi Registered User Trader Rating: (0) Join Date: Sep 2006 Age: 22 Posts: 17	how much did it cost?

09-27-2006, 1:43 AM	#11
Ken1997TL Mega Moderator 2002 Acura RL Trader Rating: (0) Join Date: May 2003 Location: Everywhere and nowhere Posts: 29,939	Thats a great fix! And far cheaper than getting all new leather seating surfaces like I did..

09-27-2006, 8:15 PM	#13
VoLLy Off The Heezay 2002 Acura TL Trader Rating: (2) Join Date: May 2005 Location: Canada, Ontario, GTA Posts: 4,772	Damn nice fix, looks really good!

09-27-2006, 8:55 PM	#14
daredevil0610 ACUREVER!!!! Trader Rating: (0) Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Los Angeles, CA. Posts: 76	how long its gonna take to fix it?

09-28-2006, 11:29 PM	#17
Capricho Registered User Trader Rating: (0) Join Date: Nov 2005 Age: 49 Posts: 165	Update: I decided to protect my front seats by getting top quality custom taylored sheepskins. Yeah, I know-this is what your grandpa does, but hey, I'm 46 and almost a grandpa so don't laugh. For those who haven't sat in really dense pile sheepskins, there's nothing like them. It definately feels luxurious, plush, and they are SO COMFORTABLE. The thickness of the pelts also makes the driving position a bit higher, which I also like. I do a lot of long distance driving and so this is, for me, a real treat. Capricho ps-everyone so far who has seen my seats repaired by Fabrion are simply BLOWN AWAY. Thanks Matt McKee!!

12-06-2006, 9:18 AM	#18
erichb1 Registered User Trader Rating: (0) Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Voorhees, NJ Age: 49 Posts: 14	Capricho: Where did you get the sheepskins? Is it an online outfit? Thanks, Erich

12-06-2006, 9:28 PM	#19
Capricho Registered User Trader Rating: (0) Join Date: Nov 2005 Age: 49 Posts: 165	I got the sheepskins here locally, in Santa Cruz at a place called Sheepskin Outlet. Got custom fitted ones that are very comfortable. http://www.sheepskinoutlet.net/

12-07-2006, 5:53 AM	#20
erichb1 Registered User Trader Rating: (0) Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Voorhees, NJ Age: 49 Posts: 14	I called the Fabrion people. They were very very nice and helped me tract down a local rep. Unfortunately, if you are one of the Acura's where Acura went cheap on the leather 1999-2000, then the vinyl strips that will eventually wear out and crack cannot be repaired by these great people. The only do leather repair. I called a guy that the local Fabrion rep suggested did good work, but he wants 350+ to replace the leather of just the seat area (ie the bottom piece you sit on) in leather and 250 to replace it in vinyl. Wow, that is a lot of cash for a piece of leather or even vinyl. Anyone have any other suggestions? I really would like to replace it with and old leather from an Acura seat from a totaled car or something. Surely there is a source for this kind of thing. Anyone know of any. Thanks for all the help. Erich PS Looking for black leather for driver side seat bottom for 2000 3.2 TL

12-28-2006, 12:22 PM	#22
Hitlayers Hi"TL"ayers Trader Rating: (0) Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Valley Stream, NY Age: 32 Posts: 334	This is exactly what I've been looking for, looks great, why such a big price difference from Capricho's job opposed to desired_speeds, obviously one seat could have worse then the other but also what year is your car Capricho? Since it's stated below by Desire, that the 99-2000 TL seats are not made that well.

12-31-2006, 12:37 PM	#23
Capricho Registered User Trader Rating: (0) Join Date: Nov 2005 Age: 49 Posts: 165	Mine is a First Generation TL, 1997.