Surprise!
- Thread starter Tom M
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Wow, I've never seen leather do that before 
It may be tough to find a perfect color matched replacement piece of NBL to repair that. Perhaps you could replace that section on both driver and passenger sides with black leather to keep with the deviated look of the arm rest. That way, you wouldn't need an exact color match. Good luck.
It may be tough to find a perfect color matched replacement piece of NBL to repair that. Perhaps you could replace that section on both driver and passenger sides with black leather to keep with the deviated look of the arm rest. That way, you wouldn't need an exact color match. Good luck.
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Not fully sure what I'll do but the first step was research. It appears that it *may* be possible to rehydrate the leather and stretch it back out. Along those lines I've ordered some stuff from Car Care Online designed to do that after a discussion with the manufacturer. If it doesn't work I'm only out $20 or so compared to the initial estimate of $600-$800 to redo the door. In the interim I've got some Lexol on it to keep it from getting even more brittle and possibly cracking.
The two-tone look might not be a bad idea. Another option is to find a replacement door panel from a wreck and go with that. Though that pricing seems to be in the $500 range as well.
The two-tone look might not be a bad idea. Another option is to find a replacement door panel from a wreck and go with that. Though that pricing seems to be in the $500 range as well.
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Is this a common phenomenon? Can definitely learn from your experiences as to how to repair or even perhaps prevent it from happening. Good luck to you.
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I think you can have that recovered pretty easily and inexpensively. There are no French seams on that piece, so that means no undamaged but adjacent pieces would need to b e replaced either.
A half hide or OE leather is pretty cheap... something like $149 or less from a reputable upholsterer, and the install should be $100 or so, depending on how much work it is to get at that piece. You'd have plenty of leftover leather to do your door pocket covers yourself (make sure it's split leather) and other areas of the interior... could amount to a nice little upgrade disguised as a yucky problem.
Sucks, but if it makes you feel any better, I tore my left driver bolster, and that one's connected to all KINDS of other adjacent pieces via French seams, which means to get it to look right (as in not reuse the same stitching holes), I need to replace them all... $400 plus the leather to do the install. Ugh.
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I had my RR wheel bearing replaced at the dealer yesterday ($500) and had them check prices on fixing the door panel. If it was done the Porsche way it would be around $2295.00. Needless to say I'll continue investigating other options.
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WOW! That is overpriced. Tom out of curiosity how often did you use leather conditioner products on your Boxster's interior? Do you frequently leave it parked with the top down?
I have a Boxster Red interior too that I want to baby as well as I am able.
-J
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I would generally treat it every 6 months as I now park in a garage except when at work. When I was parking out in the open I tended to use Lexol every 3 months or so. I generally don't park with the top down and I tend to use a sun shade in the front during the summer months.
All in all I think my interior is in pretty good shape for a 9 year old car although it's about time for another thorough cleaning.
All in all I think my interior is in pretty good shape for a 9 year old car although it's about time for another thorough cleaning.