How to prevent leather seats from cracking?

I saw a picture of a 1997 5 series in ebay with leather seats in horrible condition. It's cracked with some tears. How to prevent this?

My guess is that driver weight, how rough the driver is, and sunlight contribute.

My guess is that one should sit in the seat gently, not carry sharp objects in one's pockets or sit on house keys. Leather conditioner might help. So is parking in a garage or sitting on a seat cushion.

Any ideas?

Sun is the worst enemy. My '01 330i has the cheap leather , not their nappa leather, which was not available, still look new because it is always in the garage when it is at home. I also try to park it in the shade whenever possible. The rear seats rarely got used, and my weight is much less than the standard couch potatoes american. I think I used leather treatment on the seats only once, but never on the driver seat because I don't like to sit on any type of oily conditioner.

Originally Posted by BMW220i

I saw a picture of a 1997 5 series in ebay with leather seats in horrible condition. It's cracked with some tears. How to prevent this?

My guess is that driver weight, how rough the driver is, and sunlight contribute.

My guess is that one should sit in the seat gently, not carry sharp objects in one's pockets or sit on house keys. Leather conditioner might help. So is parking in a garage or sitting on a seat cushion.

Any ideas?

The best bet is to keep them clean and conditioned. You do not have to worry about how you sit on it as long as it hasn't been allowed to dry out. Keeping them out of the sun is also important if possible.

I vacuum mine regularly with a horsehair brush attachment on my shop vac to keep the crap out of the seams then wash them with a cool damp washcloth.

I use Lexol every 6 months and they are as soft and supple as when new.

Definitely keep the car clean and conditionied. UV rays are the worst, especially if you have black leather.

Easiest way is to get the Leatherette - saves some cash as well.

Please do not use saddle soap or mink oil on your car leather. These products are not meant for the modern finishes on leather and will casue damage.

Leather care is straightforward and if done correctly will keep your leather in good condition for a long time

You need to use a good quality water based foam leather cleaner. With light coloured leather dye transfer from clothing can be a problem although using a good quality leather protector will help inhibit this. Black obviously does not show this problem.