[in_d_haus]

Being the Griots guy I am I decided to try their Leather care product. I have previously been using BMWs own product for leather.

Quick thoughts:

1) This stuff is thick! Not like honey but much thicker than the BMW product.

2) Different smell. The BMW product will keep your BMW smelling like the day you bought it. The Griot product smells like leather but more like a baseball mitt or bomber jacket instead of the BMW smell.

3) More work to put on (due to #1)

4) Sticky on the hands. Unlike the BMW product which is like hand creme.

What does this mean? I dunno so far.

The Griots product is thicker and needs to be worked into the leather (this may be a good thing) It goes on looking wet but as you work it in the leather turns to shiny.

The leather looks a darker black after the application. I'll have to take some pictures but it's amazing, you can really tell where you have applied this product -vs- where you have not.

It struck me odd that when I got some on my hands it was sticky to the touch versus slick like the BMW product. The seats do not feel sticky at all.

Do to the need to be worked in it took me about 1/3 longer to do the car with this product than the wipe on, wipe off BMW product.

The smell is different. The smell of the car new had a leather smell all of its own. The BMW product has kept that smell going.
The Griot product smells like tanned leather, baseball gloves, bomber jackets etc... Not a bad smell, it is a leather smell, but not the BMW smell. The BMW smell is almost sweet in comparison.

The Griots product recommends using their "Interior Cleaner" to clean the interior prior to the application of the Leather Care product. The BMW product is a cleaner/conditioner in one.

The proof will be in the long term. I'll see how it wears and report back.

 

[JuanCarlos]

I've used several leather conditioners over the years, and although I'm not a real fan of much of Griot's products, I find his leather conditioner the best. I just bought this BMW (my first used car in ages, and first bimmer), so I haven't tried the BMW stuff, but most watery products are not worth a dime IMO.
It takes several applications to saturate the leather the way it should be, and from that point on, a sporadic application will keep it that way. Ah, and leather wear will be minimal when it's in that state!
The smell after it's absorbed is great IMO, like real leather. I like the smell better than the several new lexuses I've had, but I can't opine on new BMW smell at this time. Most people say lexus leather is better than BMWs, but I like the BMW better (it's tougher, thicker, and over firmer seats). Unfortunately my brother never conditioned the leather, and at 18K miles has wear on the side bolsters on both the seat and back rest, but it got 95% better after I saturated it with 5 applications.
I greatly recommend this product, but buy the big 8-oz bottle to make it a better value. And yes, this product IS cleaner and conditioner too, but if you have a big stain, you need some kind of cleaner first. Be advised that you DON'T need to apply cleaner before the conditioner if you don't have stains; that stuff dries the leather and removes the protective film that conditioner leaves. I always try to remove stains with the conditioner before using cleaner, and so far, I've NEVER had to use cleaner, so don't waste your money buying it, unless you let your kids eat hamburgers in your car.
Hope this helps. You can e-mail me if you need any more info.

[email protected]

 

[Nat Brown]

Griots

Has anyone compared this to Lexol cleaner and conditioner?

--gary