How To Repair Dash Color...?

[lenore]

Ok have a 2008 RX400h with what appears to be a black interior...I repaired a couple of holes in the trim piece just below and around the shift console...in the passenger side. However the repair is glossy and I was wondering what dye or top coating would bring everything back to the dull luster. I read that there is a two coat process, first the dye than the final coat. But what exactly is the color of this dash on the RX400h in 2008.? Also I am looking for tips on doing this fix.

[cduluk]

Ah! You should definitelty get some leather dye from magicmender. Believe it or not, leather "dye" is not really a "dye", but more simply a rubbery paint. The dye doesn't actually stain leather, it just adds a nice coating on the surface like a paint. Its just rubbery so it doesn't crack as the leather moves. Magic menders dye works on leather, vinyl, anything that's not too "slippery" like the leather material surrounding the interior door handles and door armrests. Notice how shiny and rubbery this material is? The magicmender dye won't stick there. However it sticks VERY well on the dash area and on the panels surrounding the shifter.

I've used the dyes from magic mender and I love it! I've actually used it on the entire upper dash and those vinyl areas on the glove compartment and areas you're describing around the shifter.

The EXACT color of the black in the RX is called gray-black (or something like that) on the magic mender site. When I get home ill check the bottle and ill update back here. It works very well! Id also get the "matte" clearcoat as this will give you the dull shade you're looking for.

Do you have an airbrush by any chance? One you can hook up to a compressor? It works very well for blending the dye, as brushing leaves lines and splotches.

Ill check on the color when I get home and get back to you :)

[cduluk]

OK, here's the website for the magic mender leather dyes:

http://www.leatherrepairkits.com/

1. At the left, scroll over "Repair Kit & Color Charts", scroll down to "Automotive Colors... K-M" and click "Lexus".

2. What you want to buy is the "Color Flex", not the complete kit (these extra items are useless).

3. Where it says, "Please select your color", scroll down to "#84 Charcoal Black". This is the interior leather/vinyl/dash color for 04-09 RX.

4. A quantity of 1 will cover at a miminum the ENTIRE dash and have a lot left over. You don't need to put this stuff on thick.

5. Once you have quantity 1, hit "back to shopping" to find the clearcoat. You will need the clearcoat as the color coat is a "bit" shiny. Plus the clearcoat adds a lot of durability.

6. At the next screen (the same page where you selected the color), scroll down a bit until you see "Other products you might be interested in", and click on "Clear Coat".

7. On the next page, scroll down and find the "Clear Coat" for $15.95 and where it says "Please Select", choose "Matte"- which is the dullest shade. Quantity 1 is again OK.

8. Then you're all done! Quantity for both the color coat and clear coat should be $40.90 and shipping will be around $10... It might sound like a lot, but you'll love the results, and it'll be nice to have touch-up available for little nicks and scratches! I always go around the entire interior with the bottle in one hand, and a toothpick in the other, touching up little areas; it makes a big difference!

There used to be a "coupon code" option on the site but they got rid of it apparently... It used to be BMW a few years ago, it was for 10% off. You can see how often i've bought dye from them, i memorized it! I used their dye for all of my leather projects; from my steering wheel modifications, to the redye of the entire dash in my Rx400h after my body shop messed it up with Armorall... The stuff is absolutely AMAZING for the upper dash. For items like leather seats, it's a bit "iffy" how well it'll hold up as friction does a number on it. But for areas like the upper dash and those vinyl areas surrounding the shifters and on the glove compartment, it works perfectly!

But like i said earlier, i'd recommend getting an airbrush that you can hook up to a compressor... Hand-brushing the dye or even "splotching" it with a cotton rag doesn't yield a nice and uniform result. Airbrushing allows you to "mist" the dye onto the surface so you get literally a pefect blend. I would never cover a dime sized area with the dye without blending at least 2" in every direction. It sounds like in your situation airbrushing would work best. All you'd need to do is lightly spray the "black" dye over the area, and follow it by a light coat of the "clearcoat" misting away from the area a little further. I promise it'll work!

Can you post a picture of what the area looks like now? I might be able to suggest the best way to continue if i can see what you're looking at now.

And i'll try to do some digging to see if i have any tutorials showing how to apply the dye... i think i have something showing how i applied it to a steering wheel!

OK, here's a link to a page where i detail the process using the color and clear coat dyes:

http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=57087

Don't worry; i've got you covered! No pun intended of course...

[lenore]

Thank you, yes i viewed your steering wheel tutorial....

If the repair and color are ok, would just spraying the clear coat be OK?

[cduluk]

Hmmm... it all depends on how good the color match is right now. What did you use to repair the area? Can you take a pic?

[lenore]

I used a vinyl repair kit designed for cars...The color was perfect, I mixed and matched.... The kit is made by Permatex....I used it previously on my Old RX300 and the repair was fantastic.....

[cduluk]

Well i think you'll be good then with just the clearcoat. ^_^ Do you know if the material you used is water or lacquer based? Is the surface rather "rubbery"- the type of surface you wouldn't trust Krylon to stick to?

My only concern with the clearcoat is the fact that it might not stick to "rubbery" surfaces (anything you'd expect Krylon paint to flake off from) like silicone, or the fake leather surrounding the interior door handles and covering the door armrests, etc. But if you're using an airbrush to apply the clearcoat, i think you'll be OK as you can heat the area with a blowdryer, and lightly "mist" the dye to avoid "fish-eyes" or beading up of the clearcoat. If the repaired area is a bit too "slippery", misting the clear will make it stick better.

And how big is the repaired area? Is there ANY way you can get a pic?

[lenore]

Well i think you'll be good then with just the clearcoat. ^_^ Do you know if the material you used is water or lacquer based? Is the surface rather "rubbery"- the type of surface you wouldn't trust Krylon to stick to?

My only concern with the clearcoat is the fact that it might not stick to "rubbery" surfaces (anything you'd expect Krylon paint to flake off from) like silicone, or the fake leather surrounding the interior door handles and covering the door armrests, etc. But if you're using an airbrush to apply the clearcoat, i think you'll be OK as you can heat the area with a blowdryer, and lightly "mist" the dye to avoid "fish-eyes" or beading up of the clearcoat. If the repaired area is a bit too "slippery", misting the clear will make it stick better.

And how big is the repaired area? Is there ANY way you can get a pic?

Prepared areas about 1 inch um it's some sort of material that you heat up with a soldering iron to put a textur backed into the repair e to match existing dash

[LanceRx350]

On 3/6/2012 at 2:40 PM, cduluk said:

OK, here's the website for the magic mender leather dyes:

http://www.leatherrepairkits.com/

1. At the left, scroll over "Repair Kit & Color Charts", scroll down to "Automotive Colors... K-M" and click "Lexus".

2. What you want to buy is the "Color Flex", not the complete kit (these extra items are useless).

3. Where it says, "Please select your color", scroll down to "#84 Charcoal Black". This is the interior leather/vinyl/dash color for 04-09 RX.

4. A quantity of 1 will cover at a miminum the ENTIRE dash and have a lot left over. You don't need to put this stuff on thick.

5. Once you have quantity 1, hit "back to shopping" to find the clearcoat. You will need the clearcoat as the color coat is a "bit" shiny. Plus the clearcoat adds a lot of durability.

6. At the next screen (the same page where you selected the color), scroll down a bit until you see "Other products you might be interested in", and click on "Clear Coat".

7. On the next page, scroll down and find the "Clear Coat" for $15.95 and where it says "Please Select", choose "Matte"- which is the dullest shade. Quantity 1 is again OK.

8. Then you're all done! Quantity for both the color coat and clear coat should be $40.90 and shipping will be around $10... It might sound like a lot, but you'll love the results, and it'll be nice to have touch-up available for little nicks and scratches! I always go around the entire interior with the bottle in one hand, and a toothpick in the other, touching up little areas; it makes a big difference!

There used to be a "coupon code" option on the site but they got rid of it apparently... It used to be BMW a few years ago, it was for 10% off. You can see how often i've bought dye from them, i memorized it! I used their dye for all of my leather projects; from my steering wheel modifications, to the redye of the entire dash in my Rx400h after my body shop messed it up with Armorall... The stuff is absolutely AMAZING for the upper dash. For items like leather seats, it's a bit "iffy" how well it'll hold up as friction does a number on it. But for areas like the upper dash and those vinyl areas surrounding the shifters and on the glove compartment, it works perfectly!

But like i said earlier, i'd recommend getting an airbrush that you can hook up to a compressor... Hand-brushing the dye or even "splotching" it with a cotton rag doesn't yield a nice and uniform result. Airbrushing allows you to "mist" the dye onto the surface so you get literally a pefect blend. I would never cover a dime sized area with the dye without blending at least 2" in every direction. It sounds like in your situation airbrushing would work best. All you'd need to do is lightly spray the "black" dye over the area, and follow it by a light coat of the "clearcoat" misting away from the area a little further. I promise it'll work!

Can you post a picture of what the area looks like now? I might be able to suggest the best way to continue if i can see what you're looking at now.

And i'll try to do some digging to see if i have any tutorials showing how to apply the dye... i think i have something showing how i applied it to a steering wheel!

OK, here's a link to a page where i detail the process using the color and clear coat dyes:

http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=57087

Don't worry; i've got you covered! No pun intended of course...

Cduluk: I hope you see this! Or anyone that has answers I guess feel free. 

I have a 2009 Lexus Rx 350, black on black, so in this case would my dashboard black also technically be "#84 Charcoal Black" from Magic Menders as well?? I called my local Lexus dealership gave them the last 8 of my vin (9C068877) and the only colors they told me that were listed were BLACK for my dash & "F-Sport Black (Birds Eye)" something like that. So do you think what you recommend is what will work for me too and technically match '09 Lexus Rx 350 black?

Secondly, what do you think the stock/factory/manufactor or original finish to the top dashboard most likely would match from Magic Menders clear coat? Is the matte you mentioned the best match to match the entire existing sorounding dash?? I saw Matte, low-luster, satin etc. You don't think it would be low-luster? I feel like you know a lot about this, and it's not about my personal preference, I just want it to match best whats already there. 

Thank you so much! I really hope to hear back from you. This is my first post here.