# What can I do about this? (restoring Recaros)



## nub (May 4, 2011)

http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/3741/dsc02115sk.jpg
http://img546.imageshack.us/img546/1200/dsc02120xj.jpg

ok pics above are very high res and massive!

These are the seats in question, in a Premier civic type R (EP3), worn mainly on the part where I get into the car, its clear in the first pics 










I think they are beyond the point of any protection or that stuff to make it appear better so I think it needs reupholstering or whatever its called? Would it be possible to restore it in the exact same material etc? Or what are my options and costs involved?

cheers in advance!


----------



## rtjc (Apr 19, 2009)

Same seats as the Accord Type R, just a pitty they are different colour. When i had my ATR i used a cheap bic razor to shave away the excess bobbles or whatever you want to call them and then gently cleaned with either Meguiars APC or Chemical Guys Fabric Clean, the latter working very well in the material. Can't quite tell how badly yours are worn but a good clean and perhaps a dye could help matters.

My old ones after a clean, they were quite dirty and not mint but came up well 



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Edit: Just seen the pics at the top (oops). They all go like that i'm afraid, but using small brushes and cleaning gently with help revive it a little, wipe dry with MF cloths to stay on the gentle side. You don't wanna know what Honda charge for Recaro spares lol.


----------



## nub (May 4, 2011)

the last pic isnt my car, but the first 2 pics are very high res of my actual seats. do you know anything about possibly reupholstering them or whatever?


----------



## rtjc (Apr 19, 2009)

Not sure if Honda list the covers themselves, but you can browse the EPC at http://www.hondaoriginalparts.com/ to check. The seperate parts of the seats are available through Honda, and i'm sure Recaro advise to indeed go that route when it comes to model specific parts and upholstery. All others can be had by Recaro dealers etc.

Here is the EPC page for the Anniversary EP3, brace yourself:

http://www.hondaoriginalparts.com/h...ock_01=17S5S01&block_02=B__4007&block_03=9618


----------



## Shiny (Apr 23, 2007)

Same as my ATR. I did mine with a craft knife. It improves it, but it will come back over time 

Before



















After...


----------



## nub (May 4, 2011)

rtjc said:


> Not sure if Honda list the covers themselves, but you can browse the EPC at http://www.hondaoriginalparts.com/ to check. The seperate parts of the seats are available through Honda, and i'm sure Recaro advise to indeed go that route when it comes to model specific parts and upholstery. All others can be had by Recaro dealers etc.
> 
> Here is the EPC page for the Anniversary EP3, brace yourself:
> 
> http://www.hondaoriginalparts.com/h...ock_01=17S5S01&block_02=B__4007&block_03=9618


Haha thanks but I've seen a couple of the covers for sale and I already knew they were something like a grand from Honda  But I dont need the whole thing really, just the material for the worn edge


----------



## nub (May 4, 2011)

yeah cutting it would help but it would further expose the wear which if you magnify my pics, is already losing its colour and going white. black marker pen maybe?


----------



## rtjc (Apr 19, 2009)

You and every other Recaro seat owner wants them as mint as possible, i did too 

Shiny, that's pretty much what my before and afters looked like. Have you tried wiping them over with a clean mf cloth sprayed with some cleaner of your choice? I found that doing that, against the direction of the alcantara helped keep them fresh and stopped them from becoming so worn down & flat looking.


----------



## Shiny (Apr 23, 2007)

Just shave off the loose fluffy bits and see how it looks. Nothing to lose really, just take it steady so you don't chop off any of the good bits.


----------



## Alan H (Jun 28, 2009)

I'm sure a good re-upholsterer would be able to repair the damaged portion, and probably much cheaper than Honda / Recaro ask for with their spares.


----------



## rtjc (Apr 19, 2009)

nub said:


> yeah cutting it would help but it would further expose the wear which if you magnify my pics, is already losing its colour and going white. black marker pen maybe?


Lol no because it's really not black, it's charcoal grey kinda colour. You could dye the area though. Not as easy to do as it is with leather but i'm sure you could manage to improve it. A smart repairer might have some ideas if you don't want to do it yourself.


----------



## Serapth (Jul 4, 2011)

The seats on my civic where bobbled really badly when i got it, get yourself a remington fuzzaway, less than a fiver and you can get the seats pretty much perfect in 10 minutes.

Fuzz Off Lint Remover Fluff Removing Machine: Amazon.co.uk: Kitchen & Home: Fuzz Off


----------



## nub (May 4, 2011)

ok so im considering doing this, where would I get the proper dye from after ive got rid of the 'fuzz' ?


----------

