Experience with dirt for sand leather interior - I have a dog & I drink coffee!

[MEB]

Here's my dilemma: I really want the Deep Crystal blue exterior GT cx5, but the sand / white interior really causes me pause. This is my first car w/leather. I'm not a slob but I'm not a neat freak either. I will use this car for its utility, not just a people carrier. I have an active 70LB black dog, who swims and hikes with me. No kids anymore. Is the interior impossible to keep clean over the years?

Thanks!!

 

[Chris_Top_Her]

Lol. Yea white interior is a bad choice for you.

 

[davesxx01]

CQuarts leather protector! Have it in mine and works!

 

[limleong]

Here's my dilemma: I really want the Deep Crystal blue exterior GT cx5, but the sand / white interior really causes me pause. This is my first car w/leather. I'm not a slob but I'm not a neat freak either. I will use this car for its utility, not just a people carrier. I have an active 70LB black dog, who swims and hikes with me. No kids anymore. Is the interior impossible to keep clean over the years?

Thanks!!

Also beware of blue jeans staining the white leather. Just had that happen :-(

 

[JSB33]

I would avoid the lighter interior. We mistakenly went with that for my wifes last car and battled keeping the interior clean for the past 6 years. I am a nut about maintaining a car and when I say it was a struggle, I am not exaggerating.

Like you, I really wanted the blue but I could not go for that interior color, it would have bothered me throughout its entire time with me.

 

[MEB]

Lol. Yea white interior is a bad choice for you.

 

[Dee0121]

Here's my dilemma: I really want the Deep Crystal blue exterior GT cx5, but the sand / white interior really causes me pause. This is my first car w/leather. I'm not a slob but I'm not a neat freak either. I will use this car for its utility, not just a people carrier. I have an active 70LB black dog, who swims and hikes with me. No kids anymore. Is the interior impossible to keep clean over the years?

Thanks!!

I have the Deep Crystal Blue and the gorgeous parchment interior! But I have no kids at home anymore, and I currently do not have a dog - although I have toted one around in it on occasion (son's 50 lb Golden Retriever). The use of a sling-type backseat cover made for dogs is used though and keeps her off the seats. Limleong is correct about the jeans staining (bang) but regular use of leather-cleaning wipes has kept it barely noticeable. I was skeptical before I bought mine too (I can be a little OCD about stuff) but so far I am happy with it. Maybe a liner for the trunk area and training the big guy to stay back there could be an option? Because that Deep Crystal Blue color is damn fine! (wow)(wow)(wow)

 

[jaggrey]

I got the light interior with my Mazda 6 Touring and after 2.5 years and about 50k I haven't really had any issues. But now we have a 10 month old so we'll see how it stands up over the next few years!

With that said while shopping for a CX-5 for my wife we saw a 2014 GT with about 36k and that black leather did not hold up well. Cracked and everything. My light one looks a whole lot better, but I think my Touring has leatherette instead of leather.

 

[hek8560]

well, I have the deep blue and sand cloth interior, I buy seat cover for it so so far no problem with it. I know lots car with white interior without seat cover will ends very dirty, don't but white interior because it gets dirty so soon, and if you got the leather trim I guess it will be easier to clean than my cloth seats.

 

[davesxx01]

Also beware of blue jeans staining the white leather. Just had that happen :-(

CQuartz works for that too!

http://www.cquartz.com/product/cquartz-leather-vinyl/

Got mine from autogeek!

 

[DaniPhiSig]

I have the Deep Crystal Blue and the gorgeous parchment interior! But I have no kids at home anymore, and I currently do not have a dog - although I have toted one around in it on occasion (son's 50 lb Golden Retriever). The use of a sling-type backseat cover made for dogs is used though and keeps her off the seats. Limleong is correct about the jeans staining (bang) but regular use of leather-cleaning wipes has kept it barely noticeable. I was skeptical before I bought mine too (I can be a little OCD about stuff) but so far I am happy with it. Maybe a liner for the trunk area and training the big guy to stay back there could be an option? Because that Deep Crystal Blue color is damn fine! (wow)(wow)(wow)

I also use a seat cover for the dog in the backseat, and I have the parchment interior. 70 pound shepherd/greyhound mix that sheds like crazy and loves to run in dirt, and the cover works really well. Haven't had the jeans staining issue, but it's good to hear how it's handled.

 

[Lbear]

The advantages of the white/parchment leather interior is for those living in high altitude/desert southwest climates. The seats don't absorb the solar gain heat and don't get as hot as black leather does. Black leather parked outside during spring - fall would make the interior temperatures skyrocket. The white/parchment keeps things A LOT cooler. It's the same thing like white "cool" roofs vs black roofs. The temps of the latter are sometimes double that of white cool roofs.

As far dogs go. I believe dogs should be inside a crate when in a car. It's for the dogs safety. Plain and simple. In an accident the dog will go flying around the interior, maybe smash its face on the dash or go through the front window of the vehicle. It happens more often than people realize. I believe the dog should be placed into a crate and in the hatch area. Not only is it safer for the dog but it keep your interior looking clean.

 

[Scythe024]

**** light interiors. I am strongly against them and try to warn people. I don't believe the hype of these protectants helping keep them clean. My dad bought a GMC Colorado with a beige leather seats. They sold him on some cleaner that will help protect the seats and keep them looking good. Well he is a mechanic and the things were magnets to dirt. The dealer wouldn't do s*** when he complained about it and had to end up putting seat covers. My brother just bought a Audi A4, think 2014 or 2015. Same thing, the idoit didn't listen to me and got some light colored seats, think they were whitish with promises of them staying clean because of some coating they applied on it for a extra charge. Wasn't long before I found a dirt smudge on his seats than bluish spots from jeans. Just don't put yourself in the situation to have to worry about it with light interiors unless you go to work in mainly buisness suits and always being super clean.

 

[Lbear]

**** light interiors. I am strongly against them and try to warn people. I don't believe the hype of these protectants helping keep them clean. My dad bought a GMC Colorado with a beige leather seats. They sold him on some cleaner that will help protect the seats and keep them looking good. Well he is a mechanic and the things were magnets to dirt. The dealer wouldn't do s*** when he complained about it and had to end up putting seat covers. My brother just bought a Audi A4, think 2014 or 2015. Same thing, the idoit didn't listen to me and got some light colored seats, think they were whitish with promises of them staying clean because of some coating they applied on it for a extra charge. Wasn't long before I found a dirt smudge on his seats than bluish spots from jeans. Just don't put yourself in the situation to have to worry about it with light interiors unless you go to work in mainly buisness suits and always being super clean.

Dude calm down. No need to drop F-Bombs.

Many vehicles with light interiors are sold world-wide. It's a personal choice. They have leather cleaning products that work well and clean very easily. It's not that bad as you make it seem. Light colored interiors look nicer and also don't heat up in the sun like black interiors do.

Calm down and drop the curse words. Not needed.

 

[Scythe024]

Dude calm down. No need to drop F-Bombs.

Many vehicles with light interiors are sold world-wide. It's a personal choice. They have leather cleaning products that work well and clean very easily. It's not that bad as you make it seem. Light colored interiors look nicer and also don't heat up in the sun like black interiors do.

Calm down and drop the curse words. Not needed.

it's one f bomb, maybe you should stop overeacting. Telling someone to calm down twice off one swear word is a bit crazy. You make it seem like I was cursing up a storm.

Yes there is cleaning products for it, but with OP's uses and already being worried about it, he is best to avoid it. My brother doesn't have a dog, drink cofee in his car, or hike and has dirtied his seats plenty from day to day use just by using it as a commuter. OP would be using the cleaning products a lot and it does't seem like something he wants to deal with.

Swearing is permitted, but kept to a minimum. I think use of one isn't a need for concern

"4.While profanity is permitted within the text of a post, try to keep this at a minimum."

 

[Paul-C]

I went with the light interior because I didn't like the black on black look and thought the light complimented the black really nicely - I also have a yellow/white dog who is always shedding fur! It's been 2 years now and this vehicle has been the easiest to keep clean that I have ever had.

I use the vinyl Mazda backseat and cargo cover and on top of that use the rubber cargo tray. So simple to clean and vacuum. The dog loses fur constantly, especially after a 3 hour ride north to the cottage. She swims, goes golfing with me and gets muddy, etc and there is no issue keeping it clean. I use leather cleaner 1-2x a year but that's from me and passengers not the dog. I used to spend hours vacuuming vehicles with carpet that sucked up the dog hair.

 

[MEB]

I went with the light interior because I didn't like the black on black look and thought the light complimented the black really nicely - I also have a yellow/white dog who is always shedding fur! It's been 2 years now and this vehicle has been the easiest to keep clean that I have ever had.

I use the vinyl Mazda backseat and cargo cover and on top of that use the rubber cargo tray. So simple to clean and vacuum. The dog loses fur constantly, especially after a 3 hour ride north to the cottage. She swims, goes golfing with me and gets muddy, etc and there is no issue keeping it clean. I use leather cleaner 1-2x a year but that's from me and passengers not the dog. I used to spend hours vacuuming vehicles with carpet that sucked up the dog hair.

Thanks for posting, Paul. I plan to do the same as you - back seats down w/ cargo cover & tray. How has the white on the door panels & interior roof held up for you in terms of dog hair / dirt and human touch? I am thinking of times when I car camp, or drive on summer dusty forest service roads. I live in a city so the majority of the time I'll use the car for city driving, but I do outdoorsy stuff and garden. As I mentioned in my post, I am not someone who is obsessive about cleaning the car & I don't want to have to spend extra time just because of the white. But if its just a matter of wiping the interior when it gets dirty, I wouldn't mind.

 

[MEB]

Good 2 know Thx!

 

[MEB]

Good to know seat covers work! Any problems (annoying finger/paw prints) with the white on the door panels? Thx for the reply!

I also use a seat cover for the dog in the backseat, and I have the parchment interior. 70 pound shepherd/greyhound mix that sheds like crazy and loves to run in dirt, and the cover works really well. Haven't had the jeans staining issue, but it's good to hear how it's handled.

 

[MEB]

I live in a cool climate, that didn't occur to me. Good to think about. I rarely have to use the A/C, tho. Still Mazda should have offered black in this exterior color, seems lame. I am inclined to agree w/you about dogs in cars, for sure. However, my dog is too big for a car crate and is not allowed in the front seat. He stays put in the back seat, laying down. And is not my constant companion in the car