I have a friend that had the King Ranch. He talked me out of the King Ranch and into a Lariet. He said the leather seats stained very easy, and were hard to keep clean. I sure did want one, but I'm too messy.
Normally I wouldn't know about King Ranch leather, however, a good friend recently bought one. He's been complaining to me about the leather staining. He said his dog drooled on the seat and it stained. I guess the leather is untreated??? Anyway, he is not a happy camper.
I'm just turning 22k on my 10 month old 2004 king ranch f250 and am very satisfied with the leather seats. It has been on a at least a dozen hunting trips, with two dogs and less than carefull hunting partners, and many fishing trips. Any "stains" I have noticed have magically disappeared after a wipe down with lexol and several days of my rear end rubbing on them. So far they have held up well and continue to look better each day. As a side note: My family and I have owned several other vehicles with leather, including imports with "expensive" leather and the one thing I have noticed is the king ranch leather has not cracked like almost all the others I have seen. Maybe this is going to happen in the future but I did not see it on an older f150 I looked at this summer. Try to find a well used king ranch and take a look to determine for yourself how it holds up. My advice should you buy one is give the seats a regular rub down with a GOOD leather conditioner that does not contain silicone. My choice was lexol.
I have a friend with an 03 King Ranch and the leather seats faded very quickly. They took it into the dealer and Ford changed all the seats. Now my friend keeps sun shades handy whenever the vehicle is parked. Sounds like a pain in the neck to me. Lariat seats are more durable.
Lure Rat; thanks for the feedback. After seeing the other posts, I'm still on the fence concerning the purchase of King Ranch, due to type of leather. Yet, you were only to respond who actually owns it, not second hand information from so and so.... Again, thanks.
Last edited by angus21601; 09-03-2004 at 07:41 AM.
Reason: adding information
Just had another conversation with my friend with the King Ranch leather. He called King Ranch and they said the leather was supposed to weather just like a saddle. It's a kind of cowboy thing. Having horses, I understand that. He wanted me to pass along that you can call King Ranch, or get on the website, and order a special conditioner for the KR leather. Doesn't seal it but does keep it nice and soft. Hope this helps
The KR Seats are nice but I do wished they came in black as the tan color does stain pretty easy, I haul a few employees in mine and I allways snap at them if their dirty because it shows. Black is the next color I am getting maybe even sooner than latter for me.
I'm just turning 22k on my 10 month old 2004 king ranch f250 and am very satisfied with the leather seats. It has been on a at least a dozen hunting trips, with two dogs and less than carefull hunting partners, and many fishing trips. Any "stains" I have noticed have magically disappeared after a wipe down with lexol and several days of my rear end rubbing on them. So far they have held up well and continue to look better each day. As a side note: My family and I have owned several other vehicles with leather, including imports with "expensive" leather and the one thing I have noticed is the king ranch leather has not cracked like almost all the others I have seen. Maybe this is going to happen in the future but I did not see it on an older f150 I looked at this summer. Try to find a well used king ranch and take a look to determine for yourself how it holds up. My advice should you buy one is give the seats a regular rub down with a GOOD leather conditioner that does not contain silicone. My choice was lexol.
the reason it doesn't crack is because it is not coated with vinyl like regular leather seats are(for protection)
Dan
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'04 F-250 CC Lariat white/silver 4X2 PSD, auto, SWB 3.73 lsd, Reverse sensors, captains sliding rear, leonard cap, DeeZee Bedmat/// '96 F-150 SC EB SWB Blue/Tan 5 Spd
Original poster asked: "Does the Castano Leather in the King Ranch hold up well to abuse or is it just "fluff?"
I think they hold up better than any other leather interior I ever had and that is over a long time in many different brands.
The real point of the King Ranch leather is how they gain "character" over time, and eventually get "broke in" softer texture, and richer in color. They change color like a saddle, but stretch and wrinkle like a expensive leather coat.
If you pay this much for the Castrano leather you should read the recommended care instructions.
I do not reccommend seat covers as you will tend to forget about the leather and not treat it with conditioner and they will dry out and get hard.
Evey time my kids, or dog made the seat wet and discolored we wiped down the whole area with warm watter, let it dry, hit it with saddle soap and buffed it out and accepted the new "character" the seat gained.
The leather is much heavier than Fords typical leather, but not anywhere near full grain 3/16 thick heavy saddle leather. Not designed to take the abuse of workers climbing aboard with tape measure and wire pliers in back pockets.
I have deer hunted and climbed in bloddy, muddy, and wet. Being properly conditioned and protected they cleaned back up a week later.
So yes they are more durable and not just Fluff.... They will hold up better than the standard leather or cloth to abuse, but will gain discoloration and scrapes and "character".
Angus,
I own a 2001 King Ranch with 35k+ on it and the seat just look better the older they get. Like a leather jacket. As long as you condition them regularly they won't fade.
I like 'em, the seats are the one thing almost everyone comments on, hoe great they look.
My '05 King Ranch has less than 7,000 miles and already the seats are fading horrendously. The seats and the stearing wheel have half the color that they had when new. I have conditioned them several times with the conditioner that I orderd from King Ranch, and it has not helped. The conditioner keeps the leather nice and soft, but does not seem to help with the color. The most faded part is the left side of the seat(driver's side) and the right side of the seat(passenger side) just from getting in and out of the vehicle. I am thinking of going in the dealer for a change out. Sort of pisses me off. The looks of this interior is why I got the KR instead of the Lariat. Annoying because the KR gives fewer paint choices. I would have rather had a black or red truck, but wanted the leather more.
Has anyone had any luck in restoring color to the seats???
I just purchased my second King Ranch vehicle. It is a fact that the seats will fade to a much lighter color over time; conditioner will help.
As far as durability, these seats hard to beat. I can't count the times my dog has jumped in after a bird hunting session with wet muddy paws. The leather is the most durable I have ever seen in a vehicle.
I think it is important to understand that the seats were not intended to retain the factory finish, they will weather and gain character beginning almost immediately. Take a look at a King Ranch that is several years old, you will get a feel for how they will weather.
I would not have anything else!
Between my dogs and kids, regular coated leather would be scratched and badly cracked after a year of hard use, not so with the King Ranch.
My seats look great and I'm no perfectionist. I can't believe that dog drool stains the seats, I put a greasy bag of food on my seats and it left a stain, but the stain disappeared after two days. For the most part, my seats look good, but more importantly they feel fantastic. I'd say they age pretty damn good.
I am on my first KR its an 04 and i have put 40K on it in 18months now im young 24 and i am rough on stuff mud, dirt, all kinds of mess. The seats are VERY strong.. yes if you drip some water off the bottom of your cup as you take a drink its gunna leave a mark but it goes away.. its not a STAIN by any means..Now i am down in South Fl and the heat down here is crazy and the seats do dry up some.. You need to keep them oiled up and you arent supposed to use regular cleaner/conditioner... i use the stuff sold at www.KRsaddleshop.com its made for the leather and i do oil them up once a month.. its a pain but i think its what keeps it looking oh so good...
ryan
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2004 F-350 King Ranch 4x4 6.0 SRW SWB CC.
2.5in Leaf Spring Lift in Front.5in blocks in rear. Moto Metal 20x10's 305 55R20's. Fabtech Traction Bars. Fumoto Valve. SCT Tunner. Train Horns. Upgraded Compressors and big tank to run air tools. CB Radio. Rancho 9ks. Amsoil Oil ByPass System
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