Leather vs. Leatherette

128er · 08-14-2007, 08:38 PM

Ok...I know this is a hot topic among BMW buyers, and as far as I can tell there is no thread on this topic. So here is a poll...after you vote, please explain your reasoning (Comfort, Smell [not new car smelling], texture..etc).

:roundel:

128er · 08-14-2007, 08:40 PM

I think leather...IT RETAINS ITS SMELLL FOR SO LONG!!! and is super comfortable in bimmers

tommy · 08-14-2007, 08:50 PM

I'm still undecided - I'd love a cloth option, but we're all too Grey Poupon in the US for that, I guess.

Pro for leather is Lemon - it's beautiful. Pro for leatherette is that it's cheaper by 1 1/2 Recaros. Tough call. :iono:

inTgr8r · 08-14-2007, 08:57 PM

'ette for me, because I'll be redoing them in Alcantara anyway.

ducati · 08-14-2007, 09:13 PM

Leatherette. I have dogs, a kid on the way, and like to flyfish. No more Land Rovers in the family, so the 1er will have to do. Leatherette is so darn durable and easy to clean... So I'll give up the baseball glove smell :redface:

ibeam81 · 08-14-2007, 09:25 PM

Leather, but I'm stuck on coral red. If you could get leatherette in coral red then I would be okay with it.

mikeo · 08-14-2007, 09:25 PM

1. Cloth
2. Leatherette
and, bringing up the rear, it's:
3. Leather

joelk · 08-14-2007, 09:27 PM

leather. never had it and want to see what all the complaining is about!

same rationale for me getting i-drive/nav

i only learn through trial and error.

mikeo · 08-14-2007, 09:38 PM

It's your money and you have the right to blow it any way you desire.

amdmaxx · 08-14-2007, 09:40 PM

most bmw people say bmw leatherette is as good as leather and lasts looong time.

SCA · 08-14-2007, 09:41 PM

I'm sorry, but I would rather have cloth than leatherette. Cloth & Leather breathe whereas leatherette does not. For a no cost option I want cloth.

Edit: Obviously my vote was for leather.

joelk · 08-14-2007, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikeo

It's your money and you have the right to blow it any way you desire.

yup. i actually lied about i-drive. i'm going to test-drive it first and think a bit about it...but without first-hand experience i'm inclinded to give it a try.

anyway back on subject my gf has a 325 with 'ette and it's great. can't blame anyone for not wanting real leather given the quality cheaper alternative. :drinking:

WolfsburgerMitFries · 08-15-2007, 10:36 AM

Vinyl (leatherette) is much better than leather. It looks just as good as leather but lasts 3 times as long. I'll take the extra $1000 that I save (or really didn't waste on inferior leather) on the car, and put a LCD TV in the bathroom instead. Or maybe buy a piece of Stickley furniture.

SCA · 08-15-2007, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WolfsburgerMitFries

Vinyl (leatherette) is much better than leather. It looks just as good as leather but lasts 3 times as long. I'll take the extra $1000 that I save (or really didn't waste on inferior leather) on the car, and put a LCD TV in the bathroom instead. Or maybe buy a piece of Stickley furniture.

I've got some good news. You will save more than $1k. $1450 to be exact. :wink:

bimmerfile · 08-15-2007, 01:41 PM

Pleather all the way - it doesn't smell like dead animal skin... :biggrin:

9600baud · 08-15-2007, 02:07 PM

Pleather sound so cheap. I'm all for saving money but not if it looks like plastic seats ala GM.

Brookside · 08-15-2007, 02:30 PM

Hmmm...surprising results on the poll. Not what I'd expected.

I'll wait to decide. The exterior color being the determining factor.
If I get Sedona Red I'd want black leatherette. Alpine White and it would be Terra leather.
LeMans Blue...I go where no man has gone before and get the Lemon leather.

It's a Sverige kinda thang...:wink:

imported_MPower · 08-15-2007, 02:34 PM

Leatherette for me. My dad had an E34 525 with leatherette and continually amazed us. It felt exactly like every other leather you could find yet you could spill coffee on it and it would be perfectly fine. Loved it. But, I would take whatever is standard, to be honest...

gwballin · 08-15-2007, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ibeam81

Leather, but I'm stuck on coral red. If you could get leatherette in coral red then I would be okay with it.

+12,734,122

The only reason I am still considering leather is for the coral red, otherwise I'm going for the leatherette.

128er · 08-15-2007, 05:39 PM

How about the smell of leatherette...does it smell like new car or not???

SCA · 08-15-2007, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 128er

How about the smell of leatherette...does it smell like new car or not???

One thing is certain is does not smell anything like leather. 20 months after delivery and my E90 with leather still smells like new. BTW, Zaino Z10 will help. :wink:

ShiraiwaRiku · 08-15-2007, 06:12 PM

I like leather, but I heard that its hard to upkeep?

View Poll Results: Leather vs Leatherette
LEATHER!!!	39	48.15%
LEATHERETTE!!!	42	51.85%
Voters: 81. You may not vote on this poll

08-14-2007, 08:38 PM	#1
128er Captain 89 Rep 900 Posts Drives: Join Date: Jul 2007 iTrader: (0)	Leather vs. Leatherette Ok...I know this is a hot topic among BMW buyers, and as far as I can tell there is no thread on this topic. So here is a poll...after you vote, please explain your reasoning (Comfort, Smell [not new car smelling], texture..etc). :roundel:
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08-14-2007, 08:40 PM	#2
128er Captain 89 Rep 900 Posts Drives: Join Date: Jul 2007 iTrader: (0)	I think leather...IT RETAINS ITS SMELLL FOR SO LONG!!! and is super comfortable in bimmers
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08-14-2007, 08:50 PM	#3
tommy Benz Interloper 4 Rep 295 Posts Drives: 2002 Benz C230, 1990 CRX ZcSi Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Westwood, NJ iTrader: (0)	I'm still undecided - I'd love a cloth option, but we're all too Grey Poupon in the US for that, I guess. Pro for leather is Lemon - it's beautiful. Pro for leatherette is that it's cheaper by 1 1/2 Recaros. Tough call. :iono:
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08-14-2007, 08:57 PM	#4
inTgr8r Lieutenant General 2432 Rep 11,667 Posts Drives: M2 Comp Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Toronto iTrader: (10)	'ette for me, because I'll be redoing them in Alcantara anyway. __________________ '21 M2C Hockenheim Silver '18 718 Cayman S Lava Orange (sold) '13 E92 M3 Santorini Blue (sold) '07 Z4 M Coupe Alpine White (sold)
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08-14-2007, 09:13 PM	#5
ducati First Lieutenant 11 Rep 394 Posts Drives: Join Date: Aug 2007 iTrader: (0)	Leatherette. I have dogs, a kid on the way, and like to flyfish. No more Land Rovers in the family, so the 1er will have to do. Leatherette is so darn durable and easy to clean... So I'll give up the baseball glove smell :redface:
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08-14-2007, 09:25 PM	#6
ibeam81 Captain 20 Rep 722 Posts Drives: 2016 EBII M235i, 2004 Acura TL Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Germantown, MD iTrader: (0)	Leather, but I'm stuck on coral red. If you could get leatherette in coral red then I would be okay with it.
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08-14-2007, 09:25 PM	#7
mikeo Santa Fe Concorso 103 Rep 2,984 Posts Drives: '11 M-sport 328i, '13 X1 28i Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Santa Fe, NM iTrader: (3)	1. Cloth 2. Leatherette and, bringing up the rear, it's: 3. Leather __________________ Santa Fe Concorso - The Southwest's Premier Automotive Gathering.
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08-14-2007, 09:27 PM	#8
joelk Lieutenant Colonel 37 Rep 1,680 Posts Drives: Space Gray E90 M3 Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Atlanta iTrader: (0)	leather. never had it and want to see what all the complaining is about! same rationale for me getting i-drive/nav i only learn through trial and error.
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08-14-2007, 09:38 PM	#9
mikeo Santa Fe Concorso 103 Rep 2,984 Posts Drives: '11 M-sport 328i, '13 X1 28i Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Santa Fe, NM iTrader: (3)	It's your money and you have the right to blow it any way you desire. __________________ Santa Fe Concorso - The Southwest's Premier Automotive Gathering.
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08-14-2007, 09:40 PM	#10
amdmaxx My gift Registry: M2 119 Rep 1,432 Posts Drives: Future Mowner of Monster Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: USA iTrader: (0)	most bmw people say bmw leatherette is as good as leather and lasts looong time.
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08-14-2007, 09:41 PM	#11
SCA Brigadier General 565 Rep 3,742 Posts Drives: Multiple BMWs Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: 🇺🇸 iTrader: (0)	I'm sorry, but I would rather have cloth than leatherette. Cloth & Leather breathe whereas leatherette does not. For a no cost option I want cloth. Edit: Obviously my vote was for leather.
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08-15-2007, 10:36 AM	#13
WolfsburgerMitFries Lieutenant 12 Rep 445 Posts Drives: BMW 3er Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Lexington, KY iTrader: (0)	Vinyl (leatherette) is much better than leather. It looks just as good as leather but lasts 3 times as long. I'll take the extra $1000 that I save (or really didn't waste on inferior leather) on the car, and put a LCD TV in the bathroom instead. Or maybe buy a piece of Stickley furniture.
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08-15-2007, 01:41 PM	#15
bimmerfile Colonel 621 Rep 2,067 Posts Drives: 2019 BMW X2 F39 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: GTA, Canada iTrader: (0)	Pleather all the way - it doesn't smell like dead animal skin... :biggrin:
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08-15-2007, 02:07 PM	#16
9600baud Private 4 Rep 77 Posts Drives: Feet Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: New York iTrader: (0)	Pleather sound so cheap. I'm all for saving money but not if it looks like plastic seats ala GM.
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08-15-2007, 02:30 PM	#17
Brookside Major 244 Rep 1,136 Posts Drives: 2016 228i M-Sport Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: KCMO iTrader: (0)	Hmmm...surprising results on the poll. Not what I'd expected. I'll wait to decide. The exterior color being the determining factor. If I get Sedona Red I'd want black leatherette. Alpine White and it would be Terra leather. LeMans Blue...I go where no man has gone before and get the Lemon leather. It's a Sverige kinda thang...:wink:
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08-15-2007, 02:34 PM	#18
imported_MPower Zoom Zoom 38 Rep 1,069 Posts Drives: 2022 M3 6MT Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: SoCal iTrader: (0)	Leatherette for me. My dad had an E34 525 with leatherette and continually amazed us. It felt exactly like every other leather you could find yet you could spill coffee on it and it would be perfectly fine. Loved it. But, I would take whatever is standard, to be honest... __________________ In the garage: 2022 G80 M3 Manual - Portimao Blue
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08-15-2007, 05:39 PM	#20
128er Captain 89 Rep 900 Posts Drives: Join Date: Jul 2007 iTrader: (0)	How about the smell of leatherette...does it smell like new car or not???
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08-15-2007, 06:12 PM	#22
ShiraiwaRiku Baby Driver 177 Rep 1,120 Posts Drives: E90 330xi Join Date: May 2006 Location: Vancouver, BC iTrader: (9)	I like leather, but I heard that its hard to upkeep?
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