[TrentOSU]

Since I've been on the search for a new ride, I keep coming across cars with leatherette upholstery...from pictures it looks the same but obviously it's not as nice as leather.

What are your thoughts on it? It's hard to tell from pictures and some cars don't have it listed in their description.

[CombatNinja]

Way easier to maintain than leather. Leasing s 3-series? Get sexy light-colored leather seats. Buying used? Get the fake stuff.

[RandomHero]

Personally I like the leather package, but it's because the door panels look much nicer. The leatherette door panels look cheap to me without that horizonal line that helps to break up the panel.

[doogee]

Originally Posted by mmahany

Personally I like the leather package, but it's because the door panels look much nicer. The leatherette door panels look cheap to me without that horizonal line that helps to break up the panel.

I agree with the door panels.

As far as the seats go, I really like the leatherette. Super easy to keep clean, and it always looks new!

[TrentOSU]

Originally Posted by mmahany

Personally I like the leather package, but it's because the door panels look much nicer. The leatherette door panels look cheap to me without that horizonal line that helps to break up the panel.

In my 2008 it has the orange lighting on the doors..right above the window switches. Do the new coupes have that still?

[bumere90]

Originally Posted by CombatNinja

Way easier to maintain than leather. Leasing s 3-series? Get sexy light-colored leather seats. Buying used? Get the fake stuff.

lol

[TrentOSU]

Originally Posted by bumere90

lol

Is the leatherette not very nice?

[RedE92]

It seems like not all leatherette are equal. I had a 2002 E46 with leatherette, and it was very nice. Like others have already said, super easy to maintain and always looking like new.

However, the leatherette in my new E92 is different. It seems to me the material is inferior, and if I can roll the clock back, I would have gotten leather instead.

[Vegetable]

Originally Posted by TrentOSU90

Since I've been on the search for a new ride, I keep coming across cars with leatherette upholstery...from pictures it looks the same but obviously it's not as nice as leather.

What are your thoughts on it? It's hard to tell from pictures and some cars don't have it listed in their description.

Leather 100%... I have a 2007 328 and 70,000 miles with leather... I don't maintain it (other than wiping it down with distilled water when the seats get dusty).. still no signs of wear. Also love the smell of leather...

[ssmith96]

The leathertte is nice and will pretty much always look new, so theres nothing wrong with it. I just happen to like the leather door panels, with the the stitch in the center.

[MGT81]

Love my leatherette. Still looks brand new. I was looking at two 335xi sedans and the one with leather had way more interior wear. Easy to maintain too.

[CombatNinja]

I think the leather quality in the 3-series is kind of low anyway. The nappa stuff in the M3 is better but the 'dakota' leather doesn't impress me much.

[moorlander]

Originally Posted by TrentOSU90

Since I've been on the search for a new ride, I keep coming across cars with leatherette upholstery...from pictures it looks the same but obviously it's not as nice as leather.

What are your thoughts on it? It's hard to tell from pictures and some cars don't have it listed in their description.

The leather feels heavenly. It's was a deal breaker for me.

[mike3000fl]

I have had both. Leather is nice but ends up looking stretched around the seat bolster where you enter and exit the seat. Look at used e90 and you will see what I mean. You can protect it with cleaners and treatments and all that and avoid some of the wear issues.

Leatherette is tough and doesn't stretch or fade. I scrub mine with a brush and simple green, all the dirt comes right off. It looks new after 168,000 miles and 7 years. Very durable and can be scrubbed hard.

[williamf]

Lets call it what it is. Leatherette is a man made product. It is basically a trademarked version of vinyl. It is not leather and the only issue i have with the stuff is that it is marketed as if it is leather.

Also, all leather is not created equal. Even though i personally prefer leather, leatherette is a more durable product than some of the crap that is passed off as leather.

Having said that, a high quality leather like Full Grain Leather (not top grain leather), is far superior to leatherette. It is also an order of magnitude more expensive. It is arguable the merits of putting high end leather in a car, because the leather will certainly outlast every other component of the car. However, people like me are willing to pay for it because we like the subtle characteristics. I am not sure if the Napa Leather is the same in the BMW as it is in the Audi, but the Audi Napa Leather is Full Grain and it is outstanding. Some of the things I like about it is that it is very think, probably 5X thicker than leatherette and it has an internal structure that makes it very very durable. For example, a pen or dog claw could easily poke through leatherette, it would be virtually impossible for a hundred pound dog to scratch their way through Full Grain Leather. Also, leather reacts to heat differently than leatherette. If you have ever sat in a chair that looks like leather and been hot and sweaty, if you kindof stuck to the back, that is man made. Real leather adjusts to heat and does not stick. Leather does take some care, but not alot. It will dry out if not conditioned every once in a while. It only needs conditioning once a year to keep in perfect condition. For a car seat this takes about 5 minutes.

Again I am not knocking leatherette, but my wife and I purchased a new MDX last year and it was supposedly leather, after it got some unexplained damage on it, I researched this topic and found that it was leatherette (or some other name brand like pleather or bonded leather).

If you want to learn more about this topic, checkout this website. I found the information to be quite interesting and I actually purchased an Mac Air case from this company and the quality is incredible.

http://www.saddlebackleather.com/Lea...1#leathertypes

If you ever buy leather furniture or any other type of leather goods, you owe it to yourself to learn about this stuff. There is a very good reason why some "leather" furniture cost $500 to $1000 for a couch and others cost $5000 or more. The $1000 models have very little real leather on them and the leather they have is very low end. This stuff will last for a few years and then break down. A $5000+ couch can be handed down for generations.

[TrentOSU]

Originally Posted by williamf

Lets call it what it is. Leatherette is a man made product. It is basically a trademarked version of vinyl. It is not leather and the only issue i have with the stuff is that it is marketed as if it is leather.

Also, all leather is not created equal. Even though i personally prefer leather, leatherette is a more durable product than some of the crap that is passed off as leather.

Having said that, a high quality leather like Full Grain Leather (not top grain leather), is far superior to leatherette. It is also an order of magnitude more expensive. It is arguable the merits of putting high end leather in a car, because the leather will certainly outlast every other component of the car. However, people like me are willing to pay for it because we like the subtle characteristics. I am not sure if the Napa Leather is the same in the BMW as it is in the Audi, but the Audi Napa Leather is top grain and it is outstanding. Some of the things I like about it is that it is very think, probably 5X thicker than leatherette and it has an internal structure that makes it very very durable. For example, a pen or dog claw could easily poke through leatherette, it would be virtually impossible for a hundred pound dog to scratch their way through Full Grain Leather. Also, leather reacts to heat differently than leatherette. If you have ever sat in a chair that looks like leather and been hot and sweaty, if you kindof stuck to the back, that is man made. Real leather adjusts to heat and does not stick. Leather does take some care, but not alot. It will dry out if not conditioned every once in a while. It only needs conditioning once a year to keep in perfect condition. For a car seat this takes about 5 minutes.

Again I am not knocking leatherette, but my wife and I purchased a new MDX last year and it was supposedly leather, after it got some unexplained damage on it, I researched this topic and found that it was leatherette (or some other name brand like pleather or bonded leather).

If you want to learn more about this topic, checkout this website. I found the information to be quite interesting and I actually purchased an Mac Air case from this company and the quality is incredible.

http://www.saddlebackleather.com/Lea...1#leathertypes

If you ever buy leather furniture or any other type of leather goods, you owe it to yourself to learn about this stuff. There is a very good reason why some "leather" furniture cost $500 to $1000 for a couch and others cost $5000 or more. The $1000 models have very little real leather on them and the leather they have is very low end. This stuff will last for a few years and then break down. A $5000+ couch can be handed down for generations.

Thanks for the thorough response! I appreciate it.

[williamf]

Originally Posted by TrentOSU90

Thanks for the thorough response! I appreciate it.

Happy to help!

[tony20009]

If you can get the car you want and it has leatherette seats, consider yourself lucky. It's $1500 less expensive, easier to maintain because spills and soils won't absorb into it as they can with leather, and it lasts longer too. It's also softer to the touch. I just doesn't have that leather smell, but you can get that by simply using Zaino's (perhaps others') leather conditioner or cleaner on the seats. Even with actual leather, that smell doesn't last forever.

FWIW, my first BMW, a 1993 318i had taupe leatherette seats. I gave that car to a relative in 2007 and even now, the leatherette hasn't cracked or worn out or anything. Were red seats available in leatherette, I would have gone that way instead of leather.

One other thing, it's true the leather will technically be thicker than the leatherette, but if it is punctured by a sharp object, it cannot be repaired. It's skin after all. The vinyl seats, can be repaired. Although, yes, either can be patched. The truth of the matter is that if you are carrying things that may puncture the seat covering, common sense would tell you to put something on the seats to mitigate the risk of a puncture, regardless of what the seat covering is made of. So to that end, while I understand williamf's point, I don't know, practically speaking, how much of an issue it is.

Williamf is most certainly correct that all leather is not created equal. Top grain leather is by far the best and even that has varying grades. The beautiful stuff that horse saddles are made from is a significantly different thing from the leather that covers our car seats (except perhaps in some serious luxury brands and custom cars). And there's a good reason for that; the really high quality top grain leather costs far more than what most folks would pay to have in a car. Napa leather that you will find in cars -- if it can truly be called napa, for napa is made from sheepskin -- is not at all what you'd find on an article of clothing, and nor should it be. The lovely texture and pliability of, say, a pair of gloves or a sport jacket, is not even remotely likely to endure the stress of being applied as a car seat covering. It's still top grain, but it's ovine top grain, not bovine, and it's comparatively delicate.

As for the heat and air transfer aspect, I think you'd have to decide the merits of the two materials for yourself. I for one one find both to be hot when I get into a car that's sat in the sun for a bit and I find both to be fine after a bit of time with the a/c on. The only thing that may make them different is that because leather is porous, it will absorb perspiration, whereas the vinyl won't. Personally, I don't care to sit on hot seats regardless of what material they are made of, so I installed red wool seat covers on my two front seats. They don't look swanky, but I never sit on an extremely hot or cold seat, and that's far more valuable to me than what they look like. If the look doesn't offend you too much, my solution will work on both leather and vinyl seats.

[TrentOSU]

Originally Posted by tony20009

If you can get the car you want and it has leatherette seats, consider yourself lucky. It's $1500 less expensive, easier to maintain because spills and soils won't absorb into it as they can with leather, and it lasts longer too. It's also softer to the touch. I just doesn't have that leather smell, but you can get that by simply using Zaino's (perhaps others') leather conditioner or cleaner on the seats. Even with actual leather, that smell doesn't last forever.

FWIW, my first BMW, a 1993 318i had taupe leatherette seats. I gave that car to a relative in 2007 and even now, the leatherette hasn't cracked or worn out or anything. Were red seats available in leatherette, I would have gone that way instead of leather.

One other thing, it's true the leather will technically be thicker than the leatherette, but if it is punctured by a sharp object, it cannot be repaired. It's skin after all. The vinyl seats, can be repaired. Although, yes, either can be patched. The truth of the matter is that if you are carrying things that may puncture the seat covering, common sense would tell you to put something on the seats to mitigate the risk of a puncture, regardless of what the seat covering is made of. So to that end, while I understand williamf's point, I don't know, practically speaking, how much of an issue it is.

Williamf is most certainly correct that all leather is not created equal. Top grain leather is by far the best and even that has varying grades. The beautiful stuff that horse saddles are made from is a significantly different thing from the leather that covers our car seats (except perhaps in some serious luxury brands and custom cars). And there's a good reason for that; the really high quality top grain leather costs far more than what most folks would pay to have in a car. Napa leather that you will find in cars -- if it can truly be called napa, for napa is made from sheepskin -- is not at all what you'd find on an article of clothing, and nor should it be. The lovely texture and pliability of, say, a pair of gloves or a sport jacket, is not even remotely likely to endure the stress of being applied as a car seat covering. It's still top grain, but it's ovine top grain, not bovine, and it's comparatively delicate.

As for the heat and air transfer aspect, I think you'd have to decide the merits of the two materials for yourself. I for one one find both to be hot when I get into a car that's sat in the sun for a bit and I find both to be fine after a bit of time with the a/c on. The only thing that may make them different is that because leather is porous, it will absorb perspiration, whereas the vinyl won't. Personally, I don't care to sit on hot seats regardless of what material they are made of, so I installed red wool seat covers on my two front seats. They don't look swanky, but I never sit on an extremely hot or cold seat, and that's far more valuable to me than what they look like. If the look doesn't offend you too much, my solution will work on both leather and vinyl seats.

I appreciate this response as well, extremely helpful. I found a ride that I love, just wasn't sure on the leatherette. Thanks!

[bimmerlvr77]

I've had both and I have to say that I'm very happy with the leatherette. One thing I've noticed, and maybe it's just me, but I don't slide as much on the leatherette. We have leather in the X5 and I slide all over the dang seat. My e92 has leatherette and it feels almost like it has grip to it...I don't slide on it. I keep all my cars looking new, but I have to say I think the leatherette will stand the test of time and is lower maintenance.

[smallseafishie]

I've had both. Honestly, it doesn't matter. The only nice thing is leather smells amazing when new. People here claim that leather breathes better. I find it to be the same.

Most claim that leatherette last longers... but I had my leatherette seat bottom replaced because it developed a crack. My leather seats on the other hand have not had any issues.

[williamf]

I think you have some really good perspectives here. Tony prefers leatherette. I prefer leather. Neither of us is wrong. It's just a preference.

I am not sure about the statement about Napa leather. It is not just from sheep, though this is very common. Napa leather gets its name from the process that was invented in Napa Calaforina, I think in the 19th century. This process can be applied to all types of Full Grain Leather, but is usually reserved for the top 10% of all leather, which is why marketers like to through the name around. As I mentioned, I don't know what animal BMW uses for its leather, but in 2008 or 09 Audi made a big deal that it was upgrading all its leather products to Full Grain Bovine which is the gold standard in leather.

Also I agree that good leatherette can last a very long time and will probably outlast all leathers that are not Full Grain.

From a purely functional perspective both products will last longer than you own the car and still look like new, if you take proper care of them. There is not a value proposition that makes sense to purchase leather for a purely functional reason, just like there is no reason to by a BMW for a purely functional reason.