16 replies to this topic

[themanlegend]

I am getting my front and rear seats retrimmed but I have a dilemma!!

The labour cost is 200 whatever as the guy is upolsterer who works for princess yachts and his stuff is top notch (have seen two cars he has done) and materials on top BUT

Should I pay 50 more for leatherette or 200 more for real leather?

So total cost 250 or 400. I really dunno!

I am going to be keeping the mini for a few years yet but dont want to go too mad, but at the same time I think if I'm spending 250, whats another 150 for real leather.. HMMM

I have seen samples of both and am pleased with the quality. I dont want people to say nice seats, but they arent real leather but 400 is a lot!

So conflicting! HELP :nugget: :erm:

TML

[Jammy]

Well what sort of things are you going to be doing in the mini, I'd hate to spend £400 on seats and then constantly get the dirty and wear them out...

[Bungle]

If your going to keep the car will you be sitting in it in a years time thinking if only i paid the extra

[themanlegend]

I'd say I will be using the car to drive, I dont carry anything dirty in the car.

[marc]

Are there any differences in leather/leatherette and how the wear?

I see cars at work where the leather on the seats has worn away from sliding on and off the seat, sometimes not long after the car was brand new and not done many miles.

If your keeping it you dont want the material to wear away. It probably depends on the quality of material used though.

If you can afford it its probably worth going for it. Would you rather say its real leather or leatherette?

[CharlieBrown]

You cant have a name like themanlegend and have leatherette!!!

Just wrong.

[themanlegend]

If you can afford it its probably worth going for it. Would you rather say its real leather or leatherette?

on top of the 200 labour, 50 is for leathrette and 200 is for REAL leather. I havent seen a sample of the leather yet but the leatherette is very good, soft and strong. As much as I like the idea of real leather, I think it might be safer for me to spend less and have some money left over incase any mechanical things go wrong (I think I need a new master cylinder :S)

Also the 'fake' leather looks real. Unfortunately it is hard to know about wear rates otherwise I'd defo go for the leather if it would last that much longer!

Cant believe in latest mini mag it is 1400 for the vinyl and 1800 quid for a leather retrim! Thats pricey.

[binge]

My mums Suzuki Cappuchino is Letherette.

I personally couldnt tell the difference and thaught it was leather until she said it wasnt the other week

At the end of the day. its up to you...

If you have the cash... Do it... Because you can... and not because it is better :cheese:

[minipixie]

id say go for leather, plus if ur gonna be keepin the car for a while then you'll get ur moneys worth from it!

[rob mini]

where you gettin this trimming done?! ive been quoted £1000 for my two recaros with supplying the material!

[centralminiTC]

I'd say I will be using the car to drive, I dont carry anything dirty in the car.

I'm saying nothing :fear:

[themanlegend]

where you gettin this trimming done?! ive been quoted £1000 for my two recaros with supplying the material!

A friend of a friend who works at Princess Yachts, he's been an upolsterer for many years and does seats on the side. As you can guess his work is amazing (I mean he does all the interiors of half a million pound yachts).

I have seen his work on two other mini's and you cant even compare it to the bodged effort they did in the latest mini mag!

Unfortunately due to wanting to be different and not have everyone in plymouth with the same seats, his identity will remain a mystery!! mwah ha ha

I will post pics when they are finished in around 6-8 weeks though.

Sorry I cant help



TML

[JamesM]

The only trouble with leather seats i sthat they really smell in the summer with the sun through the windows.

Either way your legs are going to stick to them in the summer. Remember your lovely Mini vinyl seats, I wish I could type the noise as you peel yourself off them.

TC we can always rely on you to bring the level down even when you say nothing

[Jammy]

It doesn't matter what material TCs seats are made out of, they're always sticking so she always peels herself off them!!

[centralminiTC]

yeah.....how do you get those stains out